Dropping the gas tank today and the bolts being stubborn as usual with 20 years of rust and salt treatment but while loosening one I hear a loud click, now the bolt just spins freely but still attached to the nut on the inside of the channel with no way to get at. I’d bet money if you could see that nut inside there would be a tiny little tack weld holding it in place. More educated engineer specials.

spot weld at best , so much faster than any other type

nothing is built to be taken apart anymore , it is just a side effect remaining till they figure out how to glue it all together so that it is entirely disposable

Rust.... the poor mans Locktite.

I guess now is the time to fill the gas tank with water and get the gas axe out

Glad i'm to old to mess with things i can't see or crawl under But you are in my prayers as I have stood on that same road cussing everything past and present

Cut the straps and get the tank out of the way, and just get new straps. You'll hopefully have better luck attacking it with the tank out of the way.

this is a different critter, the straps go over the top of the tank and bolt to the skid plate which then bolts into the frame. Skid plate rusted away and at first I thought no biggie cause I don’t crawl over rocks or logs but in closer inspection I seen it actually holds the tank in place, so I figured that’s kind of important lol.

Drill out the center of the bolt to weaking it where you can break it off.

Much, much easier said than done!

It’s out and of course the one I had shipped here doesn’t fit. Should have asked for more pictures but now I have a 100 dollar flower pot lol. But one way or the other I gotta figure out something cause the old one is kinda rusty lol

on bolts like that I grab my cut off wheel especially since your not trying to save the skid plate

i can get darn right surgical with a cut off wheel at times

The grinder took this bolt off lol