Could it be possible that with the belts still ON, it could be putting things in a bind? I wouldn’t think, but....

 

I might guess a cross threaded bolt but probably just good and rusty. Previous person might have used an adjustable wrench and rounded the head a bit too.

 

Since December, illness and freezing weather kept me from working on this problem. However, after a week of trying everything suggested in this thread (and more), I'm unable to loosen the bolt. (Picture on page 3 of this thread). Everything has been tried over days: PB blaster (repeated sprayings over days, acetone/ATF mixture (repeated sprayings over days), torching the bolt multiple times, vice grips and locking pliers no longer bite on the bolt head, which is now very smooth. I even sent away for the Go 2 Socket bolt removal tool, which was able to bite briefly, but now slides off the bolt head at the first suggestion of torque; no amount of tightening the adjustable nut on the Go 2 tool helps anymore. When able to get a bite with any of the aforementioned tools, I used extension pipes for leverage, but there was never a hint of movement by the bolt. I tried tightening the bolt, as suggested earlier in the thread, but the bolt refused to move in that direction also. As a result of all this, the bolt head is very round.

Earlier in the thread, MRollings wrote:
"Cut the head of the bolt off. There is five inches of bolt sticking out of the block to play with. Once the alternator and spacer are out of the way torch the **** out of the bolt. Clamp a pair of vice grips on it, and work it back and forth until it breaks loose."

Is that my only option? If so, what else do I have to remove to get the "five inches of bolt sticking out"? Also, if anyone has suggestions about how to cut the head of the bolt off, given it is flush against the brace, I would appreciate hearing about it. I know I have a lot of questions. The only mechanical experience I have is from the little jobs I've taken on with the help of this forum. As always, thanks.

 

All these suggestions and no go? Even heated bolt and real cold block? I don't want to insult you but, you are trying to spin that bolt counter clockwise, correct?
If so, try the suggestion above about moving the whole alternator to break the bolt loose.

 

Jeffafa, thanks for posting. No insult taken. I'm definitely turning counter-clockwise, and it has not budged--even after trying vice grips, locking pliers, the Go 2 tool, multiple sprayings of PB Blaster and acetone/ATF, and repeated torchings of the bolt. The acetone/ATF mixture worked on a couple of the water pump bolts. They turned easily with socket and ratchet when I tested them. But the pivot bolt is a different animal.
Am I correct in assuming that if I cut the head of the pivot bolt off, and loosen the upper bracket bolt, the alternator can be moved to the side so as to make access for removal of the water pump?
I have an angle grinder. Would that be the appropriate tool for cutting the bolt head? My one concern is that the bolt head is hard flush against the bracket, and I'm concerned that the grinder wheel might damage the bracket because I won't be able to get between the bolt head and the bracket.
I saw a youtube video which showed a guy welding a socket to the head of a rounded bolt and then removing the seized bolt via the new socket. I don't weld, however, so....
Again, thanks for the reply.

 

My x mother in law had a shop working on here 70 cs going to change out the water pump an so on.
The shop called her and said they can't remove the 5/8 Alternator bolt and there afraid it will break out.

An if it breaks off it could cost up to $300- $400 to have someone drilled out an retape.

She called me an told me the story: I told her to have it towed home an, I'll fix it.
Ok the bolt seized with in the pivot bore.
So used my little hammer an tapped that area an slowly got the bolt to moving and with 30 minutes had the alternator off..

I worked the alternator an bolt back & fourth so knew it was not over tighten in the threaded block..
The Alternator bolt was seized only in the bolt hole itself. So by turning the Alternator counter clock wise will help it unscrew out of the block then tap on the housing all sides of the bolt if you take your time by keep working at it it come loose.
That's my story of removing the frozen bolt
Orich

 

Cut off most of the head. Then use an angle grinder to grind down to the bracket.

I'm sure he wishes he had some bolt head left for this!

