N-fab Install Disaster

androgelrx · August 19, 2009

Well, I was so excited to get the Nfab today that I couldn't wait to get them installed. Everything was going real well and I must have threaded the bolt wrong on one of the factory hole. SNAP and a bolt broke. Now I have to figure out a way to drill it out and rig something else there since the thread is all screw up. This sucks.

nbscanuck · August 19, 2009

go to your local tool store and ask for an easy out. its a tapered square tool, you drill a hole into the bolt, drive this square tool into the hole and wrench it out.

androgelrx · August 19, 2009

go to your local tool store and ask for an easy out. its a tapered square tool, you drill a hole into the bolt, drive this square tool into the hole and wrench it out.

Since it's the middle bolt between the front and rear doors, I'm thinking about just drilling right through it and put a secure nut on the other side instead of messing with the thread.

nbscanuck · August 19, 2009

this doesn't mess with the thread, it allows you to turn out the broken bolt and start over with a new bolt

androgelrx · August 19, 2009

Man, that sucker is on really tight. May have to drill the broken part completely off and make it a littler larger. So instead of threading the new bolt through, I would just use a nut on the other side instead. I hope it won't give me too much trouble tomorrow.

mfennema · August 19, 2009

Left handed drill bits would work too to get this bolt out.

Spurshot · August 19, 2009

It sounds like he crossthreaded the bolt and then it broke from the torque required to turn it. Not likely gonna come out peacefully with an easy-out or other common methods. Sounds like a real bugger.

scfoxman · August 19, 2009

Don't be silly jury-rigging it. Go grab an easy-out like stated earlier. They are too simple not to use.

If it doesn't work, then you'll have an easy-out for the next time that it WILL work.

androgelrx · August 19, 2009

Well, the disaster continues. I was managed to drill off the broken bolt after 6 broken drill bits. I got the driver side installed and it looked perfect. However, when I tried to installed on the left side everything was off by 1/2 inch. This is really getting frustrating. I hope nfab will replace it for me.

97SierraGMC · August 20, 2009

Well, the disaster continues. I was managed to drill off the broken bolt after 6 broken drill bits. I got the driver side installed and it looked perfect. However, when I tried to installed on the left side everything was off by 1/2 inch. This is really getting frustrating. I hope nfab will replace it for me.

because you screwed up the install?

i hope they dont

androgelrx · August 20, 2009

Well, the disaster continues. I was managed to drill off the broken bolt after 6 broken drill bits. I got the driver side installed and it looked perfect. However, when I tried to installed on the left side everything was off by 1/2 inch. This is really getting frustrating. I hope nfab will replace it for me.

because you screwed up the install?

i hope they dont

Nope, I measured both sides. The passenger side is 1/2 inch short. The middle and the back holes line up perfectly. The front hole is short.

androgelrx · August 20, 2009

Finally, the n-fabs are installed. A warning for those looking to buy n-fab for the '09 body style, the holes do not match well in the passenger side. N-fab told me today that other customers are complaining about the same thing. Apparently, the '09 has welded nut to the mounting spot. I spent an hour on the phone with them today and sent multiple pictures. They are doing more R&D into the problem but they were not very useful. I had to drill out both of those welded bolts in order to mount it on the pass side. All they needed to do was to make the bar the same as the driver side and everything would fit perfectly. Needless to say, a simple job turn in to a PITA job. The truck looks pretty awesome now with those on.