Help! With body mounts!

[AustinBelair]

Okay I need some help. I am replacing all of the body cab mounts and it's fighting me the whole way. I got the fronts out pretty easily. The rear cab mounts were a *****. If you've never messed with them, let me explain.

There is a body brace, an enclosed brace that runs side to side at the rear of the cab. The bolts go through, upwards, through the mounts and frame and then into the blind hole, the brace.

Inside the brace there is an "A" frame or tower of sorts that is welded into place at the assembly plant. Inside of this "tower" is a large rectangular "Chunk" of metal that is threaded. It's "trapped" or welded to the tower and is threaded to receive the body mount bolt. There is a hole at the top of the tower for the bolt tip to protrude through.

Well, the rectangular threaded body breaks free pretty easily and just spins when the bolt becomes rust welded to it over time.

I had to cut 2 crud round holes (I will clean them up later) and after about an hour of cussing and getting mad, I wedged a chisel in there and had my father hold it while I impacted the bolt head from the bottom. It took about 75 tries but finally hitting it with around 700 foot pounds, it came loose and I got the bolts out.

If you're still reading, I need help with the rest.

A. Should I cut a large square (4" x 4") and cut the tower out, remove the captive rectangular nut and just install a new grade 8 bolt, washers and nut, torque it down then have someone weld a 4x4 piece back in, prep it, paint it and forget it?

B. Should I use a 2" hole saw, make the cut, try to remove the tower with a chisel and hammer, remove the rectangular captive nut and run a new bolt, washers and Nylock nut then just use silicone and find some 2" grommets and be done with it?

C. Cut a 4" x 4" hole, remove all of that crap then have someone weld a flange nut and washer in there, then either cover it with Dynamat and carpet or have someone weld back in a plate over the 4x4 hole and be done?

[obijuan]

Don't weld it back up for the next lucky person which could always be you. Hole saw with a rubber floor plug installed for later access.