Body sitting further forward on the driver's side

Boojadean

Boojadean

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Joined
Oct 1, 2022
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35
Location
Albert Lea, MN
Has anyone else had trouble getting to the sway bar bushing bolts because the body sits farther forward on one side? Mine is off almost an inch, and
i don't think it's from being in an accident or anything. Pictures below show the difference in how far forward it sits on each side, as well as a picture of one of the body mount bolts on the left side sitting crooked. I loosened up all of the body mounts and tried to pull it back with a ratchet strap, but it won't budge. Would new body mounts help at all maybe?

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LONGJP2 said:
The angle of that body mount bolt implies something is going on.
Do they all look like that?
Click to expand...

The one under the driver's door and the one behind it look like that. The one in front is a little angled but not as much. The one by the gas tank and the one by the rear bumper look pretty straight. On the rear mounts the drivers side of the body does look like it's sitting a little farther forward, maybe 1/4 inch or so.
 
You'll probably have to remove the bolts to see if they're bent.
If they're not, then the nuts are tilted inside the frame.
Remove the slanted bolts, loosen the straight ones, and then see if the body will straighten out.
 
LONGJP2 said:
You'll probably have to remove the bolts to see if they're bent.
If they're not, then the nuts are tilted inside the frame.
Remove the slanted bolts, loosen the straight ones, and then see if the body will straighten out.
Click to expand...

I did remove all of the bolts, and they aren't bent. Tried to pull it back on the left side with a ratchet strap, but it's not budging.
 
You may have to remove the bottom half of the mounts, but I would put the bolts back in so it doesn't get too far out of whack.
I assume you're pulling the rear of the body to the right (passenger)?
 
LONGJP2 said:
You may have to remove the bottom half of the mounts, but I would put the bolts back in so it doesn't get too far out of whack.
I assume you're pulling the rear of the body to the right (passenger)?
Click to expand...

No, I was pulling the left side back. That might be a good idea though to pull the rear of the body right. I do have the bolts in loosely so I don't lose my bolt holes. I'll try taking the lower mounts out and just putting the bolts back in to see if that works.
 
I just ordered a set of body bushings. The washers on the old ones are bent and the bushings are out of shape so I don't think I can get it with those no matter what. Being 23 years old it should probably have new ones anyway. If the nuts in the frame are tilted do I dare put the old bolts in and use a pipe to bend them back a little? I don't want to stress them too much.
 
Mine does too, and I just attributed to a minor accident somewhere along the way. When i found it, I tried mightily to get it to sit right, but could never quite get it. I took some measurements and I'm out of square from the front of the tub forward about an 1." The worst thing about it is the dang hood squeaks on the grill shell...other than that, I'm the only one that would ever notice. I will eventually replace this frame, so I'll correct it, eventually.
 
Mike_H said:
Mine does too, and I just attributed to a minor accident somewhere along the way. When i found it, I tried mightily to get it to sit right, but could never quite get it. I took some measurements and I'm out of square from the front of the tub forward about an 1." The worst thing about it is the dang hood squeaks on the grill shell...other than that, I'm the only one that would ever notice. I will eventually replace this frame, so I'll correct it, eventually.
Click to expand...

OK Mike - now that we know that we may have to come up with a new nickname for you…🙂
 
The question is, is the frame off and body square or the body off and the frame square. I find a body shop and have them put it on the frame machine and check the specs. It's probably worth the couple hundred bucks to find out.
 
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VadeerHunter said:
The question is, is the frame off and body square or the body off and the frame square. I find a body shop and have them put it on the frame machine and check the specs. It's probably worth the couple hundred bucks to find out.
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Not a bad idea. If the new bushings don't line up I may go that route.
 
Boojadean said:
Not a bad idea. If the new bushings don't line up I may go that route.
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What did you hook your ratchet strap up to to try to re-position the body on the frame? I was able to re-position mine.
 
JMT said:
What did you hook your ratchet strap up to to try to re-position the body on the frame? I was able to re-position mine.
Click to expand...

Front hole in the torque box on the driver's side to the big hole in the frame in back. I just used a 1" strap, I do have 2" straps that I could really reef on it with but I don't want to bend up the torque box either.
 
Boojadean said:
If the nuts in the frame are tilted do I dare put the old bolts in and use a pipe to bend them back a little? I don't want to stress them too much.
Click to expand...
I only suggested it because I was able to straighten one of mine after I tagged a body mount on a rock.
Probable okay if you think the metal inside the frame is good.


VadeerHunter said:
The question is, is the frame off and body square or the body off and the frame square. I
Click to expand...
If it doesn't line up, I'd put my money on the frame.
I feel like there's more metal (ie. the floor) holding the body square than the frame.
Plus, it would probably be more noticeable if the body was hit versus the frame.
 
LONGJP2 said:
I only suggested it because I was able to straighten one of mine after I tagged a body mount on a rock.
Probable okay if you think the metal inside the frame is good.



If it doesn't line up, I'd put my money on the frame.
I feel like there's more metal (ie. the floor) holding the body square than the frame.
Plus, it would probably be more noticeable if the body was hit versus the frame.
Click to expand...

Well, I do have chains and ratchet binders - I could try to pull on the frame a little too, but I probably don't want to get too wild with that either. The nuts in the body should be solid, this is an Arizona Jeep. I just bought it a couple months ago from a friend whose dad died and had it in Arizona so it's very clean underneath. Frame is basically perfect rust wise.
 
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