sway bar bracket bolts broke

A

asatxj

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Grant, Michigan

• Jun 13, 2005

• #1

I was removing my swaybar brackets to lube the squeaky poly bushings and the two bolts on the drivers side broke off. GRRRR . Any suggestions for repairing this? Here in rust country they can be quite a bugger when they break off. Can I just weld that bracket on and promise myself to never want to take it off again??

 

Kejtar

PostMaster General

NAXJA Member

Location

Westminster, SoCal

• Jun 13, 2005

• #2

asatxj said:

I was removing my swaybar brackets to lube the squeaky poly bushings and the two bolts on the drivers side broke off. GRRRR . Any suggestions for repairing this? Here in rust country they can be quite a bugger when they break off. Can I just weld that bracket on and promise myself to never want to take it off again??

Click to expand...

did they brake in the frame rail or is there anything sticking out?
1. use a lot of pb blaster.
2. someone had a trick of using heat to suck up lubricant into the threads (candle wax or something like that IIRC ).
3. heat them up to break them up
4. do not use easy outs!
5. if you have enough sticking out, try welding to it to have a head
6. consider drilling and retapping.

 

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asatxj

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Grant, Michigan

• Jun 13, 2005

• #3

they are broken in the rail, nicely recessed all the way to the nut tacked to the inside of the rail.

 

Kejtar

PostMaster General

NAXJA Member

Location

Westminster, SoCal

• Jun 13, 2005

• #4

asatxj said:

they are broken in the rail, nicely recessed all the way to the nut tacked to the inside of the rail.

Click to expand...

can you get that nut from the top? or the front? if so, then break of the one inside and use a new one from the top.

 

4

4xBob

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Prince George, BC, Canada

• Jun 14, 2005

• #5

I would vote for drill and tap. Centre punch a star point, drill with a new, small industrial-quality drill in the centre of the snapped bolt, then a larger new, industrial-quality bit to final dimension. It works for me on broken rear shock upper mounting bolts. The solid gold solution: put antiseize on the bolts when you do get to reassembling. I use it on everything on the outside of the jeep. I only have to fight a rusty bolt once, second time goes much better.

 

Eagle

Lifetime NAXJA Member

NAXJA Member

Location

Terra Firma

• Jun 14, 2005

• #6

I second 4xBob. Drill and tap is the correct fix. If you drill carefully you should even be able to save the original threads. Worst case is you drill a bit oversized and have to tap for a slightly larger bolt.

Be sure to use anti-sieze when reinstalling.

 

A

asatxj

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Grant, Michigan

• Jun 14, 2005

• #7

I suppose I'll be drilling and tapping at it shortly, I have a pool to install for the family first. BTW I do antiseize everything I take off. First time for these since someone put the bushings in.

 

C

cwlongshot

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Connecticut

• Jun 15, 2005

• #8

Anti-"sleeze" is one of your Jeeps best friends!!!
If you have notions of later removing that fastner.
So, YES put it on every threaded fastner! It also works wonders on the alt. bolt on so many vehicles. You know how they seem to "weld" them to each other. The anti-sleeze will stop it COLD!!!I keep it at home AND in my trail kit.


Here is a tip: The round flange and those damn three bolts on the front of a D30 work MUCH BETTER if you remove them at home and "sleeze" them up BEFORE hitting the trail!!!

CW

 

RichP

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Effort, Pa

• Jun 15, 2005

• #9

The silver anti-seize works for about 2 years on exposed bolts/nuts. The copper stuff lasts alot longer is works better with high heat apps.

 

A

asatxj

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Grant, Michigan

• Jun 15, 2005

• #10

I recently ran out of anti and recalling how well the copper stuff worked in a factory I worked in I went and got some.
I've been thinking about wacking the old nuts out of the rail and doing new bolts from the top but I'd have to take the bumper and tow hooks off. We'll see how well the drill and tap goes.

 

E

ebxjbob

NAXJA Forum User

Location

Snowmass, CO

• Jun 15, 2005

• #11

This happened to me when I was attempting to install a 2 inch hitch in the front, I just took the easy way out and never reinstalled the f*&%^# sway bar haha, flex all the time and it rides and drives better, just another option....