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bolts, bolts, and more bolts

C

clay

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Auburn, Alabama
Is the only way to remove the axle mount bolts for the sway bar to drill them out? It looks like they were punched in place and will not turn out. How did you guys get yours out? Any suggestions would be helpful.

Also, I have remove the nut on the axle end of the trac-bar, can turn the bolt, but cannot get it to come out. Have tried pry bars of several sizes in several places and can't get it to budge. The frame end came out fairly easily but several of us have attacked this bolt and can't get it out. Any suggestions would be useful.

After this (removing these bolts, putting in the new adj. trac-bar and sway bar links), my lift project is done!! :party:
 
hate those things, and if I ever meet the engineer with the twisted idea of putting a Torx head on a splined bolt I want to smak them upside the head with my breaker bar.

After futzing around for 20 minutes and getting nowhere, I ended up drilling through the head deep enough to clear through the far side of the swaybar mount. Then I took a grinder and chopped off the head and bolt end. That left a 'donut' in the actual swaybar mount, but an air chisel with a bullet point popped that part out easily. Hit the mount with a couple coats of Krylon and you're done.

I don't recommend whacking away at the mount, because you're going to bend it.
 
Thanks for the replies.

Yucca-man: I am afraid that I will have to do exactly what you did but I am hoping that someone here has a family secret for getting these things off.

XJ ranger: I saw that thread and thought about hi-jacking it because he is asking about the frame end and I am asking about the axle end, slightly different problems and very different bolts/mounting arrangements.

Anyone else know how to get these things off?
 
can you get a punch in there and pound the bolt out (trackbar)?

if you are puting a new trackbar in, then you can hack the head of the t-bar bolt off, then drill it enough to put the end of the bolt even with the INSIDE lip of the bracket and drop it out down? maybe? makes sense in my head...

new bolt will run you 1.50 at OSH, Lowes, Ace Hardware...
 
I just pounded mine off, but as stated before, be careful not to bend it. Mine didn't bend and hammering got it out.
 
XJ_ranger said:
can you get a punch in there and pound the bolt out (trackbar)?

if you are puting a new trackbar in, then you can hack the head of the t-bar bolt off, then drill it enough to put the end of the bolt even with the INSIDE lip of the bracket and drop it out down? maybe? makes sense in my head...

new bolt will run you 1.50 at OSH, Lowes, Ace Hardware...
Click to expand...
Ranger ...

He's asking about the SWAY bar, you're talking about the TRACK bar.

Trying to follow this thread is like trying to listen to the sound of one hand clapping :angel: :greensmok
 
To remove the sway bar bolts, use a large c-clamp and a deep well socket to press them out of the bracket... you may need to apply heat to the bracket with a torch to expand it slightly and loosen the interference fit of the bolt. A U-joint or ball joint press would be better, but not everyone has one of these.

Try using a sawzall or similar tool to cut through the trackbar bolt.

Good luck!
 
for mine i just cut all of the bolt that was sticking out then torched it, and hammered out the stud in the hole
 
clay said:
Is the only way to remove the axle mount bolts for the sway bar to drill them out? It looks like they were punched in place and will not turn out. How did you guys get yours out? Any suggestions would be helpful.

Also, I have remove the nut on the axle end of the trac-bar, can turn the bolt, but cannot get it to come out. Have tried pry bars of several sizes in several places and can't get it to budge. The frame end came out fairly easily but several of us have attacked this bolt and can't get it out. Any suggestions would be useful.

After this (removing these bolts, putting in the new adj. trac-bar and sway bar links), my lift project is done!! :party:
Click to expand...

Save yourself tons of hassle and get a two or three jaw gear puller. I have a 97 and tried the c-clamp and broke it. Hammered on it with a bfh, bent the bracket. I heated the bracket with a propane torch and hit the stud with an air hammer, no dice. I got a buddy to pick up a 2 jaw puller and the studs were out in 15 minutes. I did cut off the threaded end close to the bracket so the puller wouldn't twist under pressure. Hope this helps. And I would also like to smack the engineer that came up with this setup!!!
 
clay said:
Also, I have remove the nut on the axle end of the trac-bar, can turn the bolt, but cannot get it to come out. Have tried pry bars of several sizes in several places and can't get it to budge. The frame end came out fairly easily but several of us have attacked this bolt and can't get it out. Any suggestions would be useful.

After this (removing these bolts, putting in the new adj. trac-bar and sway bar links), my lift project is done!! :party:
Click to expand...


Eagle,
Keep reading the original post.... there is a question about a Track Bar.... and tell Ranger your sorry...
 
Thank you everyone for your help. I will try the gear puller first. I have to remove the sway bar bolts in order to mount the RE sway bar connects that came with my lift. They have a new, longer bolt and the connect is straight and therefore needs the longer bolt to line up properly. If the gear puller doesn't work I'll start cutting, heating, banging, drilling until they come out.

Will a gear puller work on the axle mount bolt for the trac-bar? I really can't get a punch up there, as suggested, or cut it (threaded end). I'm sure you know where it is located and the tiny, enclosed space provided to work on it.

Additional helpful hints welcome.

Clay
 
I had to grind off both sides of the bolt, then drill through the donut, and then hit it with an air hammer before it would come out. Good luck. Each side took me half an hour after spending half an hour trying to turn the damn things.
 
Sounds like you've got plenty of options... I'd just like to second the notion of smacking the guy who decided to put the Torx head on the splined stud... insanity!! Try liberal amounts of PB Blaster (or your penetrant of choice), plenty of general beating to get any rust broken free, some heat on the bracket... and a hammer. I guess I got lucky when I popped mine out... just used a hammer, no oil, no heat, no nothing... no bent bracket, either. :)

-Mikey
 
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