OOOPS!!

LYKOS · Jul 5, 2012

Put new shocks on today and of course I broke one of the rear Bar Pin nuts.

The bolt is 95% in there. Maybe 1/16th or 1/8th of an inch from being 100%.

I plan on going higher and replacing the shocks again next year. Is this a road killer kinda thing? Do I need to pray,, scream in frustration and start ordering parts or should this suffice for now?

91to99 · Jul 5, 2012

Punch or drill it out and get a longer bolt and nut. Fish the nut up there with an open end wrench and tighten it down.

DrMoab · Jul 5, 2012

The upper bolt on the rear?

Take a hammer and knock it out. Then with some real tricky finger movements you can fish bolts down from the top.

What I did was used some military style bolts that are designed to have wire ties through the head. They have little holes in them for the wire. I used those with some bailing wire I could feed them back and drop them in the hole.

Seemed easier than finding someone with a welder.

LYKOS · Jul 5, 2012

Gotcha!! I might have to do some cutting to get in there. I'm one of those hands like hams guys.

It's already hot as Hades out there. If my shock will last till tomorrow or Saturday I will do it then.

On a side note, the Zone Nitro shocks ride really well! Big improvement over the Superlift that came with the lift.

OutkastBoss · Jul 6, 2012

I have big clumbsy hands too so i taped the nut to an open ended box wrench to get it in place on top.

Original_MudButt · Jul 6, 2012

OutkastBoss said:
...... i taped the nut to an open ended box wrench to get it in place on top.

This^^^

Devilfrog · Jul 6, 2012

I just tried a couple 13mm and 1/2" wrenches to find one that gripped the 10mm bolts I uesed tightly. Once I found one that gripped well, it was a simple matter to use the wrench to position the bolt and tighten the nuts up.

When I pulled my shocks I only had one unbroken bolt at the end of it.

Boss Cherokee · Jul 6, 2012

DrMoab said:
The upper bolt on the rear?

Take a hammer and knock it out. Then with some real tricky finger movements you can fish bolts down from the top.

What I did was used some military style bolts that are designed to have wire ties through the head. They have ulittle holes in them for the wire. I used those with some bailing wire I could feed them back and drop them in the hole.

Seemed easier than finding someone with a welder.

I eliminated the bar altogether.
I made mounts with square tubing cut the one side off & welded flat bar to the mount then bolted to the holes after you get the bolt out. Got tired of breaking bolts.

GrimmJeeper · Jul 6, 2012

if you ditch your rear swaybar take the mounts that are bolted to the spring plates (the triangle shaped parts) and bolt them to the holes the shocks originally mounted to. knock the bar pin out of your shock and boom now you can use eye/eye shocks and not have to worry about dealing with the bolts going into the body ever again.

Shorty · Jul 6, 2012

GrimmJeeper said:
if you ditch your rear swaybar take the mounts that are bolted to the spring plates (the triangle shaped parts) and bolt them to the holes the shocks originally mounted to. knock the bar pin out of your shock and boom now you can use eye/eye shocks and not have to worry about dealing with the bolts going into the body ever again.

X2^^

worked great for me 5 years ago-- I think it was the first "upgrade" I made to the Heep. I read a ton of horror stories about them breaking and learned the trick here-- paid up after I broke my first shock bolt (on someone else's junk) soon after that. None of mine ever broke, but I upgraded anyway to save future headaches.

LYKOS · Jul 6, 2012

I got the bolt 99% in before the nut broke loose.

So I would have to grind out the old one before I can do any of this.

As I drive there is no noise or bumping from the shock and it's almost tight...

Knowing me, I'll leave it until it's not 100+ degrees and THEN do one of the above repairs mentioned.

Thanks for the input!! This is some good information!

WB9YZU · Jul 7, 2012

GrimmJeeper said:
if you ditch your rear swaybar take the mounts that are bolted to the spring plates (the triangle shaped parts) and bolt them to the holes the shocks originally mounted to. knock the bar pin out of your shock and boom now you can use eye/eye shocks and not have to worry about dealing with the bolts going into the body ever again.

Rough Country also makes an inexpensive set of BPE brackets (IIRC $20 for a set). They are advertised as for TJ/JK applications, but will work well with an XJ once you get the darn bolts out

http://www.roughcountry.com/jeep_xtras_barpin-eliminator.html

LYKOS · Jul 7, 2012

Oh really???

I'll check it out.

Thanks Sir!!!

WB9YZU · Jul 7, 2012

LYKOS said:
So I would have to grind out the old one before I can do any of this.

As I drive there is no noise or bumping from the shock and it's almost tight...

Grinding near a fuel tank makes me nervous.

Drill it out. Be patient. Start with a small drill and work up. Often by the time you get to a drill near the size of the bolt, the bolt will have heated up enough that it will back out with and easy out. If not, you can tap the resultant hole, or drill it all the way though do a BPE, and get a nut on the back.

LYKOS · Jul 7, 2012

GrimmJeeper said:
if you ditch your rear swaybar take the mounts that are bolted to the spring plates (the triangle shaped parts) and bolt them to the holes the shocks originally mounted to. knock the bar pin out of your shock and boom now you can use eye/eye shocks and not have to worry about dealing with the bolts going into the body ever again.

What's the deal with ditching the sway bar? I know it helps flex. But 99% of what I do is on road, and aggressive at that. Does it hurt? Can you notice it being gone?

souske · Jul 7, 2012

It doesn't do much. The rear is already much stiffer than the front.
I installed mine to the trashcan years ago with no ill effects.

DrMoab · Jul 7, 2012

The only effect of losing the rear sway bar is hitting a gutter on an angle doesn't hurt as much.

Get rid of it, you won't be sorry.

LYKOS · Jul 7, 2012

I might have not explained well. I didn't break the bolt. The welded in nut broke free. The bolts 99% in it but wont tighten any more.

Devilfrog · Jul 7, 2012

cut the bolt out of there ... 4.5" grinder with a cut off wheel, or if you can't get a straight cut, a standard grinding disc. do the cut cool deal if the sparks are aimed at the gas tank (or use a piece of sheet metal or even layered foil to protect the gas tank (plastic).
I had to cut off one of my Hitch bolts without issue and it's a lot closer and considerably larger than a shock bolt.

I pulled the rear sway when I lifted, so far I haven't even noticed it's gone. I used Dakots leaves so I'm guessing the slightly stiffer spring is making up for the sway, but the ride is overall nicer than my bottomed out stockers.

Boss Cherokee · Jul 7, 2012

WB9YZU said:
Rough Country also makes an inexpensive set of BPE brackets (IIRC $20 for a set). They are advertised as for TJ/JK applications, but will work well with an XJ once you get the darn bolts out

http://www.roughcountry.com/jeep_xtras_barpin-eliminator.html

Mine are a little heavier duty but I wouldn't hesitate to buy the already produced, & for 20 bucs well worth it!!

OOOPS!!

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