HELP!! Rounded PITA top CAT bolt
 

I'm putting Berk CATs on and I'm stalled by ONE bolt. This is the top bolt on the drivers side. My 35K paper weight is dead in the water with this. I've tried beating it, penatrating oil, beating a 13mm on it, a bolt-grip that I saw in another thread(it round off first pull). I think I'm about at my end and having to reassmble it back to stock CATs and carry it somewhere. Does anyone have anymore tricks I can try before carring it somewhere?

Thanks,
Wes

make a voodoo doll of the bolt and keep repeatedly popping the head off?

hahaha, trust me ...done that and some. The witch doctor just shook her head at when she saw it.:icon14:

Did you use a 6 point socket?

Your going to love this...
 

I broke one 6 pt, round THREE other 6 pts off, rounded off a 12pt and burred up a 13 MM 12 pt trying to hammer it on as a last resort.

EPIC socket fail

drill?

I thought that, but how would I drill it? Its the top bolt on the driver's side. There is no way of getting to it from the bottom and I dont think there is a 25" drill bit around :)

A buddy of mine cut the head off a larger bolt and welded it to the rounded off bolt to get better torque with the larger bolt head. If I understand correctly this bolt is pretty hard to get to so welding may not be an option. Just thought I'd mention it in case it helped.

I've run into stubborn bolts myself - I know what a PITA they can be.

I know exactly what you mean man, those stock cat bolts are stupid tight, me and my mechanic wasted 3 hours working on plans to get the damn thing off, finally we decided to stop being stubborn and used socket extensions, took the air box off both sides and used an air ratchet. You could use a pneumatic saw and cut the bolt off..

This thread is making me rethink my HFC order...

I installed the Hfc's with help....
If your doing it by yourself try getting some help,
I used 3/4 high impact socket 14 mm, high impact universal swivel 3/4,
and 3 long extensions so they end up high enough clearance to add a 3/4 to 1/2'' adapter high impact also with a 1/2'' ratchet with a small extension pole for leverage to break it loose
one person on the top to slide the extensions down to the bolt and, another on the bottom to guide the socket in place and to hold it in place while the top person breaks it loose.. I used high impact universal and socket due to breaking too regular craftsman sockets.. use some Wd 40 or liquid wrench penetrating oil,
There's extractor kits for stripped head bolts.. or a muffler shop can torch it off and replace with a temp nut and bolt..
there is also a DIY on the Install with some pics

http://www.the370z.com/diy-section-d...c-install.html

well, the good news is, once you break the bolts on the stock cats, they'll come off easier next time:icon17:

dynamite problem solved and u can return the HFC's and get your money back too

I must just have one bolt that has the "10 years worth of driving and heat-welding characteristics" in the 4 months I've had the car. All the other bolts came off fairly easy. I thought we where going to cruise through the install. I sprayed WD-40 and Liquid wrench penetrating oil on it and let it sit over night. I'm doing(was) doing G3 intakes at the same time, so I have both air boxes off right now. I guess I'll do some calling around today and see what a muffler/performance shop can do for me. I'll have to bolt all stock stuff back up to get it running again....2 days of removal down the tubes.

dremel?