Advice on Getting this Weld Nut Out. After Leaf Bolt Removal

[USFS91XJ]

Hey Everyone.

I have followed some of the excellent threads on here that deal with removing a stuck leaf spring bolt and broken weld nut.

The sleeve was frozen to the bolt and nut broke loose.

First I cut the leaf spring off right at the shackle

The I cut off the bolt on either side of the remaining spring

The problem I have is that the remaining nut/bolt is too big to wiggle out, because of the remaining bolt sticking thru the frame on the backside

Here is a photo for perspective of what I have so far

What should I do next? Cut out the pocket more? I really cut the bolt too close, but I'm stuck now.

Thanks ahead of time for any advice.

91 Cherokee

 

[USFS91XJ]

Re: Advice on Geeting this Weld Nut Out. After Leaf Bolt Removal

I guess I didn't notice the back end of the bolt stuck into the frame like that.

 

[ehall]

stick a sawzall up in there and cut the nub in half

 

[USFS91XJ]

Cool, how would you recommend I stabilize the bolt? I can't get a good bite on it with vise grips.

 

[Cottontail]

I'd just cut the pocket a little deeper and let it fall out. That is what I did.

 

[USFS91XJ]

ehall,
I just tried to use the sawzall and the bolt kept flipping around. I couldn't get anything to keep it in place, or stable enough.

Cottontail,
What portion would you cut?

Looking thru the leaf shackle

From the side. The bolt portion in the back, sticking in the frame wont let it rotate. Some of the bolt section on the front prevents this as well

Looking up thru the hole I cut

 

[USFS91XJ]

What areas could I cut more, the one in red or blue? I guess that if I cut them on the red I would have to bend the shackle and I'd be afraid I would mess with structural integrity. I don't know how to weld btw...

I'm thinking that cutting the blue wouldn't help much.

 

[techno1154]

What areas could I cut more, the one in red or blue? I guess that if I cut them on the red I would have to bend the shackle and I'd be afraid I would mess with structural integrity. I don't know how to weld btw...

I'm thinking that cutting the blue wouldn't help much.

Cut a hole in the floor where the nut is between the frame rails and remove the pieces. I did that to me XJ when the nut broke loose in there. I was able to use a box wrench on the nut and weld a new nut in when I put it back together.

 

[USFS91XJ]

Are there pics on this, I did a search and couldn't find any.

Also, mines a two door so I will have to figure out where the hole should be.

 

[Sillyfast]

Sorry if I missed this but I dont know what tools you have available. In these situations I plasma and rebuild (weld new steel in) trying to make it better than it was originally. I had to do this on the front leaf mounts.

 

[USFS91XJ]

Sorry if I missed this but I dont know what tools you have available. In these situations I plasma and rebuild (weld new steel in) trying to make it better than it was originally. I had to do this on the front leaf mounts.

NP.

I don't know hold to weld, unfortunately.

I measured out the location for the leaf spring mount, to be able to cut out from above. The problem is that I have a 2 door and the area I measured out to cut at is exactly where the rear bench mount is. So there isn't just flat floor.

I have a cheap version of a dremel (chicago tool) and I am going to try and grind on the nut on the front portion, so that I can maybe wedge it out.

After that, I am not sure what I am going to do.

 

[fyrfytr1717]

I've never had to mess with this before, but looking at your pictures... would it be possible to stick a small pry bar in through the opening in the pocket and pry the pocket open more? Maybe this would allow the piece of bolt to rotate and fall out. Then you could just pound the pocket back into shape again afterwards. What a PITA.

 

[1980dg]

can u use a rope or chain. go thrue the hole in bottom put rope over nut and pull on it to get it wedged in enuf to cut it or maby it will just pull out

 

[USFS91XJ]

I've never had to mess with this before, but looking at your pictures... would it be possible to stick a small pry bar in through the opening in the pocket and pry the pocket open more? Maybe this would allow the piece of bolt to rotate and fall out. Then you could just pound the pocket back into shape again afterwards. What a PITA.

PITA is right! I have also come up with new ways to cuss out Lee Iacocca and put the blame on him. Just seems right for some reason.

I ground on the end of the bolt and I am going to head over to Fred Meyer and pick up new grinding discs.

I think I will end up doing what you say with the pry bar. I just need to get a little more material off the bolt/nut so it will rotate okay.

 

[USFS91XJ]

can u use a rope or chain. go thrue the hole in bottom put rope over nut and pull on it to get it wedged in enuf to cut it or maby it will just pull out

Sounds like a great idea to dislodge it. I haven't been able to get good leverage any other way, thanks man.

 

[Cottontail]

Cottontail,
What portion would you cut?

I cut out the portion that you have highlighted in blue. Here is a photo of mine before I used the air hammer to knock the bolt loose. It popped right out.

 

[techno1154]

can u use a rope or chain. go thrue the hole in bottom put rope over nut and pull on it to get it wedged in enuf to cut it or maby it will just pull out

There is a nut secured to the inside of the frame rail or between the two vertical pieces of the rail. You could use a long bolt or steel and hammer to try to break the weld letting the pieces fall into the rail. You will not be able to get it to come out unless you cut a hole big enough for the nut and I believe it is about 25mm with the piece of bolt still in it which is about 1.5" to come out. If you have access to a welding machine you could that. Even though I have a welding machine, my prefered fix was to cut the floor and not the frame rail.

No, I do not have pictures of it. You will have to judge it. Go under the XJ and try to get a line of where the remaining bolt is and cut above it. Lightly tapping on the inside of the floor would give you an idea of where to vertical part of the rail is and cut between them.

 

[USFS91XJ]

Thanks for the replies.

It looks like I'm going to have to resize my cut to something similar to yours Cottontail. Getting the nut out since its around 25mm won't work with what I have.

The weird thing is that I heard the nut break loose right off the bat, it seemed a little too easy.

 

[Monster Mopar]

I would drill the bolt out of the nut and then let it all fall out the hole you already have.

 

[RangerRick]

I had the same problem with the nut ripping loose in my 91 2 door. I used a hole saw and cut through the other side of the frame. You'll go through 2 layers of frame. The hole saw was a little bigger than the sock I used to replace the seized nut. So with that size hole there was plenty of room to remove/grab the bad nut. Measure carefully before you drill.

3 years later I put frame stiffeners on do to the roof ripping at the top of the A, B, & C pillars and ripping at the four corners of the door vent. (I wheel 4+ and 9/10 rated trails a lot.) The frame at that time showed no effects caused by the holes in it. (A 2 door is not as strong as a 4 door.)

I have found the correct way to remove a spring bolt is to soak it with P-B Blaster one or twice a day for a week and it breaks up the rust and the bolt comes out easily.