Pivot Bolt issue: Captive nut has broken loose. What to do?

[Morpheus]

Hey boys and girls,

I decided to replace my shift bushings today because my shifter is kind of sloppy. I have done some reading here and there and saw that changing the bushings can improve shifter feel, so I figured it could only improve the situation. That's when I ran across this little problem:
IMG_1379.jpg

Damn sideways pictures. Anyway, you can sort of make out the round area of missing epoxy. The nut is just loose there, which creates a lot of slop in the linkage. If not for the lock nut on there, I'm sure it would be long gone. My worry is that I am putting too much stress on the pivot bolt will cause it to snap.

How should I fix this?

[dn010]

Find a way to cover the fuel hoses, dremal the epoxy away and weld the nut back. It's too bad I'm an hour away or I'd offer help!

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[Morpheus]

I don't have any welding equipment, does anyone else in the central FL area?

[dn010]

If all else fails, I might be out that way next weekend to pick up an engine block. I have both MIG and stick welder/plasma cutter.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Don't know how much of the nut you can weld. Maybe just the front side since the MIG gun can't fit in there.

[dn010]

I just crawled under my car with the gun - without the nut and bolt in the way, I am pretty confident I could access the entire thing with my MIG welder. It may be a little messy but seems doable to me. But, my arrangement seems different? Early VIN frame, #308:

IMG_20160827_160421171.jpgIMG_20160827_160424787.jpg

[dn010]

I just did a mock trial and at the very least, the top and sides can be done with the nut protruding as pictured. That should be enough, no?

[BladeBronson]

I just want to say that you're awesome for swooping in with a welder to help out.

[David T]

Very important to get that nut welded in and PERPENDICULAR. The best way to do that is to mock up a bolt and some nuts to hold everything nice and tight and straight. Be careful not to get any weld on the threads of the nut. If necessary grind everything flat and clean before welding in the nut removing any old welds. Refer to ST-19-10/81. The bell crank must move freely but there can't be much play or you put a bending force on the pivot bolt and it will break eventually. Always keep a spare pivot bolt in your glove box.

[dn010]

I'd suggest to weld the nut in place with a junk bolt threaded in it to the bottom only, that way no slag or little balls of weld will find it's way onto the threads...