 

Thanks, Jeffafa and Orich. Jeffafa is right in saying that I wish I had more bolt head to work with. The bolt is now very round, with the addition of a groove that I put there, trying a technique I observed on YouTube: first using a center punch on the bolt head, then extending and deepening the groove with a chisel. Once the groove is deep and long enough, place the chisel tip in the groove, rotate the chisel 45 degrees so that the hammered chisel will move the bolt head in a counter-clockwise direction, then strike the chisel head with a hammer--repeatedly if necessary.
This technique worked on a couple of YouTube videos, but not on my truck. I coupled this technique with prior torching, prior applications of penetrant, and prior and subsequent hammer taps directly on the bolt--none of these variations worked.
I'm considering using an angle grinder to reshape the bolt head for a 6 pt. socket; with the aforementioned groove, however, I'm not sure how much material I have left to work with. Moreover, the bolt may be so seized that even if I were able to reshape the head, the newly reshaped bolt head might simply round off.
I will probably have to cut the head off, as jeffafa describes, but I'm going to try the chisel procedure once more today.

 

Why haven you cut a thin line into the Alternator bolt boss, or even in the center an get some oil worked inside and see if you can turn the whole Alternator counter clockwise even the smallest amount will help. Plus kind of prove that the bolt is only stuck into Alternator bolt boss bore...

Orich

 

 

I have used a long wood handle (axe, shovel, etc) between the alternator and wter pump to pry it over out of the way. This usually breaks the bolt loose. At least the alternator is out of the way.

 

My apologies to everyone who participated in this thread. Illness kept me from working regularly on the project. I backed off the repair and the thread, as a result.
Good news! I finished the job, but not without a lot of false steps and surprises. In addition to installing the water pump, I was forced to install a rebuilt alternator.
Because none of the suggestions--vice grips, penetrating oil, and torching--loosened the pivot bolt, I decided to use an angle grinder to remove the bolt head. Visibility was poor in the confined space, and it appeared that I had cut off most of the bolt head but missed part of the flange, so I cut that off. Unfortunately, it wasn't the bolt head flange but rather part of the alternator--the circular profile surrounding the bolt hole. Not good. Moreover, the bolt, while more accessible now after removing the bracket, would still not budge. I was able to spin the alternator a little after freeing it from both brackets, which led me to believe that the threads were OK. Finally, I took a Sawzall and cut into the area where the spacer meets the alternator, and the alternator fell, suspended by the wiring. After getting the alternator out of the way, I twisted the remainder of the bolt out by hand. The bolt had siezed inside the hole of the alternator, and did not involve the threads at all. I was lucky. That part of the bolt is never coming out, however. And nothing I did would have ever budged it.
I won't bore you with the adventures/misadventures of installing the water pump, alternator, and a fan shroud, but I learned a lot doing it.
Finally, I'd like to say that I am tooling around town in my truck. But after reattaching the negative battery cable and hopping into the cab, I discovered that I had no power steering. Quickly checked the reservoir--Empty! Filled it. Back in the cab. Turned it over but experienced a lot of carburetor backfiring and flaming. I nursed it, over time, to an idle; but it was a challenge.
I towed it 2 days ago to a mechanic, who said that the power steering system is shot and needs to be replaced and the carburetor must be rebuilt. He is a pretty trustworthy and successful guy, so I doubt that he's padding the repair cost. The initial estimate was $1,200, then he bumped it to $1,700, when I expressed an interest in replacing the carb with one with an electric choke (my idea). (I'm not sure if it cost-effective to do so, however.) He then called me back to say that he was having trouble locating an affordable power steering "box". Evidently, they are in short supply, and the few guys that have them--guys whose work you can trust--want an exorbitant amount, so we're in limbo, for the moment.
I love the truck. Even with all my wasted motions and inefficiencies, it was worth the time and expense.

 

Glad you got the Alternator problem fixed. You can look up "Red Head" steering, they are located in Seattle, Wa for a steering box, they use bearings instead of bushings. They are a bit spendy.

 

Seals may be all you need in that box so ask Mr.Good wrench who's working on your trucks steering box about seals.
Orich

 

Do you have the Bendix box or the Ford box? Ford box is half the price of the Bendix ( like I have).