willysmjeeps.com

Hi all, this is my first post on the forum. Just looking for info on a small problem I'm having.

I recently purchased a M38 Cdn and am in the process of removing the drivers side seat. I removed all of the bolts except for one. The nut that holds the bolt has a small square cage around it. It has four flat sides that are about a half inch long with two being welded to the underside of the body and two that can be pried down. Before I cut this cage off I'm wondering if anyone knows why it's there? I can't get a wrench on the nut with this cage there. Sorry but I don't have a picture of it.

Thank you...

The square cage was suppose to prevent the floating square nut from spinning. What happens is the nut and bolt become very rusted together. Unknowingly a guy who wants the bolt out puts the biggest handled wrench he can find on it and applies maximum force rounding off the nut. Now the only way to separate the nut and bolt and leave yourself a way to put it all back together is to cut the cage loose on at least two adjacent sides. Pry it up and use a die grinder with cutoff wheel and saw thru the bolt and remove whats left of the nut. Then insert a new nut, hammer the cage back down and weld the one side you had to cut the weld on.

These floating caged nuts are used where the exact placement of the bolt is not always guaranteed. So they need a more flexible positioning of the nut. Hence the large hole in the panel which is a bit larger than the diameter of the bolt.

Thanks Wes!

Give me a contact number and I will show you how the caged nut system works as I am in the process of restoring my wife's M38CDN at the moment and have the body on the rotissary.

I may have a spare take off cage and nut for your project that you could have.

I am located in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia myself.

Cheers
Pat Newman aka. ECVJeeps