I took the nut off previously to freshen the grounds without issue. Today, when I try to spin it, the bolt spins with the nut. The 7/32” head of the bolt is stripped so I can’t grip it while turning the nut and the wire harness ground is preventing me from turning it more than one turn or so. What’s the best move? Cut the ground and put on a new connector? I’d rather avoid that if possible.

 

Are you able to hammer on a torx socket onto the head of the stud? I don't recall what size torx it takes.

 

I’d love to but there’s really no room to hammer unless you know of a trick. There’s a lot of crap in the way above and to the side of it. If I’m doing this to upgrade the ground, perhaps putting on a new connector isn’t the worst idea. @cruiser54 any idea what size ring connector I would need for the harness ground? Looks like it’s a wires maybe 14 or 12 gauge each.

 

Have you tried any other way to extract it? Vice grips probably won’t work. The hammered on torx bit might. There are extractors you can buy that work sometimes if it’s not seized. You also might try using the ground terminals as a sorta wrench to get it to move a quarter turn. (Grab the terminal connectors with a big pair of pliers and turn gently) But that might just mangle them. Or if it’s tight just leave them.

 

Neither the nut nor the bolt are seized. I removed the nut less than a month ago so that can’t be seized. Now when I try to remove the nut, the bolt rotates with it. If I could hold the bolt in place, I’d be able to turn the nut but the end of the bolt is stripped enough that the 7/32” won’t hold. 7/32” is 5.6mm so maybe I could bang a 5mm on it but there’s not really any room in there to be able to apply force.

I’m getting a new cat put on in a few days and I can have the guys at the shop take care of it while I’m there if I can’t figure it out in the meantime. Luckily I just discovered that my passenger carpet is apparently self-cleaning when it rains so I’ll be staying busy

 

I think the tip of the stud was originally an e-torx.

 

A tiny right angled torx key may help to hold the stud. A needle nosed vice grip may also be helpful in holding the stud.

 

I was finally able to get it by holding the crimp of the battery ground with heavy duty needle nose pliers while turning the nut.

 

Did you give a primal roar of victory once you were able to remove it?

 

I have used these allot on my xj lol they work great and sounds like this is the perfect situation for them

https://www.lowes.com/pd/IRWIN-BOLT-...E&gclsrc=aw.ds



Woops just seen you were able to get it out congrats

 

this bolt has a 7/32” or 5.5mm head so that wouldn’t work for this application unfortunately. The needle nose pliers worked and were also great at giving me a nice little blood blister

 

The hammered on torx bit might. There are extractors you can buy that work sometimes if it’s not seized. You also might try using the ground terminals as a sorta wrench to get it to move a quarter turn.