Date:         Mon, 26 Apr 2004 15:08:58 -0400
Reply-To:     Walt Oliver <walt@WALTNET.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Walt Oliver <walt@WALTNET.NET>
Subject:      Help! Inaccessible nut in fiberglass sidepanel bracket...
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed

Greetings all,

I was happily removing the rear bumper from my '91 Carat in order to
install the super-beefy South African hitch (thanks, Ron) and was
stopped dead by one bolt in the bracket for the plastic side trim panel.
While the bolt spins, it goes nowhere, so I'm guessing there's a captive
nut which broke off the bracket.

I tried sliding a number of small, flat wrenches, including a 15mm
bicycle cone wrench, under the raised area of the bracket in order to
capture the captive nut, but had no luck. Ditto with the two bolts I
could see which hold the bracket onto the plastic panel.

Since the plastic panel's in quite good shape, I'd rather not do
anything to destroy it. There's barely enough room to have a chance of
drilling out the bolt that spins. Can anyone (who's read this far) think
of alternatives? I'd really like to get that bumper on the van.



Thanks very much,
Walt

'03 Beetle 1.8t
'91 Carat
'92 Saab 900