Running board bolt snapped.
 

Dear forum members, apologies if this is not in the right place, I'm new here and just recently bought a 2012 xc90 executive.
Today I have had second hand running boards installed but the guy snapped one of the bolts, the steps still look solid and he reckons they should just be fine, I don't expect much weight to be put on them as I had these installed because of the kids struggling to get in and out.

Any advice would be appreciated.

You need to replace the broken bolt, as they don't just hold the running boards in place they also hold the subframe in place.

use a bolt extractor tool to remove the broken bolt and replace it.

who is this "Guy" who fitted them for you? just a mate? or a garage? any decent workplace would rectify their mistakes so you could always ask them to kindly put it right, especially if he charged you to fit them.

Thank you for your quick response, the part that's left in there is small and there is quite a bit of thread there, if I can get a shorter bolt and still screw it in, do you think that would be OK?
Thank you.

Thank you for the advice, the fella who was selling them second hand is the one that I asked to install for a few extra quid and he did, will the method you mention work, seeing the part that's snapped is small and further in, and how easy would that be 😢

I see no reason why it wouldn't work, providing the bolt extractor is thin enough to fit inside the hole, after all it's what they were invented for.

you could also try a left handed drill bit.

If there is still plenty of thread left inside the hole then I personally would just put a smaller bolt in and leave it.

but that's just me being the sketchy, living life dangerously guy that I am. others may not agree lol

Are we talking about the screw bolts that hold the boards together or the ones that hold the boards to the car? ... if its the ones that hold the boards to the car they are substantial bolts and personally I would remove the running board then remove the broken bolt ... tbh I'm surprised he could break/snap the bolt.

If its the ones that hold the front and rear parts to the long length of the board then you may get away with using a stud extractor ... may still be easier to remove the board to do this.

You want it all out and a new bolt fitted. As aforementioned, its a sub frame bolt and the loads through are massive.

Even if your chap had removed it intact the bolts should not be re used, thats how critical they are. Take it to a shop that knows what they are doing and get it extracted, then send the bill to you whoever muffed it up in the first place.

I'm guessing it was one of the front bolts?

Of course, that's assuming its the sub frame and not one of the less critical bolts that are spaced along the boards length, although it usually is the subframe bolt that thst goes as water pools in the threaded hole above them. They need juicing up from above for days beforehand with something powerful like Rost Off before attempting removal, and then backing out, in a bit, out some more, in a bit, and so on.

anyone know of suitable replacement bolts - part number etc

The fronts and rears are different sizes. There are 4x M10x35mm high tensile bolts and 4x M12x35mm high tensile bolts.

Search the bolt size on ebay. They're only a few quid. Much much cheaper than from Volvo.