2001 Blazer 4x4.

Body mount (driver's left foot) retainer completely rusted out and fell off in my driveway as the body flexed to go over my little curb from the street while turning. Sourced new retainer and bolt, but broke the bolt off due to it being severely eroded. The rest is not apparently rusted (severely) and the upper mount and metal appears intact.

Is the nut the bolt screws into caged or welded? Thinking about removing the inner fender and cutting a flap in front of body (from wheel well) and bending back for access - then welding up after repairs. Is this the best route?

Thanks in advance! Never been there before. Doesn't look like will be able to get top rubber out to try to extract broken bolt from the nut, and don't want to try to raise body enough to clear the broken bolt as this will be way more than a full inch I believe (plus no guarantee it will come out of the nut anyways). Prefer to use the old rubbers in any case. Opinions? Other ideas on best way to proceed?

 

Quite curious as to what you end-up doing here......good luck.

I replaced all the body mounts on a C3 Corvette I once had. But there was access to the mounts tops...made it pretty easy. Guess Chevrolet decided not to have these accessible, so we just buy a new vehicle.

 

This was a common upgrade on the 1994--1996 Chev Impala SS. the choices for the body mount cushions were: Stock Chev Caprice=very soft ride, Chevy 9C1 Police package- firmer rubber, the aftermarket Polyurethane by companies such as Energy Suspension Parts. One special order kit is a deal and is in Black only. It is confusing how they have listed first gen. only in some places, then both first and second gen for the S-10 pick up and then list S-10 Blazer both first and second gen. I will let you verify this with ESP during the work week.
For the 94--96 Impala SS RWD, you could easily do the lower bushings in the drive way. To replace the upper mounts, it was a more difficult job to do.

 

So here is the deal: Don't touch the front fender, that won't help (imo)....Pull the step plate, peel the carpet back-to the point of tucking it under the gas pedal..visualize where that bolt would come thru the floor. Then I cut with a 3: disc cutter a 3 sided square (it is double panel steel, the floor).bend that back, hopefully (if you 'measured' correctly).this reveals the floor welder nut and the broke off half of the bolt..You now (have a fire extinguisher handy and patience) have to heat the daylights out of it and have a socket (or a nut extractor socket) that you can drive on the round end of the bolt (or weld a nut on it-never did it that but now that I write that, I perhaps will try that the next time)..heat the welded nut and remove..Reinstall your new bolt and washer and cushion(still available thru GM-got em' last week)..then I fold back the floor panel, sometimes using a hammer to assist. I then install a rubber like sound deadening 'pad'. over the cut in the floor..fold the carpet back..Install the step plate and whola! Off to the next issue..This repair is a bitch but doable....remember: the hottest fire makes the hardest steel! Jerry@ Peru Motors!

 

Thanks Jerry. I had pulled the sill plate and kick panel to look at things - so I understand what you are saying to remove the bolt from the original nut.. But I still dont understand if the nut with the broken off bolt through it is currently welded to the body or is it just inside of a cage that prevents it from turning. Never been inside of one of these mounts to look. If it is inside of a cage, I imagine cutting off the cage to release the nut and broken bolt - then replacing the nut. Just looking at a possible alternative.

 

It is welded to the floor..Perhaps it could be removed, somehow but I think welding a nut to it or driving a nut extractor socket on it and heating the heck out of it will work..I've always gotten the, out and then install new parts...Good luck..Have a fire extinguisher hardly and your patience! Jerry

 

Thanks very much for all the info! It is exactly what I needed to know.

At this point I think I'm going to abort repair and drive it as it is. I dont like it, but the cure may be worse than the disease. If I had my own torch and welder I might attempt to repair, but just cant see paying someone to do it for me. Also this thing has been oil rustproofed (Krown) inside the body the last two years and I worry about lighting that on fire in places I cant reach.