Broken body mount bolts
- Thread starter Joe.B
- Start date
I had a JKS set ready to go on but never installed them! Dodged the bullet thanks to this forum.
ok so I didn't fully get my question answered how should I get the side bolt out and re do it because I know there isn't enough meet to retap
See my first post. I took the 'nut welded to a washer' solution from another user (search around, I forget the user's name). I'm still working through a bunch of other upgrades so I haven't finished the BL but the repair went very smoothly this way.
Other options are to cut an access panel and put in a nut. That'll then weaken your torque box and add a new way for salt to get into it without a welded panel replacement (I guess you could RTV or seam-seal a cover panel).
Drill and tap is 'possible' but if you search around you'll see the torque 'nutsleeves' are just sheet metal and fairly thin. Miss the exact middle of the bolt and you'll basically have no metal that you'll be tapping. It may 'work' but will certainly not be strong.
I dremeled up from the bottom with a dremel cut-off disc (went through about 5) to maintain as much of the torque box as possible for the nut to just fit inside and leave enough torque box to weld the washer to.
It took a good hour of patience but was really about maintaining usable material.
I'm really anti-tub cutting for most of these 'below-frame' jobs. The size of the hole you'll need to get useable tools inside would make a fairly large hole in the tub that then needs to be sealed (again, weld, RTV, or seam-seal).
With the bolt already broken, I don't see a hole in the torque box side being helpful either as that's best cut to apply rust dissolver before you try the bolt. Tooling down the nutsleeve from the side or top is basically as painful as it would be from the bottom.
Note, If you cut down/out the nutsleeve, you'll need to put in a nut as a replacement. Either with a wrench from the side or welded to a nut from the bottom.
Second note, 'nutsleeve' is my term. I forget what it's called but it's basically a nutsert created in sheet metal. Unfortunately, it doesn't just drill out like a nutsert.
I don't have pic on-hand but can post pics if it'd be helpful (it'll be a washer welded in the nutsleeve spot as I'd bad at mid-project pic documenting).
It took a good hour of patience but was really about maintaining usable material.
I'm really anti-tub cutting for most of these 'below-frame' jobs. The size of the hole you'll need to get useable tools inside would make a fairly large hole in the tub that then needs to be sealed (again, weld, RTV, or seam-seal).
With the bolt already broken, I don't see a hole in the torque box side being helpful either as that's best cut to apply rust dissolver before you try the bolt. Tooling down the nutsleeve from the side or top is basically as painful as it would be from the bottom.
Note, If you cut down/out the nutsleeve, you'll need to put in a nut as a replacement. Either with a wrench from the side or welded to a nut from the bottom.
Second note, 'nutsleeve' is my term. I forget what it's called but it's basically a nutsert created in sheet metal. Unfortunately, it doesn't just drill out like a nutsert.
I don't have pic on-hand but can post pics if it'd be helpful (it'll be a washer welded in the nutsleeve spot as I'd bad at mid-project pic documenting).
I'm pretty sure i under stand what you saying but just to be safe if you don't wind posting a pic that would be great!
Found the post I borrowed my solution from:
https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/body-mount-bolt-snapped.36512/post-610061
Mine looks the same after welding it in place.
Ok so I got all of the other bolts out besides the rear most drivers side bolt. its not budging I drilled a hole in the stupid box its surrounded in to spray some penetrating oil in and its been in there for 4-5 hours went out to try and move it even a little but it didn't budge I'm super scared ill break that one to. I guess ill just keep soaking it for the next few weeks and hope it will leak down the threads enough until it loosens up a bit
the torque box is open on the end you can see the bolt only about 4-5 inches back in there and can shoot it from the top where it counts.
Similar threads
