Questions - Engine Lift Point & Stubborn X-Brace Bolt

[TostitoBandito]

Two questions as I've begun tearing stuff down for my suspension refresh.

I got the standard Harbor Freight engine support that everyone seems to use to support my engine while I take the oil pan off. As far as I know the engine lift point to use with this is the eye next to the oil filter at the front of the engine:

IMG_1363.jpg

Problem is, the chain that comes with the support is slightly too large to fit through that eye. What did everyone else do, get a smaller chain? Get an screw/eye link to attach to the end of the chain?

Second unrelated question. One of my x-brace bolts is refusing to come out. It's one of the four smaller bolts, and it took an impact a while back when my car skipped over some curbing on the track. Took a small chunk out of the x-brace bar and shaved some of the bolt head off. Anyways, all the other bolts came out fine. This one has loosened a bit but it just spins without coming out. When I orient the x-brace so it's not pressing on it at all I can feely spin the bolt with my finger but it doesn't seem to be making any progress. I've taken a hammer to it to try to break it loose, to no avail. I guess I can just leave it hanging there until I drop the subframe out, but I'd like to get it out of the way. I'm guessing the factory nutsert is spinning inside the subframe. Any way to get it out or am I cutting the bolt?

[pbonsalb]

Don’t use a chain. Before the brace is locked in place, maneuver one of the two hooks through the engine lift bracket on the filter housing. Then get the brace set in place. Then screw the hook tight.

On the x brace, try to get a screwdriver tip under the bolt head to lever it as you unscrew it. Don’t use an impact. Lever the brace above the bolt if needed. This may work. If not it will be tough since the nutsert in the subframe is spinning and it is blocked from reach by the subframe. You may have to cut the bolt head off and pound the nutsert through and get another one. Or tack weld the nutsert and slot the bolt stub with a Dremel and try to screw it out after the nutsert is welded.

[TostitoBandito]

Cool, I'll give that a try on the x-brace. After thinking about it more I came to a similar conclusion that maybe if I can wedge something between the bolt and x-brace or subframe and x-brace to put pressure on the nutsert and stop it from spinning.