Double wall top visor mount spinning

[midunes]

should these nuts spin freely or not? thanks

[swyfor5]

No, they are a typical captive nut that GM designed originally. Just like the captive nuts on the rear topper mounts--junk! I have one on my drivers side visor mount broke loose also. Almost have all my rear ones drilled out and replaced with bolts and wingnuts inside the topper housing. Don't really know how to fix the visor mount nut, just lucky to get the bolt out and remove the visor so far!

[midunes]

damn. I was afraid of that. I guess I'll have to cut 2 holes, drill out 4 rivets and weld 2 nuts then replace 4 rivets. Thanks GM this design is PRICELESS.

[swyfor5]

YES! Piss poor design, surprised this setup can still come apart today! I had to use a hole saw to cut small holes in the rear of my double wall to gain access to the welded nuts inside that rusted and broke off when I tried to remove them. Am now using wing nuts on the inside with antisieze, should work for future removal. Will get some pic's up to show my plans, soon!

[swyfor5]

Got some pic's of my double wall top and captive nut redo!

[swyfor5]

My idea was to use wing nuts on the inside, grab them with needle nose vise grips, use antisieze, so I could wrench them down but still get them back out.

[midunes]

my rears had bolts snapped off in them so i was able to just drill out and retap to 3/8 i also retaped all the bed bolts to 3/8 then replaced every aluminum rivet so much fun

[cleszkie]

Punch the spinning nut out of its cage and replace it with a nutsert. You will have a loose nut between the walls, but no holes in the fiberglass.

[midunes]

nutsert? never heard of it. thanks

[cleszkie]

Nutserts are threaded inserts that install like a rivet. You need the special nutsert installation hand tool to do the job, but its a great tool. It will pay for itself in no time flat.

[midunes]

my buddy has one going to fix it tonight... thanks guy as always this site is the best