front 2G subframe bolts?

[bmoha7321]

Looking for a little help and advice here.
I'm attempting to remove the front subframe from my 97 2G AWD.
I have 5 of the 6 nuts removed off the studs the last one just spins and spins. What is the deal with these studs? Are they studs or they actually bolts with the head concealed inside the unibody? The stud I am having problems with is the one farthest towards the front of the car on the driver's side. All the other bolts came off no problem. One of the others on the passenger seemed to also be freespinning but then caught and came off.
I guess I'm wondering; if I do manage to get all the bolts off the studs, what's to keep them from spinning so I can tighten them back down? Not that I want to take the front subframe out on a regular basis but I'd like to figure out what's going wrong here and fix it so it's not an issue in the future.
Oh and just another note; I'm removing the front subframe so I can eliminate some rust on the unibody behind it and install some of those fancy dancy cnc'd aluminum subframe bushings.

 

[turbosax2]

Hold the bottom of the stud (non-threaded portion) with vice grips while wrenching on the nut.

 

[bmoha7321]

I was trying that but it kept turning. I actually broke my vicegrips I reefed on them to clamp down so hard. So is it a stud with threads on both sides or is it a bolt that is dropped in while the unibody is being welded up?

I did get the nut to finally start moving up and down the stud. Sprayed it penetrating oil and used the vicegrip technique but it's not off yet. I'll have to buy another set of vicegrips.

 

[turbosax2]

a bolt that is dropped in while the unibody is being welded up?

This.

I had similar problems:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/bolt-tech/342502-resolved-front-subframe-nut-removal.html

 

[bmoha7321]

Hey look at that! Now why didn't that post show up when I searched?
So... how is the stud attached to the unibody? Is there a threaded sleeve in there that is supposed to be welded in place that came free? Or is it a bolt that is dropped in when the unibody is first being constructed at the factory? If so is the head of the bolt welded in place and that weld broke now allowing it to spin freely? Am I going to have to cut a port into the side of the unibody frame rail to be able to either weld the threaded sleeve back into place as it's supposed to be or replace the bolt and weld the head back down?
Or is it not a problem? will it just tighten down if I put a new nut on it and I'm just over thinking the problem?

 

[turbosax2]

I believe it is actually a bolt dropped in during assembly that has a square head, and there are two 'walls' (for lack of a better term) that prevent it from spinning. So either those walls have been bent, or more likely, the square head is now a circle. It's been awhile so I can't remember for sure; maybe someone else can chime in with fresh knowledge.

During reassembly, I just held the stud with vice grips while tightening the nut and all was well. I used another stud to get the feel of how tight the nut should be when torqued properly (since you can't use a torque wrench with vice grips on the stud). You could certainly hack up the framerail to replace or repair the bolt; I wasn't willing to do that when my method worked out just dandy.

 

[bmoha7321]

That was definitively the answer I was looking for!

 

[Chuck981]

That was definitively the answer I was looking for!

As I'm about to start my awd swap on my 2g iI can tell you that they are bolts that are in there which are kinda loose and will spinn.

 

[DSM_love_GST]

weld them in place if you can open up the rails

 

[Curtisd03]

If this was me and i really couldnt figure it out i would probably split the nut, and worry about getting another nut after and possibly a new stud if its really a problem.

 

[bmoha7321]

I'm pretty confident that I'll be able to get the nut off the stud fairly easily after I buy a new set of vicegrips. And as long as I can get it to tighten down I think it'll be ok.

 

[bmoha7321]

The subframe is out of the GSX now. Actually it's sitting in the back of my Xploder. Brought it back to the house to get the stock subframe bushings out. I ordered a set of cnc'd aluminum subframe bushings from black_gst. Very pleased that there was very little rust on the underside of the subframe. And it's fairly lightweight. Lighter than I was expecting. The solid subframe bushings should tighten up the front of the GSX. Also ordering Prothane front suspension bushings kit.
All the subframe bolts seem to be in good condition. Only the one spins freely. The others can't spin. Almost thinking about seeing if I can weld the shaft of it in place from the bottom right to the frame rail.