Bumper install conundrum.

[WesWood151]

So I'm pulling my rear bumper and tow hitch off my '98 today and I find the weirdest thing when it comes to my passenger side nut strip. Instead of all nuts, it has two bolts hanging down to attach the exhaust hanger. I removed the nuts and the exhaust hanger and it's like they are welded down from the nut strip but the strip won't budge.

So for the conundrum; my new bumper brackets have their own nut strips. I can just use the old one, but I'd need to drill and extra hole to accommodate the extra bolt hanging down.

Has anyone seen this before? Any suggestions?

I'll get a picture if there is any interest tomorrow morning when I've got light.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

Some of them had the stupid carriage type bolts. Maybe try giving them a tap with a hammer and see if they push up, then fish them out.

 

[Brent T]

They're threaded into the nutstrip. You can double nut the piece that's hanging down and unscrew them from the nutstrip or you can use vise grips on them to unscrew them from the nutstrip. Mine had a square end on both the studs that were hanging down so I was able to use vise grips and not ruin the threads.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

check the end of the stud your talking about...

i believe mine had an 8mm hex that yo could use to turn them