96 f-150 starter

Have a look at these sockets - $25.00.

"Grip-TiteTM Super Socket Sets. There's nothing else like them. Nothing!

Created by Better Tools & Fasteners to be absolutely the best method for tightening nuts and bolts, and for removing rounded bolts and nuts."

I have not used them, but Popular Mechanics gave them an Editor's Choice Award.

Sears carries them (see note)

available at U.S. Sears stores. The product is relatively new for Sears. SEARS EMPLOYEES MAY TELL YOU THEY DO NOT CARRY IT - THEY DO!

Be sure to Ask for the below Sears Item #:

00914938 - 6 pc. SAE Wrench set 00901494 - 6 pc. Metric Wrench set ON SALE RIGHT NOW IN STORES FOR $29.99* (reg. $49.99) Click Here to view a list of US Sears stores with Grip-Tite Super Wrenches.

00934505 - 7 pc. SAE Socket set

00934506 - 7 pc. Metric Socket set 00910324 - 17 pc. SAE Socket set 00910325 - 17 pc. Metric Socket set 00987690 - 31 pc. Socket set (Sears.com Only)

Visit your nearest Sears store, or click the Sears logo for Sears.com.

*After $20 mail in rebate, Click Here for rebate form.

If the good fitting socket rounds the bolt, just replace it. "Bolt-out" tools work great for getting off rounded off hardware - I've successfully used them on allen head cap screws before.

nate

Use a 6-sided socket instead of a 12-sided. The 12-sided will round off the corners of the bolt, the 6-sided shouldn't do that.

Good point, I just ASSumed he was using a 6-point socket.

nate

six side METRIC , either 12 or 13 mm , 1/2 is close but that is not a gernade.

I tried various metric and imperial sockets, and 1/2" was the best fit I found, and my the one from my impact set in particular. Does anyone know what it is supposed to be? That might help in getting it out, and since the bolt is not in the best shape, I am thinking of replacing it when I put in the new starter.

Either way, I went to Sears yesterday and found the Grip-Tite sockets. Local weather does not look cooperative today. When I do get a chance to work on it, the bottom bolt should be easy to reach from below. The top bolt is more trouble. The particular socket wrench I grabbed for a quick try last night ended up interfering with the starter. Things to try include a smaller handled wrench, an extension to get the wrench body beyond the starter (also from below), use a long extension and swivel joint to come at it from above, or pull the wheel apron to get more room.

I'll probably attack it in that order, but recommendations are welcome.

Bill

The bolts should all be accessable in a straight line. If the wrench handle hits the starter, then use an extension to get the wrench handle out where the socket can go straight on.

I did a combination of that and choosing a different wrench that has a thinner head. There still is not a good place to swing the wrench for the top bolt: frame, exhaust, etc. in the way. The wheel apron is almost out. I found the vapor canister hanging on one rusty old bolt, and then had much easier access to the one apron bolt that I expected to cause problems - done. The other "big" bolts were easy to remove. Now I just have to figure out whether the chrome trim needs to come out in order to remove the apron. Most of it looks like it is designed not to interact with the trim, but there are a couple of spots that could go either way: the apron looks like runs under the trim, but it is not necessarily held by nearby bolts.

Bill

Hello all,

The score so far: the wheel apron is out and the bottom bolt is not all the way out, but it *very* easily released with a grip-tite socket and a small breaker bar. It shouldn't be any trouble.

The top bolt is one frozen bugger. With the apron out, I had room to notice something: the bolts appear to be accessible through holes from the rear. PB Plaster is working on it from there.

I also obtained some bolt-removing sockets, but so far have not been able to push hard enough axially to have a hope of them working - or so it seems to me. One crazy idea I had is to make a bracket that would allow me to wedge a remover socket against something fixed (not the exhaust of course!) to the front, perhaps allowing me to concentrate only on turning the bolt. I'm a much better engineer and machinist than I am a mechanic.

For now, I am spraying with Blaster (I found the rear hole only today, so maybe that will do it) and tapping with a brass hammer.

What else should I do before turning to an EZ out?

Amazingly, I cannot find a pair of vise grips, which *might* work.

While I would have liked for this to be as simple as advertised, removing the apron showed me some rust that would soon become problematic, so a wire brush and rustoleum would be good idea.

Bill

An update on the frozen bolt from hell: It's loose!!!!!! :)

I am not sure whether any one thing did it. Several applications of Blaster were probably helpful, and I did some banging at various times. Grip tite sockets were no help, but I was glad to have them for the bottom bolt (didn't need to round that sucker off too), which released very easily.

Removing the wheel apron was a good move, and I was glad I did it because I found some rust that I would not have seen otherwise.

With the apron out, I was able to see the holes on the back that *think* allowed the Blaster better access to the threads. I was very busy last weekend, and not much better off this weekend, but I finally decided to the give the impact wrench a shot.

Picture an Irwin extractor socket (which claims to be impact rated), and (all impact rated) 3/8-1/2" adapter, universal joint, a short extension and then my Kobalt impact wrench on its lowest setting. The wrench body ended up in nice gap between exhaust parts. I had the best contact with the bolt that I had been able to manage and hit the trigger. Nothing to it.

The only remaining snag is that the positive terminal broke loose inside the starter (perhaps the root of problem), so I have to figure out how to get the nut off of the stud, or maybe just cut the thing. From there, it should be the two bolt job I was hoping to tackle. Any pointers on getting the nut off the stud would be appreciated. Somebody suggested that the stud might screw back into the starter, so I'll see if that goes anywhere.

As for the top bolt, I don't see what all the fuss was about. There are signs of mild corrosion, and it might well have been worse pre-Blaster, but it looks like it should have given up with the torque I was able put on it before. I coated it with Blaster and fed it back in place to hold the starter while I mess with the wire - it went all the way in as though nothing was wrong, so I am not in a hurry to dress the threads with a tap - any opinions? Obviously, the bolt is getting replaced with one that has something resembling a hexagon on top.

Bill

On the terminal bolt, grab the end of the cable with a pair of channel locks and you ought to be able to hold it enough to break the nut loose.

Thanks for the tip. I tried that but could not make it work; the holder kept eating the brass before the nut would turn. Dremmel to the rescue. I hated to do it that way, but AZ was holding the new starter for me, time was tight, and I had taken my fill of abuse from that particular starter :)

Bill

I tightened the bolts, connected the wires and replaced the battery: it started, and minus a slightly funny noise. I am going to do some rust removal and painting before putting the apron back. That brings us to another thread.

Bill