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cross member bolt

KSXJ

KSXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Kansas City
While putting my rustys long arm on last night, I tried to tighten one of the bolts to the crossmember that connect it to the unibody and it broke loose. I can't seem to tighten the bolt. Wondering if anyone else has run into this problem and what they did. And no, i can't reach this one through the existing holes. My thought is to drill a hole through the rustys bracket and the unibody one one side.

If you don't know what the rustys bracket looks like, here is a picture from rustys site.
longarm_22.jpg
 
Can you remove the bolt? It's possible the threads in the nut stripped. If not, you'll probably have to cut a hole in the frame from the top to get at the nut.
 
Make real sure the bolt threads are not what's damaged. I'd run a tap through the nut in that size to clean up the threads and then replace the bolt and try again.
 
Sounds like the threads are stripped in the nut. I had that happen on my '88; I just re-tapped for the next size up standard bolt--I think I used a 9/16 tap. Actually, I re-tapped all of mine (I hate having one bolt one size, and the others a different size). Use calipers to measure your stock bolt, then then find a bolt size at least 1/16 larger.
 
When I have been reading on long arms and new crossmembers I've seen it's common to spin one of the nutserts as well. Is this a possibility?

Pictures would be nice of the new kit man....
 
Ok, what do I do about it? Dbenz, pics will be coming once I get done. Still have to find my camara charger after the move, and my jeep is in the way of some other projects. So I need to get it out of the garage :D But I keep having issues.
 
The article I read said the guy just left it, because there were plenty of other bolts to hold it in place. If you spun the nutsert (used to be welded to the unibody), I would think you'd have to access that nutsert and weld it back on.
 
The bolt is definatly gone. So I guess my best route is through the floor then??? Need to put two others in there too, but if anyone else has any ideas or experience, please speak up.
 
I suggest using a hole saw to remove the old insert and welding a 1" or 1.5" length of coupling nut to the bottom of the frame. I had this problem on mine. In the end I took some 1" Square stock long enough to go between both holes, drilled and tapped two holes for 1/2" bolts, cut a rectangular opening in the frame, perimeter welded the square stock flush with the bottom of the frame and then welded a flat plate over the whole area. It's kinda overkill but I'll never have to mess with it again.
 
Ive seen a bolt that holds the front part of the leaf pack get stripped out and they cut a small V shape in the uniframe and pulled it back just enough to punch the old nut out and tack weld a new one in place.
 
yeah, I have many ideas, but just talked to a friend and he went through a drain plug through the floor. Been debating about taking the carpet out anyway, guess now is as good as time as any.
 
Just buy a new nut-sert from the dealer(4$) and 10 minutes to install!
 
First, I would not use a nutsert to attach a major cross member to the frame. Second, unless the old nut is removed from the frame, the nutsert cannot be inserted. You should be absolutely certain that the nut inside the frame has broken loose from the frame. It's welded in-place, and wont turn unless the weld is broken. And if that is the case, I don't see how you could screw in the bolt, with the only complaint that "it will not tighten", then be able unscrew the bolt. If the weld is broken, the nut would turn when you tried to screw the bolt in, or out, for that matter.
 
One more time,there is no weld!!
knurldim.gif
 
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