Fuel Tank Strap Bolt Problem - Please help!

[astronot]

Hi all, great forums here btw

I have a 95 Astro, and I removed the fuel tank to replace the fuel pump. The driver-side strap bolts fought the wrench pretty good, and on the rear one I think I broke the weld on the nut inside the frame. When applying force with the wrench, it popped kinda, and now it rotates freely, I can jiggle it up and down, but I cannot secure it. Does anyone have any ideas how I can fix this? No shop seems to want to touch it, even the dealer. The dealer did mention something like a helicoil might work.

Thanks!

[astronot]

I fixed this by welding the adjusting nut to the frame and driving the bolt through it. works well. I think.

[CD Smalley]

Sounds like a good fix. You were able to get a welder tip up in there? I don't remember there being much room to work around that when I did my fuel pump. I had trouble getting the bolt to go back in. The threads were messed up and the bolt would only go in about half way. Trip to the hardware store for a metric tap, then the bolt went home just fine.

Good to hear you got it fixed.

[a1canuck]

I had the same problem with my 91 astro cargo van. I hammered a punch up the hole through the floor and stuck a piece of threaded rod up there to hold the strap(mind you it was getting to be 3:00 in the morning and i had to use the van in the morning for work) Works good though.