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Started lift, got nowhere...

EMSJEEP

EMSJEEP

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Long Island
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']So, I spent all day fighting with the front end, almost got all the old hardware out, broke several bolts the disconnects and a cotter pin, yay. Anyway, whats the deal with the factory bolts that go through the bottom brackets to mount the sway bar disconnects, they have a torx head and are threaded. I couldn’t budge them, several days of PB, a baby sledge and a propane torch and not even a squeak are they supposed to come out, should I just drill them? Second, the steering stabilizer, I managed to get the odd looking bolt off and to destroy the cotter pin but I can't pop it through the hole, is that threaded into the hole on the drag link or am I safe just beating it out with a hammer? Third, whoever made the CA drop brackets should be shot, no, I take that back, who ever made the frame rail tie in brackets for them should be shot. Why do they give you 4 bolts with them? Why are the bolts that hold up that cross member thing that holds in the guts of the Jeep too short to safely accommodate them and is there anything to be done about it? Also does anyone have any tricks for getting the UCA's rear bolt off, I was hanging on it, full weight, with the ratchet handle and again, nothing. PB'd everything before I left it for the night, maybe that will solve some of my problems. I need a game plan for tomorrow, hopefully I can finish the front and rear so I can do the sye and CV shaft Wednesday?!
This was supposed to be fun, not impossible ...I hate rust...
Thanks again!
Alex [/FONT]
 
i never could get those sway bar lower bolts out, i ditched my sway bar and cut em. My UCA rear bolts came out fine. The back will be a breeze. PB THE UPPER SHOCK BOLTS , they will probably still break. Mine has a hole right next to them that leads to the back, i sprayed alot in there. broke 2. what kind of SYE?
 
im going to assume you do not have one of these....
6214662dl3.jpg


if you did... removing that bolt wouldnt be any problem... it should be pressed in(torx side shouldnt spin), but if it spins put a socket on it... and loosen it by spinning the NON-TORX side... ie the nut....
...
whats the problem?
 
xcm said:
im going to assume you do not have one of these....
6214662dl3.jpg


if you did... removing that bolt wouldnt be any problem... it should be pressed in(torx side shouldnt spin), but if it spins put a socket on it... and loosen it by spinning the NON-TORX side... ie the nut....
...
whats the problem?
Click to expand...

Probably the same problem I had. Bolt had never been removed. I had one come off with heat the other came off with my grinder.
 
That Torx bolt is pressed in. Press it out. See:
<http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2674078100066176901mJBPsd>
or:
<http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=901893>
 
xcm said:
im going to assume you do not have one of these....
6214662dl3.jpg


if you did... removing that bolt wouldnt be any problem... it should be pressed in(torx side shouldnt spin), but if it spins put a socket on it... and loosen it by spinning the NON-TORX side... ie the nut....
...
whats the problem?
Click to expand...

I have several, I tried, it didn't work.

Thanks for the link, exactly what I needed....now to buy the puller, ugh this thing is a money pit...but I bet we all already knew that. I was thinking maybe cut the head off the bolt and tap it through with a punch, we;ll see if I can find the puller, auto parts stores aren't so great around here. I'm guessing we have a similiar story with the steering stabilizer. Thanks Again!
-AP
 
An easy way to get those bolts out is to grind the head off flush with the bracket. Then on the other side use a large socket as a spacer then a washer. Put the nut on the washer and tighten it until the bolt pulls through.
 
TomH said:
An easy way to get those bolts out is to grind the head off flush with the bracket. Then on the other side use a large socket as a spacer then a washer. Put the nut on the washer and tighten it until the bolt pulls through.
Click to expand...
eggzachary, that's how mine came off. Then they got replaced with regular grade 8 stuff.
Beating on them was just bending the link mounts.
 
I pushed mine out with my fingers?

But then, a lot of things seem to fall out of my jeep.. like transmission mounts and windows.
 
