Sway bar bracket bolts

[merk23literturbo]

Merkur's had Heli-Coils installed at the factory in those holes. So every car will have them.

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Good pics Ray, and I like your approach of "captive studs". Perhaps a similar approach could be a fabricated block of ~1.5" x 5" x 1/4" steel plate with the two studs welded in place, the correct distance apart. It would similar looking to the part that the tranny X-member bolts to. You just drop that into place from the inside. Only question is whether the surface is flat enough on the inside for that to be viable.

[Ray]

Brad,

Looking at the floor i dont think that you could make a plate that big fit, and it would be a pain in the butt to weld that in. Welding the bolts thru the little holes was hard enough. i think it would be easier to just go the route i did and weld the bolts right to the oem chassis there. FWIW a dremel with the remote extension helps a TON grinding everything to bare metal. otherwise you'd need to cut a bigger hole. I plan on screwing some aluminum sheet metal over those holes after i finish cleaning up inside and painting.

[jkxr4ti]

Ray, I think what Brad means is a rectangular plate with both studs welded in would not need to have the whole assemble welded in place. It could just drop in from the top, and the two studs attached to the same assemlby would keep it from rotating while you were tightening the nuts.

[DPDISXR4Ti]

Ray, I think what Brad means is a rectangular plate with both studs welded in would not need to have the whole assemble welded in place. It could just drop in from the top, and the two studs attached to the same assemlby would keep it from rotating while you were tightening the nuts.

Ding, ding, ding, Jeremy gets a prize!

[Ray]

Ooooh, now i know what you mean by what the tranny cross member bolts too.

that actually wouldn't be that hard at all to make and reproduce, either. just measure the distance and put the bolts in, test fit, etc, and weld it up.

[Larry Velk]

Yes, as "merk23..." said, the helicoils were stock. Also used on other Fords to the displeasure of trans techs as I think they were used primarily on crossmembers in closed channels. Very stupid. The helicoil sits in what looks like a captive nut, but I think it just acts as a thickened area to fix the helicoil.

[my8950]

Ugh, I could only wish the pictures were still available that Ray posted...
Only been a few years...

[andyofcolumbusmerkur]

Advice from Mike: Thin out some ATF fluid with acetone. Use a dollar store spray bottle to spray around brackets. Let sit at least a day. Work bolts back and forth (tighten just slightly then reverse) with impact wrench. Don't try to muscle them out with breaker/cheater bar. Drop sway bar. He said he got many of them out successfully using liquid wrench spray and being careful, and I should be able to install my cossie sways no problem. If I break something I guess I am cutting holes in the floor. Also I'm thinking about drilling an access hole into the channel from below. So I can spray the atf in there a little better. May the Merkur gods look favorably upon you.

[my8950]

Advice from Mike: Thin out some ATF fluid with acetone. Use a dollar store spray bottle to spray around brackets. Let sit at least a day. Work bolts back and forth (tighten just slightly then reverse) with impact wrench. Don't try to muscle them out with breaker/cheater bar. Drop sway bar. He said he got many of them out successfully using liquid wrench spray and being careful, and I should be able to install my cossie sways no problem. If I break something I guess I am cutting holes in the floor. Also I'm thinking about drilling an access hole into the channel from below. So I can spray the atf in there a little better. May the Merkur gods look favorably upon you.

Mine are out, its just a matter of repairing the holes...
Weld Nutz FTW...Go 12mm!