Justwondering
Well-Known Member
What a beautiful day.
It turned out to be warmer than expected and the rain was taken out of the forecast.
After a 6 am run to the emergency room, was back home before noon. We live to fight another day.
That 87 5th avenue was calling my name.
Last year I removed the interior trim pieces so I could recover them. Other priorities got in the way but the main sticking point was with the pillar connection for the front passenger seat belt.
A wee bit of rust at the spot weld caused the entire holding plate/nut assemble to bust loose and drop down to the bottom of the pillar.
What it should look like. Pillar, exterior bracket and bolt to hold it in place.
What I had after I removed the trim:
bolt, seatbelt (clip end), and the interior retaining plate/nut that receives the bolt within the pillar.
Here is the view:
Notice the small irrigular hole above the large center hole.
--- Post updated ---
So the goal is to reattach the interior plate to the pillar.
I could do this:
But I didn't want to cut and weld on the pillar with the seats and covered trim in the car.
So I had another idea:
The theory is:
Cut a piece of the glue stick and screw it into the plate/nut.
Use the jbweld to get it to adhere to the inside of the pillar.
First grind off the spot weld
Cut off a piece of glue stick and screw it into the nut. Having forgotten to paint the raw metal, go ahead and spray some paint on it and the glue stick.
Thread about a 2 foot piece of welding wire into the glue stick.
Thread the welding wire (with the convenient little hook end), up through the center of the pillar and wiggle it til you get it near the hole. Used a pair of long nose pliers to pull it through the hole.
--- Post updated ---
Make sure you have the jbweld mixed and cover the interior plate (do not get it too close to the threads).
Coat the plate.
Pull it up through the pillar and use the excess wire to wind around the headrest to give it tension. I did use my pinky to wipe some jbweld above and below the hole on the inside of the pillar.
Sit there in the sunshine and marvel at just how great this plan was waiting for the jbweld to set up.
--- Post updated ---
After 4 or 5 minutes, realize that you have a massive FAIL on your hands.
Its about this point when I realize that the pillar is bowed slightly and the plate is obviously flat. Therefore, the plate and all that wonderful jbweld is not even touching the inside of the pillar.
Dang it.
I need a plan B.
Go to the fridge.
Get 'liquid refreshment'.
Sit in the sunshine more.
Plan B:
Clip off the end of the wire and drop the interior plate/nut down out of the pillar.
Get the drill and load a bit that fits the rivets you conveniently have stashed with all the clutter in the trunk of the 5th avenue.
Drill two holes on opposite corners, be sure to test the size with the rivet while it is on the bench.
Take your bracket to the car and line it up on the hole so you can mark the rivet locations. You could make a template if you were so inclined.
I just held things up and marked used the rivet to scratch the pillar paint so I would know where to drill the pillar holes. And, usually I have both hands up there holding everything but I needed one hand to shoot the picture.
Here are the two rivet holes in the pillar. A much better view of the hole created with the spot weld failed.
Insert the rivets and wiggle that bracket to line it up with the pillar rivet holes.
After the rivet gun was used and rivets snapped into place.
Pretty lame picture of pulling the glue stick plug out of the nut.
Sit back, in the sunshine, and marvel at how well plan B worked out.
It turned out to be warmer than expected and the rain was taken out of the forecast.
After a 6 am run to the emergency room, was back home before noon. We live to fight another day.
That 87 5th avenue was calling my name.
Last year I removed the interior trim pieces so I could recover them. Other priorities got in the way but the main sticking point was with the pillar connection for the front passenger seat belt.
A wee bit of rust at the spot weld caused the entire holding plate/nut assemble to bust loose and drop down to the bottom of the pillar.
What I had after I removed the trim:
bolt, seatbelt (clip end), and the interior retaining plate/nut that receives the bolt within the pillar.
Here is the view:
--- Post updated ---
So the goal is to reattach the interior plate to the pillar.
I could do this:
But I didn't want to cut and weld on the pillar with the seats and covered trim in the car.
So I had another idea:
The theory is:
Cut a piece of the glue stick and screw it into the plate/nut.
Use the jbweld to get it to adhere to the inside of the pillar.
First grind off the spot weld
Cut off a piece of glue stick and screw it into the nut. Having forgotten to paint the raw metal, go ahead and spray some paint on it and the glue stick.
Thread about a 2 foot piece of welding wire into the glue stick.
Thread the welding wire (with the convenient little hook end), up through the center of the pillar and wiggle it til you get it near the hole. Used a pair of long nose pliers to pull it through the hole.
--- Post updated ---
Make sure you have the jbweld mixed and cover the interior plate (do not get it too close to the threads).
Coat the plate.
Pull it up through the pillar and use the excess wire to wind around the headrest to give it tension. I did use my pinky to wipe some jbweld above and below the hole on the inside of the pillar.
Sit there in the sunshine and marvel at just how great this plan was waiting for the jbweld to set up.
--- Post updated ---
After 4 or 5 minutes, realize that you have a massive FAIL on your hands.
Its about this point when I realize that the pillar is bowed slightly and the plate is obviously flat. Therefore, the plate and all that wonderful jbweld is not even touching the inside of the pillar.
Dang it.
I need a plan B.
Go to the fridge.
Get 'liquid refreshment'.
Sit in the sunshine more.
Plan B:
Clip off the end of the wire and drop the interior plate/nut down out of the pillar.
Get the drill and load a bit that fits the rivets you conveniently have stashed with all the clutter in the trunk of the 5th avenue.
Drill two holes on opposite corners, be sure to test the size with the rivet while it is on the bench.
Take your bracket to the car and line it up on the hole so you can mark the rivet locations. You could make a template if you were so inclined.
I just held things up and marked used the rivet to scratch the pillar paint so I would know where to drill the pillar holes. And, usually I have both hands up there holding everything but I needed one hand to shoot the picture.
Here are the two rivet holes in the pillar. A much better view of the hole created with the spot weld failed.
Insert the rivets and wiggle that bracket to line it up with the pillar rivet holes.
After the rivet gun was used and rivets snapped into place.
Pretty lame picture of pulling the glue stick plug out of the nut.
Sit back, in the sunshine, and marvel at how well plan B worked out.
