Can you ID this part

I am trying to replace the tracbar mount and I came across this part that I don't recognize.



The arrow points to a dusty black plastic ring that is holding a bolt in place. When I get the wrench on the bolt it just spins in place along with the plastic ring. I haven't grabbed the ring with the vice grips yet to see if I could hold it in place.

What is this part, and is using vice grips the right way to remove the bolt and leave everything intact?

Thnx

Looks like you've broken a weldnut loose. Are you sure it's a plastic part?

ChiXJeff said:

Looks like you've broken a weldnut loose. Are you sure it's a plastic part?

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Yup, I'm with ChiXJeff - looks like the welded nut (not really "nutular" more cylindrical for the motor mount to frame mount

I definately didn't break anything. This picture is off of Rustys site and not a pic of my rig. However, my rig looks exactly the same. Mine also has this black plastic-looking ring. It looks like it's gonna get the vice grips 2nite. :explosion

Okay......... there are a total of 4 bolts in the stock trackbar mount, 2 horizontal at the top and 2 vertical in the bottom.

They all thread into weldnuts that were originally firmly attached to the uniframe. Shouldn't be any plastic rings on those bolts, although the coating may make it look that way.

If you're spinning on an 18mm bolt head (IIRC, it may be 21mm), then you've definitely broken the weldnut loose.

Looking a little closer at the pic you've linked, the arrow is definitely indicating the weldnut. Also looks like an extra nut at the top, like someone stripped out the weldnut and drilled it through.

One of my weldnuts broke loose, and it took me 2 years to finally figure out what was going on. A quick tack with a MIG welder and all was well with the world.

Alright I have some more details. I got the vice grips on the "nut" in question, and the second I turned the bolt the grips flew off. They did however manage to mar the surface of this "nut". And from the scratches it is clear that it is metalic. However, the stupid thing is a ring.

Who the heck desinged that?

I checked another XJ in the parking lot and they have the same metal ring on this bolt. I didn't however try to disconnect it to see if it is welded down?

When I talked to a local shop about putting a weld spot on it, I got the "we'd have to look at it and schedule it in" crap. Shouldn't this take all of 2 minutes if the surface is clean (which by the way, it is not currently)?

Also, the section of the bolt above the ring is discolored I believe not from something that was snapped off, but from the use of Loctite. When I took out the front bolt, it was blue with from Loctite that had been applied.

Thnx much

On my 89 the nuts for the trackbar bolts never were welded to the frame from the day it was new.

Just looks like a thick spacer to spread the load out to me.

Actually, it's a perfectly reasonable design, from the standpoint of the automotive engineer. It's supposed to be firmly attached to the uniframe, and probably never messed with. And it's gonna be easier to manufacture a round piece than a hex. And for assembly, you only have to work on one end of the fastener, rather than holding both ends.

Andy, the bolts aren't welded to the frame, the threaded fitting is.

I seriously doubt that it's a spacer, and even if it was, it would certainly not be a garden grade plastic. There are some pretty darned hefty stresses on the trackbar mount, this is why we have so much fun with it. I'm sure that there is some plastic formulation that would hold up to the stress, but a simple steel fitting would certainly be cheaper.

I haven't taken the bolts out of my trackbar mount, so I can't comment on the Loctite compound. I'd be mildly surprised if they didn't have a fastening compound on them.

Final report on trac bar weld nut

Stopped by the local Welding shop, not auto shop, and the guy threw a quick weld on it for me. $10 later I had the bolt out with the nut still in place and ready for use.

Re: Final report on trac bar weld nut

Jeep'nD said:

Stopped by the local Welding shop, not auto shop, and the guy threw a quick weld on it for me. $10 later I had the bolt out with the nut still in place and ready for use.

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Smart man! Good to see it's worked out for you...... and keeping us in the loop.