broken leaf spring weld nut

Last night while swaping the rear end and sus. from my old xj to its new body, the pass side weld nut broke loose. I read about cutting from the bottom, or top, re-welding a nut, and then fixing your hole you cut. I was thinking of cutting a small hole, (i know the nut is realy in a pocket outside the frame)just engough to fit a nut and socket through, from the inside of the frame. Then if i have a problen again, i can get a socket on the back side.

Just wanted to know what every one elese thought about it before i did it.

You're on track. That is what is frequently done.

I thought that idea took the least amount hacking up the frame, and still gave axcess to it latter if needed

I think/bet the nut breaking off is a secondary problem. The normal trouble is that the bolt seizes in the bushing sleeve and when go to undo the bolt it actually pushed the nut off the weld cuz the bolt doesnt back out. Welding it back up may just fail again. I ended up having to cut my bolt out on both sides of the spring eye. After getting everthing out I tried with a 5lb sledge to get the remaining peice of the bolt out but it never came out. Ended up replacing the sleeve. Then with the nut, I just drilled out the threads cuz I couldn't find a bolt of the same thread. Used it as a washer of sorts cuz it has a step in it that sits in the frame and then used another nut next to it with a new grade 8 bolt. Fun stuff
Brett

you are correct, the broken nut was cause by the sleve sticking, while trying to remove the bolt, i thought i was making progress, but ened up bending the outing mounting flange when the bolt was working out with the sleve stuck, angle grinder and a pry bar i got all the parts out. Didn't bend the flange to bad, but not exicited about having to cut into the uni-body/frame

Someone on this board (sorry i forgot who) showed me this pick to help when I had to do the same...

thanx for the pic, didn't seen it soon enough, last night I made acess hole on the inside of the frame big enough to fit a socket and nut through. Now i can get back to it if needed.

Great pic. I used a 3 inch cutting wheel to do the same. Here is how I handled the leaf bolts and shackle bolts:

I finished the install of new leaf springs and extended shackles.

Front leaf bolts: Side 1: Broke the weld, cut the bolt on both sides w/ sawzall--recommend Irwin or Dewalt bi-metal blades, lots of gruntwork. Then took a 3 inch cutting disk and made 4 cuts in the pocket on the out side of the unibody, just like the picture that is posted on this forum. Side 2: Cut the bolts both sides, then made the cuts in the pocket. Mistake as in the rear bolts was not breaking the weld before cutting the bolt. Then used new bolts and nuts from the dealer ($6 per). I couldn't have done it without help from this site.


Upper Shackles: I drilled a small hole in the pocket below and applied PB for 3 days and still no luck. Side 1 as I thought the nut broke the weld and was spinning free. I could trun the bolt freely once this occured, but the bolt was still locked up on both the sleeve and the nut. Solution: I cut the leaf bolt using a sawzall on first the inside and then out side. I removed the rear bumper--8 bolts-- widened the exsisting access hole using a 3 inch cutting disk to allow a socket head to reach in, and used a new jeep bolt and nut to secure. I had to use 4 washers to take up some of the bolt since it kept pushing my socket off and the access space is too small for a deep socket. Side 2: I hadn't really torqued on this side yet, so thinking it would be easier not to break the nut weld, I just cut away on the leaf bolt. After the inside cut was made, the bolt slid free from the sleeve without need of a further cut. Now the only problem was that the nut and piece of bolt were still blocking the way. I got it off with an airchissle from the inside (bumber removed) without too much trouble, but would just try to muscle it out next time by breaking the weld nut before cutting the bolt. That way if the nut breaks the weld it easier to get out, and who knows it might have come out. But the rust on the end of the bolt looked substantual and probably wouldn't have come off.

Thanks and hope this helps someone else in the future.

The Jeep dealer said they had never seen that problem before and didn't have any advice. Traitors!!!

this should go in the FAQ section when it's done.

87manche said:

this should go in the FAQ section when it's done.

Click to expand...

X2,

I did a lot of research before I even started my lift, hearing horror stories about that leaf bolt frezzing up or breaking the weld at the nut. Came accross that thread and pic, man did it ever save me.

Hate to bring up an old thread but couldn't find an answer in my search. I have already made the cut, removed the nut and am going to put in my new springs tonight. My question is, do I need to reweld the piece that I cut out after I replace the springs or is it ok to leave the opening open. I hope that made sense. Thanks.....Jeff

I cut mine open just enough to get in and left it that way.
Never welded for future access.
(smaller hole than pic)

Good to see you searching a little first

When we did my lift the bolts threaded out of the nuts fine, but then afte that they wouldn't come out any further because they were seized to the bushing sleeves. We had to cut 4 of the 6 spring eyes and bushings out with a torch. Then the bolts came out.

I was counting the shackles too, as in 6 total bushings. Two of the 6 bolts came out no problem. Those were the leaf spring-to-shackle bolts, since we were able to remove the nut and then tap the bolts out no problem.