Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

I was putting the trans crossmember back in my car last night and two of the cage nuts(?) inside the frame are turning when i tighten the bolts. Anybody have this problem? The car has been around for 17 years now with lots of trans changes or engine changes that involved removing the trans crossmember, guess it just wore out the way the threads are secured in the frame. This car has been fighting me lately.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Do i cut the floor or the side of the frame to access these nuts and weld it back up?

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Maybe drill it out and put a Riv-Nut in the hole .

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Maybe drill a hole on either side of the nut shoulder then plug weld it?

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Most commercial fastener distributors have expanding insert nuts like Riv Nuts and other brands .
Most areas have a Fastenall store nearby .
Make sure you use the heavy duty style for the proper thickness of the frame , There are different types for use and gauge of metal.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Thank you for the replies. I will find the Fastenal in San Antonio. In the meantime I will look up these rev nut things and get familiar with them.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Found a Fastenal store in New Braunfels TX, they gave me a catalog and told me the Rivnut tool can be borrowed from Auto Zone. Just have to get right size nut, I think its 10 mm for the crossmember bolts.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

I use a bolt and flat washer to install riv nuts when I don't have the correct threaded insert for my riv-tool.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Mine gave up a while ago, too many trans changes. I just drilled out and retapped the originals to a larger SAE size.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Eman were they loose in the folded sheet metal frame? Auto Zone never heard of that type of rivet gun BTW. Hope to work on it again tonight.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

If you google rivnut, or rivet nut , or nutsert , there is all kinds of information, and you-tube video's on where to get them, and how to install them . Very useful !!

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

I just looked at rivet nut tools! I bet i could find somebody smarter than me to fix this mess for less than those tools cost.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

I agree on the price, but you have to be able to hold the insert from spinning has compress the sleeve, which you probably cant do by just threading in a bolt . Glad you found a place to borrow one !

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Mine were stripped out, not loose. I just drilled and retapped what was there. Loose isn't a problem as they will tighten up when the bolt tightens. If I have any furthur problems all I would do is drill a hole in the side of the sheetmetal frame member and use a nut inside. There isn't much pressure on those bolts.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

I think the problem with Brian's car, is the trapped nuts are rounded off, so they just spin in the cage. Kind of like the trapped nuts in my 1973 Firebirds spring hanger, when the clips break you need to cut them out, bummer !

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

I could swear mine were welded in. Car's in the trailer so I can't look now. I know they weren't loose when I worked on it. Maybe some years are different.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Yes ss3011 that's what's happening. Didn't get home in time to work on it last night.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

I figure the biggest problem is getting out the old nut, if you have to cut it out, then I guess you could just weld in a new nut , Domm suggested welding the existing nut, If you can get at it , that would work. You could use the rivnut idea, but install it in a different place, so you wouldn't have to get the old nut out . I think you could make your own tool with a longer bolt, nut and washer , you could then hold the bolt, while you tighten the nut, this would pull on the insert , without spinning it . Worth a try !

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Drill it out clean
Put the nut-sert in the hole and tack the lip 2,3 spots.
Grind flush.
Pull the insert down with a washer and bolt.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Ok to get a better idea of what was inside the frame I put a drill through the bolt hole from the bottom and through the floor, of course I took out the front seat and rocker cover and moved the carpeting. Then took a 1 1/8"hole saw and cut a hole in the floor centered on the previously drilled hole from below. There it was but not what I expected it to look like. So now the nut is too far down the hole for my MIG welder tip to fit without opening up the hole larger. Will get back to it tonight when I get someone to try to screw a bolt in while I watch from above.

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

You might be able to use a stick welder with a small rod and low amperage. All you want to do is secure the nut, right?

Re: Trans Bolt Holes 3rd Gen Camaro
 

Yes that's all Im trying to do. I guess I could borrow at stick welder, all I got at home is an old used MIG machine. BTW I never got to use those nickel rods to tack the oil pump pickup so maybe if I borrow a stick welder I could see how that works too.