Broke steering box bolt installing bumper ?

Removing the 2 bolts from steering box to bolt on frame tie in, the first one snapped as every bolt on my XJ does. What do I do now? I know if try 2nd it will break as well. Bumper installation aside , is it safe to drive with just one bolt in ? DO I have to drill out and tap a new thread?

For your safety and the safety of others. DO NOT drive it with one bolt in. Gonna have to disconnect everything. Grind other head off and slide the stering box out so you can grab the last bolt by the box on a bench. Use lots of PB blaster and twist the bolt out. May have to drill and tap others to same size depending on how much is showing on other bolts..

Or Replace it all together.

I would not drive more than a few feet with only one bolt. although if you have a steering box brace that would make it slightly safer, still wouldn't trust it.


cut the head off the bolts with a sawzall or grinder, pull the steering box out and untwist the bolts with a pair of vice-grips.

Get it on the bench and fix it right.

Disconnect everything from the steering box and pop that last bolt.
Remove the box entirely.
You can double nut the stubs that are left or weld on a nut to remove them from the steering box, they are probably just siezed in the stock spacer anyways.
3 new bolts and you are back in business. I usually tap the box for 1/2 anyways and upgrade the bolts.

Luckily the bolt snapped in the middle. I have a stock skid plate and cant see anything. This happened at midnight last night trying to install my bumper. I will remove the skid and check it out tonight. Hopefully not that much trouble. PITA, but much rather happen in the garage then the trail... Wierd Jeep used that Aluminum spacer.
I was not aware that this was a commen issue :
http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/broken_steering_box_bolt.htm

I believe if you used the search function a little more instead of starting a new thread everytime you have a little problem then you would find your answer to this and the other two threads:
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1077092
http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1077024

I believe if you used the search function a little more instead of starting a new thread everytime

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Sorry man, I just usually start a thread from my phone while in the garage. Is there a app in the works that you can search easy like other forums? Wait never mind I will search for the question...

wasn't really trying to be an A$$hole but the questions you have asked have been covered many times over. As to my knowledge there is no app but when I get on from my phone I have full access to the site including the search function and all the others.

Break off all the bolts.

Order a new inner spacer with hardware from someone like JCR.

The bolts are seized to the spacer. Use a hammer/chisel to destroy the spacer around the bolt. You should be able to then just vicegrip them out of the box.

MoparManiac said:

Break off all the bolts.

Order a new inner spacer with hardware from someone like JCR.

The bolts are seized to the spacer. Use a hammer/chisel to destroy the spacer around the bolt. You should be able to then just vicegrip them out of the box.

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X2....This just happened to me. you Prob will not need to take the bok out of the jeep. Pull it back and towards the motor. Pull the crap staock spacer off then you shoud have enough bolt to get vise grips on...will help if you heat it a little. I got this done in about a half hour last night after breaking the bolt.

Try searching google: whateveryourlookingfor, naxja

It works much better than the search on here

Try searching google: whateveryourlookingfor, naxja

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Very cool, thanks. I think the searchs on most forums are slightly flawed, thus all the repeat threads. But sometimes they are needed as the one you mau need info on is a few years old and the OP is no longer active. Anyways here is some of the carnage. Snapped bolt and crumbling spacer.


Just ordered this one from JCR. I guess rig is out of service until it arrives.

Just a FYI. If you drive with two bolts in they will bend. I also have the 31s and Durango box.

When installing my durango box in conjuction with the C-rock inner, I had to add one fat washer to each of the three bolts.
YMMV

The same problem happened to me this weekend on my 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport. I Removed the original bumper in 30 minutes. Removed first bolt and broke. I went to the forums and spent 3 hours trying to drill out the bolt to reverse out which did not work.

I have spent the past few days reading forums and part options to find out this is normal when replacing a front bumper.

There should be a large warning on the Bumper vendors website: "You will break off 1 to 3 of the Steering Box bolts installing this product. Please also purchase a JCR steering box bracer and replacement bolts prior to starting this project and a heating torch and vise grips."

There should be a large warning on the Bumper vendors website: "You will break off 1 to 3 of the Steering Box bolts installing this product. Please also purchase a JCR steering box bracer and replacement bolts prior to starting this project and a heating torch and vise grips."

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i thought the same, I have since prepared several people when they got their bumper and they were prepared with the plate and the tools to fix. While it took me 10 days . lol

I finished my bumper install yesterday.

I used the JCR steering box spacer with the Nate's 4x4 Jeep Cherokee recessed winch bumper. I had to drill out the 4th hole on the spacer for the large carriage bolt with the bumper.

I used Rock Lizards instructions with notes from TJheems on cherokeeforum and other forums, http://www.rocklizardfabrications.com/broken_steering_box_bolt.htm.

A few notes. After you remove or break off 1-3 of the steering gear bolts, you push the steering gear over and will drop down on your sway bar with access to the bolts and the OEM steering gear spacer. You do not have to remove the pittman arm or the bolts attached to it or drag link. With heat and the OEM spacer broken away, the bolts come off in about 30 seconds each.

I bolted on the 4th hole on the JCR spacer first so it would not move all around.

I lifted up the steering gear and lined up the holes and slid a phillips screwderiver on the bottom hole to get it in place. The steering gear is heavy and has a lot of mobility. You have to rotate it also as you lift up as you line up the bolts. With the screwdriver in, I was able to get the top bolt in. I put all three bolts in tight, espcecially the top so the steering gear would not move around or the plate shift when I removed the 2 bottom bolts for the bumper install.

The uninstall and reinstall with the JCR plate takes about an hour and then another hour to install the bumper and then go for a drive.