The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Running board removal

Hello all,
Maybe I am missing something but I am not able to get the runnig boards off of my truck. (49 half ton) Here are the problems I am having:
1.) odd sized/shaped nut holding this on. It is squareand I am having to use a 14mm socket to fit. Perhaps this is from the previous owner.
2.) Now that I can turn it everything turns(the bolt and nut) I dont see how to reach the top of the bolt to hold it.
What am I missing here?
All comments are appreciated.
Thanks,
Sean
:confused:

I had the same problem. Its hard to get something in the running board support to get to those nuts. Plus they are all rusted. I got mine loose enough to were I could get my sawsall blade in between the running board and the support and cut the bolt. Have to be very carefull not to damage the running board. Those bolts slide into the running board they slide in from the middle of the running board to the to the out side. So.. if you can get the ones closest to the cab loose you may can pull the running board away from the cab and pull it off leaving the bolts in the support. did I confuse you? You can also fine I think a six point socket to fit that square nut but will need a deep one which is hard to find but there nothing holding the bolt wont do any good any way. Seem like I had every tool in my arsanal out trying to get mine off. Just have to work each bolt whith wat you have to get them off. Good luck.

I used a six inch socket extension. the extension
square end the ratchet normally goes in will slip
over the square nut,then take the other end and put a wrench on it. Then tighten the nut and they will twist right off. You are not gonna use the bolts anyway and it is faster and cleaner to twist
them off. Worked good for me
Mike

Or you can buy an eight point socket. I picked up a set on ebay (craftsman) for about $20.

I ended up getting so frustrated with those nuts that I just cut them all off with a Dremel cut-off tool. It was not easy to get them off by any means, but it felt like I had accomplished something once they were off!

I just replaced the runningboards this weekend and the bolts where rusted solid. I ended up cutting them with a pneumatic chisel. I reinstalled using anti-seize...

Manomano- Do you have to bring up nightmares on the board-LOL I finally got the runningboards off- darn near used three sticks though-LOL I wish someone would come up with a "fool" proof way to get them off and post it.

Fool proof easy & quick way..... Use a set of vise grips on the square nut. Clamp it down TIGHT & rock the nut back & forth, it will get hot & break right off.
If you are a masochist, you can spend all day backing those square nuts out over 50 years of crud on the carriage bolts, dont forget to hammer a 13mm socket on those square nuts ,of course the carrige nut will start to spin along with the nut as soon as you break it free. What fun !! Better yet, lay on the ground & blast the square nuts off with the torch. You will be peppered by molten metal at that angle. Even more fun !!!
Believe it or not, I have seen some knuckleheads [ no offense to the Harley Davidson dudes ] actually cut the running board supports off the frame with the running boards still firmly attached. Thats the funnest of all !!!

I can see Solo now,,,,A case of pepsi a can of gas and a match

TNT is the last resort. Chisels and saws are the penultimate solution. After failing with proper wrenches and socket, do as Mothertrucker says, use a visegrip and break off the bolts. It worked for me on two trucks. Fast and easy. If the visegrip fails on any bolts, try chisels/saws and then TNT.

Tim

Hey why don't you use the flaming metric hacksaw.
It always works for me>

I like MT's approach. I too had this problem and used; heat, sawzall, and finally a nut splitter to break mine loose but could have saved a lot of time by just doing what MT suggested. You're gonna replace the bolts anyway.

Seems like we all try to go easy to preserve parts and not bust anything that ain't already busted. But sometimes common sense evaporates in the effort to save what's there.

I did manage to get one or two of the nuts loose on the ones on which the carriage bolt waw rusted tightly to the bracket but all the others I did exactly like MT suggested. Worked like a charm. The flat head carriage bolts are readily available and need replacing anyway. my .02