Main eye nut replacement..the easy way.

Ok, so I am not new to jeeps, but I am new to XJ's. I want to say I do respect everything you guys are saying, because frankly I don't know a lot about XJ's. However, one thing I thought was really dumb, was going through the floor to replace the main eye nut for the front of the leaf spring. One red flag I saw was something I red about a cross member? Anyway, I hated the idea of number 1 ripping the interior out, then number 2 making a big hole in the floor. So, I went through the bottom. It took me all of 30 minutes to do, and I was back in business. Now, mind you I havent cleaned up, this is exremely rough. I honestly do not feel the integrity of this bracket was harmed in any way. Youll notice I stayed inside of where the bends are. I used a drill to get a couple access holes, a dremel, and a die grinder. The nut fell right out, I pushed a new generic nut up in there, slid a 13/16 open end wrench up there, and there it was. The only downside I see as of yet your typical mig or tig cannot get up there to put a nice weld across the bottom of the nut, your going to have a use an arc to get up there. Peace

well crap, Ill have to figure out how to insert the picture...sorry. Looked like it was going to go

green50gt said:

The only downside I see as of yet your typical mig or tig cannot get up there to put a nice weld across the bottom of the nut, your going to have a use an arc to get up there. P

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Hey bro, I didn't even weld the nut back in place. I figured if it's good enough for the other end to keep the nut 'free', it's good enough for the front. I just put a wrench up in there when I have to replace leaf springs.

Funny you posted this at the very same time I was posting in the other thread that you don't have to cut the floor out. Thanks!

That is funny, I saw that other guys post on going through the floor, then decided to write that up.

I figured it won't be good for the other end of that to flop around in there, unless you found a factory nut to go in there that fits into the recessed hole? When I hit a big bump there is a big knock that comes from there.

That's what I did with mine as well when the nut broke free and spun in there. Though mine was much uglier because I used the smoke wrench on it, carpet fires be damned...

green50gt said:

Ok, so I am not new to jeeps, but I am new to XJ's. I want to say I do respect everything you guys are saying, because frankly I don't know a lot about XJ's. However, one thing I thought was really dumb, was going through the floor to replace the main eye nut for the front of the leaf spring. One red flag I saw was something I red about a cross member? Anyway, I hated the idea of number 1 ripping the interior out, then number 2 making a big hole in the floor. So, I went through the bottom. It took me all of 30 minutes to do, and I was back in business. Now, mind you I havent cleaned up, this is exremely rough. I honestly do not feel the integrity of this bracket was harmed in any way. Youll notice I stayed inside of where the bends are. I used a drill to get a couple access holes, a dremel, and a die grinder. The nut fell right out, I pushed a new generic nut up in there, slid a 13/16 open end wrench up there, and there it was. The only downside I see as of yet your typical mig or tig cannot get up there to put a nice weld across the bottom of the nut, your going to have a use an arc to get up there. Peace

Click to expand...

thanx this seems alot better than holes throught the floor and fo the wheeling i do i dont think streth will be an issue.

green5.0GT

Dude, How long has it been since you have actually owned a Green Mustang 5.0 GT????LOL red4.0XJ is more like it now!

Nice work on the cuttin. Hope it helps some folks in the future, just get that sucker welded up and send me some pics with the new lift.

When can we go to the ravine so you can show me up and pull me out?

Later,
J

P.S. Also known in the past as "blue 427SC Cobra"

Its been about 3 years, but i've still got 5.0 blood pumping through my viens...If I had to choose between a 5.0 Stang, and a Wrangler....things would get ugly. The best of both worlds would be my 5.0 inside the Wrangler!!! But who am I kidding, im poor.

Jason, my lift looks horrible!!!! But you shall soon see. I went to toss Shackles on it tonight, and the bushing is siezed on the bolt on the drivers side.....I LOVE it

D

they say pics are worth 999 words