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Can't get UCA bolt to move.

M

Mudshack

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Billings, Montana
Can't get UCA bolts to move. HELP

How did you guys get that hard to reach pass side UCA bolt out up in the frame? After contorting myself to breack the nut loose (no room for impact wrench or even socket....all box wrench). Now I got the nut off, and can't get the bolt to slide out. Can't even get in there to get an air hammer on it.

btw - I am trying to remove the upper control arm to replace the bushings on a 99 XJ Sport

edit- Ok, now I am PIZZED. I can't get the axle end bolt out either. It won't budge. What is the deal? I am not going to even attemp the drivers side if the pass side is this hard.
 
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Does it spin? take your impact from the wheelwell side, keep spinning it in reverse and push on the inner portion of the bolt. If it is binding the reverse will back the bolt out.
 
Can't reverse it. It has a "flange" tacked to it that won't allow it to spin in the "frame" (It is too long for the small space so it won't spin with the bolt). This allows for tightening it without having to get in the "frame" with a box wrench.

10xat1g.jpg
 
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If you get a prybar in there you can seperate the "flag" from the head of the bolt. I forgot I replaced mine with regular hardware when I rebuilt mine.
 
I couldn't get mine out of the axle end either. Ended up cutting both ends of the bolt, and then cutting the center out, too.

Bolt was fused into the bushing sleeve.

Hope you have better luck.
 
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I have avoided buying a sawzall for so long. And I figured this would be a simple afternoon job (with a ball joint press from O'Reillys). This is so frustrating. Ever time I touch this XJ, the simple jobs turn into EPIC WRENCH-A-THONS!


This must be "It's a Jeep Thing..."
 
Mudshack said:
Do you mean by breaking each tack seperately? I don't see how you meant to get the prybar to help.
Click to expand...


If I remember correctly the flag isnt welded but staked on. Yeah, if you can pop it off you may be able to spin the bolt out. If you cant get the flag off maybe you can cut/bend it so that it will spin.
 
I gave up on the frame end. My 90psi impact wrench isn't budging it.

Update ---- I have the body up on stands. And I have tried the jack under the axle with it raised high....and with it lowered all the way down. I pounded the crud out of the axel side bolt. I got it to moved to the point that I can no longer hit it (the tip is inside the control arm). I can't get it to pull through anymore by prying, and worse yet. It looks like it is not lined up to be pushed back through. I am pounding the snot out of it to try and get it back through but it is binding on the the inside of the control arm.

Do I have to have the axel jacked up high or low to release the bind?
 
Cut it out since its probably fuzed to the bushing sleeve, then use a regular bolt. Makes it soo much easier the next time you need to get them off. Ever Job is only hard once. Then you learn and make it easier.
 
Mudshack said:
I gave up on the frame end. My 90psi impact wrench isn't budging it.

Update ---- I have the body up on stands. And I have tried the jack under the axle with it raised high....and with it lowered all the way down. I pounded the crud out of the axel side bolt. I got it to moved to the point that I can no longer hit it (the tip is inside the control arm). I can't get it to pull through anymore by prying, and worse yet. It looks like it is not lined up to be pushed back through. I am pounding the snot out of it to try and get it back through but it is binding on the the inside of the control arm.

Do I have to have the axel jacked up high or low to release the bind?
Click to expand...

I had to use two jacks, one on each end and screwed with the height on both to get things to line up. Well, not quite line up, but closer anyway.

Since you are having such a hard time with the axle side bolt, I might as well break it to you now: you're probably going to need another bushing when you are done. Trying to pound out the bolt with the bushing doing it shock absorbing bit won't get you too far. I couldn't even get it out with a ball joint remover and an impact gun, and ended up bending the flimsy mount.

I should add that my XJ was 10 years old, having lived all of it's previous life in the rust belt, so everything was pretty much fused together. I think I broke every bolt and screw on this fawking thing. That bolt you're working on took me the longest. The up side is that everything is new now, and I can do regular bolt "maintenance" every now and then.

Another thing, if you aren't using a torch, it makes life MUCH, MUCH easier.

And it's true what the other poster said above: it takes longest the first time you do it, and after that it's a piece of cake and much quicker.

Learning is fun!

:gee:
 
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Well, I got the bolt back through using a ball joint press. And I torqued everything down tight all around. Upper control arms are going to have to stay. I will replace the lower control arms when the Ironman Adjustables come in. I will replace a torn drivers side tie end rod and get a professional alignment. If this doesn't cure my death wobble, I will attack the Upper Control Arms again. But not worth our only vehicle undrivable.

Thanks for your help, guys.
 
After removing the nut with a socket, I used a small channel lock to grab the bolt head & turned it while pulling on it to get it out around a 1/2", Then I took a piece of 1/4"thick X 3/4"wide X 1ft long steel I had laying around , Bent the 2 ends up 90deg opposite each other making it into sort of a pry bar, One end went undet the bolt head while I hammered on the other end, The bolt came right out!
 
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