removing seatbelt torx head bolts

[cdub2010]

Im trying to remove the seatbelts in my '91 crew cab and I have broken 3 torx bits so far, 1 with an impact and 2 with just a 1/2 ratchet and breaker bar. The bolts have hardly budged at all, they just make an erie creaking sound. I would hate to have been the guy who had to torque them down on the line. I need them out to put new carpet in the crew cab. Cant use heat as they still have the seat belt plastics on them. 8 bolts total twice the fun as you regular cab guys.

I cant remove them so.... Can these things be drilled out? Do I really want to try? Should I just spray the floor with bedliner and give up on cleaning up this pig?

[TKCR]

Have you tried soaking them with PB Plaster? Douse them suckers good. Might have spray several times and let them soak overnight.
It’s the rust, not the fact that they were torqued to tight.

[Getter-Done]

Yeah PB blaster or Kroil .

Take a Brass/ Bronze Hammer
Link: https://www.harborfreight.com/2-lb-h...q=brass+hammer

Insert the Torx socket And hit to shock it.

[Dead Parrot]

2nd the penetrating oil approach. Crawl under and spray the threads from the bottom. At least twice a day. For several days. Penetrating oil isn't an instant solution. It can take days to do its thing.

Use a pipe wrench if the seatbelt stuff allows. You can grind the marks off once you get the bolts out.

Another option on the hit it with a hammer would be to use some scrap 1/2 iron pipe or other sacrificial thing as the interface between the bolt and hammer.

[Factory Guy]

I would agree with the penetrating oil. If the commercial solutions don't work you might try this:

50/50 acetone and Automatic transmission fluid

(never tried it myself)

[LS short box]

Buy a Snap On torx bit so when you snap it off you can replace at no cost.
I haven't done it but if you decide to drill out I guessing those bolts are pretty hard.

[dmjlambert]

In addition to PB Blaster, I had to get under the truck and use a small dremel type tool with tiny cutoff blade, and used it to cut the threads deeper and remove rust from deep in the exposed rusty threads of the bolt. Make sure the screw is fully seated so you are able to get to as many threads as possible. Then I screwed the bolt clockwise and counter-clockwise over and over, and added more PB Blaster and let them soak. This was just with a ratchet with torx bit, no impact tool. If you're using an impact tool and breaking the bits, turn down the impact tool to lower setting and patiently alternate over and over between clockwise and counter-clockwise with the bolt, taking breaks to let it soak with more PB Blaster. I remember mine was a pain but got it done.

[cdub2010]

I have been spraying them down with pb blaster and smacking them with the a big hammer each night. Man I cant stand the smell of bp blaster. Im limited to what I can do for health reasons so luckily I have someone heading over this weekend to drop the gas tanks to fix a leaky line and clean up the threads from below. The kobalt and lisle torx bits were junk got an impact bit from amazon but im doubtful it will last. all good suggestions, funny to think this is the only squarebody truck ive had that has had seatbelts and solid floor boards.

[3drburb]

Now that you have it soaked, try to TIGHTEN it with a breaker bar or use a piece of pipe on your ratchet, if to moves a little then reverse and LOOSEN it slowly. Try not to use an impact wrench.

[chris989]

Originally Posted by cdub2010

Im trying to remove the seatbelts in my '91 crew cab and I have broken 3 torx bits so far, 1 with an impact and 2 with just a 1/2 ratchet and breaker bar. The bolts have hardly budged at all, they just make an erie creaking sound. I would hate to have been the guy who had to torque them down on the line. I need them out to put new carpet in the crew cab. Cant use heat as they still have the seat belt plastics on them. 8 bolts total twice the fun as you regular cab guys.

I cant remove them so.... Can these things be drilled out? Do I really want to try? Should I just spray the floor with bedliner and give up on cleaning up this pig?

I feel your pain,
My solution was to weld a nut onto the end of the bolt underneath the truck. I then used a breaker bar to break the bolt loose. Once loose, cut the welded nut and bolt off and use the torx as normal.

[Warrens69GMC]

Try this. Clean the area very well and have it dry. Heat the bolt with a heat source, try to tighten it, the slowly loosen it.

Heat source can be a Heat gun but be careful