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Drop bracket brace?

homebrew

homebrew

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Bremerton, WA
I have a set of RC drop brackets, the 2 bolts that hold the rear brace on ripped out of the frame rail. Just wondering if I can cut a hole it the side of the frame rail so that I can use a nut and washer to hold the bolt in place? I am concerned that cutting there will weaken that aera where the brace mounts.

edit wrong forum
 
Can you weld? Or have a freind that can? If so cut the hole, bolt it up and weld it shut.

How did you do it? I just put some on and this is startling me
 
homebrew said:
I have a set of RC drop brackets, the 2 bolts that hold the rear brace on ripped out of the frame rail. Just wondering if I can cut a hole it the side of the frame rail so that I can use a nut and washer to hold the bolt in place? I am concerned that cutting there will weaken that aera where the brace mounts.

edit wrong forum
Click to expand...
I have this problem on my drivers side, the rail was crushed in a bit, probably from a misplaced jack or hoist arm. I tightened them up snug and they pulled out with some moderate wheeling.
 
94xjstud said:
Can you weld? Or have a freind that can? If so cut the hole, bolt it up and weld it shut.

How did you do it? I just put some on and this is startling me
Click to expand...

Yeah I have a welder, Happend while pretending to be driving a jeepspeed between trails.

From the start I was nervious about that bracket being attached by self tapping bolts through thin sheet metal. I am thinking about making a nutsert of some kind to go inside the frame rail.

BCmax same thing happened to mine even after I used 7/16 bolts. It seems that once they have been ripped out the only way to fix it is going to be to cut a hole and add nut/washers to the bolt.
 
Last edited:
homebrew said:
Yeah I have a welder, Happend while pretending to be driving a jeepspeed between trails.

From the start I was nervious about that bracket being attached by self tapping bolts through thin sheet metal. I am thinking about making a nutsert of some kind to go inside the frame rail.

BCmax same thing happened to mine even after I used 7/16 bolts. It seems that once they have been ripped out the only way to fix it is going to be to cut a hole and add nut/washers to the bolt.
Click to expand...
I havent checked yet but I have unibody weld on stiffeners , I'm hoping they reach that far forward, if not, I'll just plate it and drill and tap em.
 
I blew out the upper control arm bushing the same day thinking that may have caused it. I fixed the bushing last weekend, added a larger bolt to the bracket and it still ripped out so I am not sure what to do now.
 
Weld the nut that is the size you want to use onto a good large flat washer. Drill a hole that is just bigger than the nut and insert the nut into the so that the washer is all that is showing. Now weld the washer to the unibody. This gives you much more area to weld in and a cleaner smoother installation. Now you cab use some bolts instead of the self tapping screws.
 
Well I came up with a solution, I used some 1/2 bolts as hardware. I cut the side of the frame rail open with a dremel, and inserted the hardware.

vent002.jpg


Tightened it up and closed up the hole. Not shown is the hole after it was welded up.

vent003.jpg


I used lock washers, I am hoping those keep the bolts tight, if not I'll have to open it up and come up with something else.
 
Looks good and stable, but for people that can't weld I suggest doing what I did and using a 21/64 drill bit which is slightly smaller then what RC says to use. This way the bolts get a tighter fit deeper threads.
 
I quit using "self taping" bolts altogether. I drill and tap the sheet metal and use regular bolts, 3/8"x16 usually.

My RE braces go further back?
 
Thought about that, this just seemed easier if I ever decided to take them off with out messing them up trying to cut the welds.
 
Why would you ever need to take the braces off!
 
homebrew said:
Well I came up with a solution, I used some 1/2 bolts as hardware. I cut the side of the frame rail open with a dremel, and inserted the hardware.

vent002.jpg


Tightened it up and closed up the hole. Not shown is the hole after it was welded up.

vent003.jpg


I used lock washers, I am hoping those keep the bolts tight, if not I'll have to open it up and come up with something else.
Click to expand...

Loc-Tite, if you haven't welded up yet. If already closed up, next time for sure....
 
When I do this type of fix, I usually weld the nut into the hole then weld the cut shut. This way you have a good solid nut and if the lock washer or thread lock fails you still have the nut in the right place. (If you have to you can even JB weld, it is better then nothing.)

Hope this helps.
 
Havent done anything to the other side yet, I will at a minimum use lock tight on it. The repair seems to be doing its job as of now, If I have to cut it again I'll make up some kind of nut cert.
 
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