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UCA nuts don't wanna come off!

BayouXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Baton Rouge La
Has anyone had trouble getting the UCA nuts loose? I have tried sockets, open end wrench and even started to go at it with a pipe wrench then thought better of it. They just will not turn and want to strip. Can anybody give me another idea on how to get these things off?

Thanks, Cy
 
Go out and get a can of PB Blaster. (local auto parts store) and soak both sides of the bolt/nut for a few days (realizing that the portion inside the frame rail is a nut attatched to a piece of metal that prevents it from spinning)

PB is your friend on this one...just be patient.


Gool Duck!


John
 
No, the nuts aren't welded on. They're tight, but PB Blaster and double-wrenching it worked for me. I believe it's a 15 mm nut, not SAE.
 
hardest part of my lift install!! i managed to get a GOOD boxend wrench on it, then double wrench them, and got them off. got some penitren on one of them, not sure it made a diffence or not, though. seems jeep really liked to use lock-tight. i spent a good hour on one of those bolts!!
 
I second the use of PB Blaster, although a friend of mine swears Gibbs is better. Mine were also a PITA to get off, but after a couple of us took turns at it they finally broke free.
 
Hmm..I dont seem to remember having probs with those bolts on my 94. Then again the oil filter adapter supplying a small amount of oil to those old parts probably helped keep them from seizing! Definetly PB blast it. When you think youve done it enough, do it a couple more times. Just dont get into a hurry and strip something out, then you will have more work. I guess if worse comes to worse, you can always cut/grind one end off and knock it through..then get new hardware. Should be able to get her tho... Keep at it.

Justin
 
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If you peek through the outside of the uniframe, you'll see that the bolts have a locking tab on them. Once you turn the bolt a bit, the tab will rest against the framerail, and then the nut should break loose. The fun part, is getting the passenger side one loose, since the starter and bell housing bump-out are right there. Double wrench that one since a socket wrench won't work(put one wrench on it, and then 'lock' a second wrench of equal size to the first for leverage). First give them a good spraying with PB or what I like to use... Zep Super Penetrant, let them soak and respray.

When I went to swap my lift from my old '90 to my current '00, the passenger side RE Adj. CA had to go with it, since the frame mount bolt wouldn't come out. I got the nut off, but the bolt wouldn't slide out, even with prybars and such persuading it. Now, if there was a tad more room to work there, it may have turned out different, but I wasn't going to pull the tranny to do it.


.
 
Had a similar problem with my rear shackle bolts. After taking turns and spraying it with WD-40, we finally broke it loose with both of us pushing on the end of a pipe attached to a 1/2" drive ratchet. Leverage is your friend. Used PB Blaster on the front end when we did the spacers and everything came loose much easier after I let it soak for a good 5-6 hours.
 
If they have thread lock on them consider heating them with a torch, that will break down the thread locker. And often times makes the job a lot easier.
 
I had this exact problem with mine except the PB Blaster never worked. I used a cut-off wheel and tightly wrapped a rag around the lines that ran on the inside of my frame rail (driver side) Don't slip and cut a hole in those!
 
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