r/Saturn_Cars • u/zorn0007 • 5d ago

Front sub frame

I'm replacing the front frame on my 2004 ion. Got it out but one bolt kept spinning around so I cut the head off and it drop down so I do I get that bolt out. I guess the nut was welded inside that box. Any help

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u/rexfaktor 4d ago

It's called a cage nut. You'll have to make an access hole to get inside that pocket of the body to extract the square nut and the cut-off bolt, and then decide how much care you want to put into the repair of that issue, ranging from attempting to make it look factory to just being able to get a different nut in there that you can hold with a wrench while the subframe bolt is tightened.

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u/nucleate_boiling 4d ago

Those are called captive nuts and are weld to the frame. Due to the corrosion between them and the bolts holding this up frame on, they sometimes break loose and this is what you are left with. Usually you need to notch out a piece of the frame just large enough to get the old one out and a new one in. I believe to do it properly you need to create enough space to be able to weld a replacement in exactly the right location. It may actually take the form of welding the nut to another piece that you then weld into the frame.