EMSJEEP said:
Anyway, whats the deal with the factory bolts that go through the bottom brackets to mount the sway bar disconnects, they have a torx head and are threaded. I couldn’t budge them, several days of PB, a baby sledge and a propane torch and not even a squeak are they supposed to come out, should I just drill them? Second, the steering stabilizer, I managed to get the odd looking bolt off and to destroy the cotter pin but I can't pop it through the hole, is that threaded into the hole on the drag link or am I safe just beating it out with a hammer? Third, whoever made the CA drop brackets should be shot, no, I take that back, who ever made the frame rail tie in brackets for them should be shot. Why do they give you 4 bolts with them? Why are the bolts that hold up that cross member thing that holds in the guts of the Jeep too short to safely accommodate them and is there anything to be done about it? Also does anyone have any tricks for getting the UCA's rear bolt off, I was hanging on it, full weight, with the ratchet handle and again, nothing. PB'd everything before I left it for the night, maybe that will solve some of my problems. I need a game plan for tomorrow, hopefully I can finish the front and rear so I can do the sye and CV shaft Wednesday?!
This was supposed to be fun, not impossible ...I hate rust...
Thanks again!
Alex [/FONT]
Click to expand...

First, the sway bar down link connections are PRESSED in, not threaded. The torx head is there to hold the stud/bolt when you tighten the nut.
Use a C clamp and a socket, tighten the clamp a few turns, smack with a hammer, tighten again, smack again, repeat till it comes out.

Second, the steering stabilizer is also pressed in. It is a tapered bolt that goes through the drag link. I have often had to pull the whole assembly and put it in a press. before you resort to that, get a pickle fork in there and smack it like you hate it. (Which shouldn't be a stretch at this piont)

Third, Can't speak to drop CA brackets never had them, But make sure the axle weight is neutral, ie the axle is not putting a load on the control arms. If you jack up the axle to the neutral point both the lower and upper arm bolts WILL slide right out. Trick is to find neutral load on the axle connections.

Good luck
 
So I bought a puller, $20 or so, took me all day to track one down that the WHOLESALE Auto Barn warehouse. Used it on one side, worked great, went to the other side...and that one broke the puller, had to drive all the way back and get another, but the bolts are out. Today I finished getting everything out, maybe tomorrow I can put some stuff in. Got the steering stabilizer out too, heat and beat, the end of the bolt was starting to mushroom, but it popped eventually.

New question, does the orientation of the brakeline-caliper connection matter?
Thanks Again!
 
EMSJEEP said:
New question, does the orientation of the brakeline-caliper connection matter?
Thanks Again!
Click to expand...

Yes, Look at the brake line, rubber lines are notched to fit the caliper one way, or braided, the end is tapered just a bit so it sits flat. I also recommend using new brass washers. Banjo bolts can be reused, but new washers will take less torque to not leak. A few pennies at your local parts store.
 
DaffyXJ said:
Yes, Look at the brake line, rubber lines are notched to fit the caliper one way, or braided, the end is tapered just a bit so it sits flat. I also recommend using new brass washers. Banjo bolts can be reused, but new washers will take less torque to not leak. A few pennies at your local parts store.
Click to expand...

It does fit flat, but the end is a trapazoidal shape and looks like it should be that way for a reason, but I have them fitted across the surface, not along it. It fits flat and does not leak. The stock lines have a place for the washers to fit into them, the new lines do not, therefore I fitted them without the brass washer, the old ones didn't look too good either.

The project is going poorly, it rained on me today. I have the front end almost done but I cannot for the life of me get the LCAs lined up correctly, it looks like I shifted the whole thing to the drivers side a few inches. The UCAs are connected though. Those stupid Control arm brackets make me want to hurt something, there was a very bad factory weld that was preventing them from fitting flat that I had to grind down. Hopefully I can muscle the axel back into place tomorrow, then do the back end, and my SYE. I've had just about enough of this project, the loaner YJ I have is nice but I miss the XJ DD.
 
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