Anyone ever had this problem before??? I am changing a worn out hinge on the passenger side and all three bolts are just spin loose but are not coming out. I looked on the inside of the fenderwell and they have a little box that must hold a nut in there. I am guessing that the nut is spinning. I am probably going to take a chisel and knock the little box off and try to get a wrench on the nuts. Hope I am correct in this fix.......... P.S. 1973 F-100

 

It's been a while but I'm pretty sure they are square nuts that get stamped into the fenderwell. You can cut them off to get it off, and should be able to get some new ones from a junk fenderwell and weld back in, it should be clear access unless you have a plastic liner. You may also get them from a rad support too. Try warming up the nuts on the backside, they may come loose, and you may have to weld into place on the backside, and can salvage them that wy. Hell, the welding may warm them up enough to get them loose.

 

Actually what I have done on one side so far is taken a plasma cutter and cut the head of the bolts off and then I am ging to try and salvage the nuts unless I can get them from Napa. Though I may try your methods on the other side (hopefully they will just come out!) Thanks

 

I have had that problem, I just took the little box that holds them off and used vice grips on the nut, then when I put the hinge back on I just used a new bolt and a washer with a nut on it.

 

Yeah, I'd cut 'em off, too. You can always tack weld a new nut on there, but that means taking the inner fender out.

K.

 

I had the same problem. One of sheetmetal boxes that holds the nut opened up enough to let the nut spin. I used a pair of BIG channel locks to bend it back in to shape and it worked out fine. I personally wouldn't weld the nut because you loose a lot of adjustment for your hood. Using a wrench on the underside is alright also but would also be hard to adjust hinge, work rathet, hold wrench, hold hood all at the same time. Fords original setup is quite clever and works good in my opinion.

 

Wrecker21,

Good point about welding and losing adjustment. I realized this last night when I was adjusting my own hood.

K.