...that I was going to be able to just "bolt-on" my new rear hitch. Now im ready to burn this thing to the ground:flame: The nut strip threads on the pass side is completely rusted. The bolt that holds on the little heat shield for the exhaust is completely rusted ON. I am to the point of taking it to a shop to let them dick with it.:sure: Is there any tips for making this job any easier? Or for that matter, possible...
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Im an idiot for thinking...
- Thread starter HMGanja
- Start date
fubar XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Bothell, WA
Soak the nuts in PB Blaster twice a day for a couple of days and try again. You can also torch-heat the bolts to try and break the rust bond between them and the nuts.
If you don't have the patience or facility to do this, a shop will be happy to, but you'll likely pay dearly for it. Shops hate working on rusted junk.
If you don't have the patience or facility to do this, a shop will be happy to, but you'll likely pay dearly for it. Shops hate working on rusted junk.
gijosiahh
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Richmond VA
yeah back when i did my rear hitch i was thinking it would be a piece of cake...and yeah, i was definitely wrong. taking the old rusted bolts off is probably the hardest part of the install. buying the driver's side nut strip will make the install a whole lot easier. i didn't have the nut strip and had to fish the bolts/plates through the frame rail. it was a little annoying and time consuming. good luck though.
Tommy4949
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Ogdensburg, NY 13669
I was able to get the bolts out by spraying with PBB and slowly loosening and thightening the bolt until it came loose. I chased all the nuts in the nutstrip with a tap to clear out the threads. I had to be careful not to cross thread it though.
If I were to take the rear bumper off, can I just pull out the factory nut strip? And then replace with a new one? Oh, and they have been bathed in PBB for 2 days prior. From the looks of the threads in the nut strip I will not beable to clear them out. Thanks for the help.
XJ AV8R
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Olympia, WA
If you can't get the factory nut plates (I didn't even try), use pieces of square metal with a square hole in the middle for a carriage bolt. The square piece won't let the assembly turn inside the frame so you can tighten it down. Take some small metal wire, feed it up through the bolt hole in the frame and out of the back of the frame rail. Carefully wrap the wire tightly around the threads of the bolt and then pull the wire and bolt back through the frame and into the frame bolt hole. It works great because the frame bolt holes are very large so it's easy to get the bolt to drop in the hole. Throw the nuts on and tighten as required!
XJ AV8R
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Olympia, WA
To clarify, I don't know anything about the nut strip...whether you can get it out, replace it, etc...my XJ didn't have any.
Well see, on the drivers side there isnt a nut strip. And I know what your talking about fishing the bolts. On the pass side, there is a nut strip (i guess for the heat shield/which only uses one hole). So if I can remove this nut strip, i can fish the bolts in on the pass side to. Now the only problem is getting that damn bolt out for the heat shield so I can remove the nut strip. I hope you all can understand what I just typed.
- Location
- East of Cincinnati
HMGanja said:
Yes. Should slide right out. It might be rusted in there, but you can beat it loose from the underside, through the bolt holes.
I got (both) new ones at the dealer. $20 or $30, maybe? Don't remember... Cheap enough that I wasn't going bolt-fishing...
Robert
Tommy4949
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Ogdensburg, NY 13669
HMGanja said:
I believe the nut strip is spot welded into place. I had all the bolts out of them and it didn't move. It could have been rusted in place though.
If I remember, the nutstrip is riveted to the uniframe rails by two small rivets. You can easily get at them from the bottom of the frame rails but its kind of a PITA to break loose. Once you do that they slide right out pretty easily regardless of rust. I wouldn't pay a shop to do it, you'll end up paying out more than the stuff is worth.
