Serious need of help!
 

Hi all, I am in the process of unbolting my differential so I can install my Z1 bushing replacements and the 17mm flange nut which bolts to the subframe is warping and rounding itself completely. I honestly think there is locktite on the nut because I had to special order a 17mm bolt extractor and it STILL wont come off and the extractor has literally chewed through the outer wall completely. I don't know what to do..any ideas!? Anyone had this issue?

Not good. No sure what to tell you on this one.

:wtf2:

When you finally manage to get the bushing out the hole, it’ll look like this :tiphat:
Or at least supposed to :ugh2:

Maybe one of those butane pen torches to heat up the bolt without getting the surrounding area to hot?

What you may try to do. Is to cut the inner bushing with a deep hole saw. And remove it with the diff. Once out. Then you will have an easier time with it. Cut the inner shell away from the stud and nut.

Hole saw

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DIABLO-2...00CT/301697691

I agree with Spooler ... not good. Working from the rear of the subframe, would it be possible to use a drill fitted with a bit or a 2" hole saw to drill out the bushing itself so that you could carefully back out the differential with what's left of the bushing still attached (... after removing the front mounting bolts of course)? At least you could then approach the problem with the differential removed from the car. I expect some shop would be able to remove the nut once the differential was out. That said, I'm not sure if there is enough room at the rear-side of the subframe to drill out the bushing. IIRC there's not a lot of space back there.

That is what I was thinking.

Yes, once the diff is out, it probably wouldn't take much effort to hack the bushing apart tp reveal the stub bolt and nut ... which could then be removed with a pair of vice-grips.

This is probably your best bet.

When I put in my polyurethane diff and sub frame bushings I had to remove the muffler(s), rear sway bar and the V shaped brace. With those parts removed, you should have plenty of space to drill around the inner sleeve then use the saw to help cut the bushing around the inner sleeve to aid in differential removal.

Thanks guys! We are going to try one more extractor before I resort to Rustys solution. Ill keep everyone posted. I can't possibly be the only one with this problem. :)

Worst case, cut the mounting stud and buy a new OE cover, unless you're already doing a cover in which case you don't need the oe anyway.