Removing Soft Top Latch

Yeah they get stuck due to thread sealer. Impact them out. If they strip, cut a slot in em and impact them out even harder. 

I'm really not joking. The head stripped out when I used a ratchet. It wasn't really worth trying and I should have gone for the impact. Once it was stripped, I carefully cut a slot with a dremel and used this crazy thing: https://amzn.to/2yClcUl

It was expensive, but it worked. Put it on an impact and just hit it till it came out. I only had ONE strip out of four though. Replaced all four.

And yes, you remove the latch so you can remove the plastics like the pillar trim. Don't have to remove the center plastic under the dome light, just tuck the wire under it with a plastic trim tool, but you will have to remove the pillar and secure the wire along it. 

Are you talking about an impact driver (hit with hammer) or an impact wrench?

Think you already told me.

"Put it on an impact and just hit it till it came out."

I used an electric impact. I have DeWalt 20V impacts. I'm not sure those handheld impact screwdrivers that you hit with hammers really work.

A little heat from a butane torch with the tip directed on the bolt which will help melt the locktite.  This little torch has saved me a number of times for small jobs like this where little bolts were sized or hardened rubber gaskets made things impossible to remove.  

@dev

Once you heat the bolt and melt the loctite, does the loctite reform as the bolt cools? I always hesitate to start applying torque to a hot bolt because of it being easier to mangle the bolt head then. Should I immediately try to remove the bolt after heating?

Also does anyone know the specs on the bolt so I can get replacements while I am out getting removal supplies?

Posted by: @desertwanderer

@dev

Once you heat the bolt and melt the loctite, does the loctite reform as the bolt cools? I always hesitate to start applying torque to a hot bolt because of it being easier to mangle the bolt head then. Should I immediately try to remove the bolt after heating?

Thats a good question and I don't know for sure.  I have used heat to melt the locktite on a few fasteners and a  break on a rifle and it usually comes off after cooling so probably yes. 

From experience I feel the same way that I want to be sure that my first attempt is my last attempt because you only have so many tries before the bolt face strips. 

The idea you had about using a impact  driver ( the one where you have to hit with a hammer) might actually what is needed here. I found that this kind of driver action where it gets pushed in and simultaneously twists does a good job of not striping the head face. One good blow and it will loosen. 

Not sure if you want to go with allen bolts as a replacement, but I used these. The spec is M8x1.25x20mm. https://amzn.to/334J8xO

@haloruler64

Thanks! Just what I needed!

@haloruler64

They work. Just not on your A pillar next to a windshield 😉

Haha maybe. I do have a manual impact. Never really made much difference in my use but I do have access to electric impacts so I rarely try it.