How to remove a bolt when the welded nut spins
When a hidden tack-welded nut snaps, it spins freely with the bolt and prevents you from tightening or loosening components like a rattling snorkel. Standard workaround attempts—such as using a pry bar for downward force, going in from the inside, or removing wheel arch guards—frequently fail because the broken nut remains completely unreachable and ungrabbable.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Using a small pry bar on the washer to apply downward force to see if it would grab
- 2Trying to access the bolt from the inside
- 3Removing wheel arch guards to reach the fastener
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“The snorkel rattles, I cannot tighten or untighten the bolt. I've tried going in from the inside.”source ↗
“Chatgpt told me to go up through the wheel arch. I removed the guards but still couldn't reach it.”source ↗
“The last bolt I heard a snap and now it won’t tighten or loosen.”source ↗
“I believe the nut that’s tack welded where I can’t see broke so it keeps turning every time I turn the bolt.”source ↗
“I tried using a small pry bar on the washer to apply downward force to see if it would grab but no luck.”source ↗