finally...i've done it

[dahell]

Once I asked why taking off the step bars costs $150. Now I know why. Because the bolts are all badly rusty. It took me 2.5 hours to take both step bars. I don't have a lift so I had to slide under the body and spend almost all of my strength to loosen those rusty bolts. As I turn the wrench with all of my strength, the bolt made some metal cracking noise loud enough to be heard in some distance. Things like WD-40 didn't help at all. One most terribly rusty bolt gave me a harsh time. Actually, that very rusty bolt wasn't loosened at all. It tore up the steel panel under the body as I tried to loosen it.

As you guys all know, Explorer Sport is so rattly. Once I bent the passenger side step bar by a mistake, it started move up and down hitting the body making rattling noise. Well, minor bumps on paved road were all right but some severe bumps on the road caused the step bar to hit the body. Now it is gone. Plus I put a little black plastic piece between the door panel and the door. Both driver side door and passenger side door were rattly but the little piece of plastic solved the noise!!

I think I managed more than 80% of rattling noise. Now I am so happy with that.


p.s. I took some photos how bad the rusty bolt was like. But I don't know how to attach the images

 

[Burnout]

Upload them to a site like photobucket.com (requires you to make a free account) or imageshack.us (no account needed) and post the links/pictures here.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Nice work, a hotwrench and or abrasives make quick work of crap like that.
But if you dont have those tools I guess you must unbolt it, must have been decent hardware to not just twist off after a turn like so many rusted butter bolts do.

 

[Joe Dirt]

They're wicked like I said- welcome to the "friggin rusty step bolts" club.

I suspect some of the 'they're easy to remove' guys live down south... Up here, we know better! I know three of the ones I took off Snowball tore the clips clean through the sheetmetal. Stupid rust!

 

[ddarko]

rusty bucket o' bolts!

I just removed my nerf bars today as well and what a pain it was! Using a small ratchet and 1/2 inch socket it took me about 30 min of cursing to get them off (I also had to slide under the vehicle). The bolts and mounting points on the body were severely rusted. I snapped the heads off two of the bolts and two others broke away from the body completely! At least my left arm got a workout.

Still, $150 to remove them is asking a lot, especially for a mechanic with access to a lift and better tools.

 

[jeremyc653]

why would you remove them? I have thought about removing mine just to see but I have been afraid they might be rusted and brake

 

[askingxforxit]

I removed mine a year ago. The ex looks a little more aggressive IMHO though I can't say that I had any trouble removing them...or any part on my ex for that matter. BUT I do live in southern California so rust is almost never an issue.

 

[Electrohacker]

those dont look that bad, I've had worse bolts on my truck. just hit it with pb blaster and a wire brush followed by a lot more pb blaster and wait about 5 minutes, then hit it with an impact gun

 

[ddarko]

@jeremy: I was originally going to sand the rust off and repaint them since I'm planning to paint the rest of the grey on my truck anyway. But after getting them off I liked the look so I think I'll leave 'em off for now. Do miss the convenience of the step though... almost tumbled outta my truck just now while looking for the missing step lol.

@Electrohacker: Wish I had an impact gun. Saw a sale at home depot the other day for a Bosch set, tempting. I was thinking of taking a wire brush to it but since I had to wedge my body under the bars it was hard enough trying to keep falling rust out of my face and eyes. I just shut my eyes tight and started wrenchin'!