I got a 1988 K1500, I think the starter is the original one. The bold heads look in good condition, not stripped, nor rusted. So I put a 9/16mm Napa socket on it and it has a little play on the nut, enough to seem to be the wrong size and would strip the bolt head if you put too much pressure on it with a cheater bar. I tried the 14mm Napa socket, I tried Craftsmen 14mm & 9/16", and also walmart brand 14mm and 9/16"... all were a little loose. I tried all of the 13mm & 1/2" sockets and they simply were blatantly too small. Small enough that only a sledge hammer would possibly get it to get on it.

So I put the 9/16" on a 1/2" drive breaker bar with a cheater bar and tried to get it to turn. I could feel the bolt about to jump threads..... This is where I am at... Any tips? If anyone says PB blast the threads... them bolts are like 6" long and the threaded part isn't reachable, so I don't think PB blaster would do any good. I did PB blast the heads though.

 

Well, sounds as if you used a metric on an english bolt. My guess is the head is rounded off. If you can find a socket either english or metric that with a hammer you can "form fit" it to the head, do that. Other wise one of two things, either drill the head straight through the shaft, and with an ez out try that. Last thing is drill through the bolt head, chisel it off, then remove starter, deal with the stud after the starter is out.

 

You could try a good pair of vise grips, with good teeth, (you would have to replace the bolts afterward) and a good hammer to hit the grips, unless you are just man enough to move the grips on the starter bolts..... IJS

 

well i would say first you need metric, it is not standard atleast none of the bolts on my 99 are. if you have already rounded it off i would do like kevin said and get a socket that just a little bit too big and beat the socket on there and that should get er done. Drilling the bolt out i would say to be your last option because you definitely don't want to mess the threads up

 

Jesse,

Do you have enought room and a welder. Weld a new nut on the present
one and then try to remove it with a wrench. The heat on the bolt, could be a good thing, to help remove the fastner.

Should the bolts twist off, or strip, you will have to install inserts and get new bolts the same size that are in use. This is an involved job, but doable.

Good luck, and please report back, how you came out, on this repair.

 

One tip when using PB Blaster. Spray it on and then tap on the bolt with a hammer. This causes vibrations and the blaster will go deeper on the bolt. Keep doing this over and over and it might help.

 

I don't think anything earlier than 1990 used metric.

 

I agree, and pb blaster is good stuff. If you have the straw that fits in the spray nozzle even better to get as close as you can to the threads.