Cheapest Recovery?

XJPhoenix said:
Is there a method of installing/removing the bumper/tow-hook brackets we noobs don't know about? I've taken two sets off (junk/parts Jeeps), and getting some of those bolts off was a serious PITA. We're talking about hours of work. (Mind you, I have low stamina, and need frequent rest stops.) The worst were the nuts in front of the steering box...

If there's some method we're missing, or if you know a better way to build this particular mousetrap, then please let us know. I'd love the info, as I'll be doing recovery points soon.

:)
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PB Blaster and patience. Honestly I have never had a problem removing them, even having Muscular Dystrophy. The ones holding the caps on can be removed very easily with a dremel and replaced with others. Trust me, its not that hard once you do it 2 or 3 times.
 
FlexdXJ said:
PB Blaster and patience. Honestly I have never had a problem removing them, even having Muscular Dystrophy. The ones holding the caps on can be removed very easily with a dremel and replaced with others. Trust me, its not that hard once you do it 2 or 3 times.
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Gotcha. Makes me feel better! Any thoughts on the ones between the steering box and the front crossmember? IIRC, those were one of the worst spots...

:)
 
PB blaster... lots of it. are you talking about the bumper mount on the drivers side of the frame rail? i find that if you take the end caps and bumper itself off you have a lot more room to work in there.

for some reason any time i try to pull a part at the JY it takes me hours too. especially here in Mi. even end caps give me a fit. but i remove my bumper very easily. had her off today to be painted. i think one if us is missing something. with nothing more than a 3/8s ratchet and the needed extensions/sockets they come out in no time.

as for new bolts... ace hardware has lots of them.
 
XJPhoenix said:
Gotcha. Makes me feel better! Any thoughts on the ones between the steering box and the front crossmember? IIRC, those were one of the worst spots...

:)
Click to expand...

The 3 bumper mount bolts? They are normally pretty easy to get loose. Just shoot a little PB on there and wait a few minutes the take a 16mm box end wrench and loosen them.
 
you think the bumper is hard to remove.... take a stab at your track bar mount =) on my jeep the 2 that tie into the bottom of the frame by the tie rod end with the welded nuts, i pb blasted em twice a day for a week before i got my hd track bar and i still broke loose the weld nut in the center of the track bar mount. my only option was to cut it off with a torch.(had to be finished ASAP so i could leave for my camping trip 1 hour away) sometimes the things you want in life dont come as easy as you'd like them to. i've never had an easy fix on my xj and because of it i've learned so much about my jeep.

i dont think you should skimp out and go cheap on a recovery point. save your money and buy the right piece the first time.

BTW, if you know anyone who has welding and fab skills, you can built yourself an entire bumper for less than a 100 bucks WITH TOW POINTS.
 
winkosmosis said:
Here, you can install these without removing the front bumper. It bolts to where a front hitch bolts

http://store.hicountryoffroad.com/Jeep-XJ-Tow-Hook-Bracket-with-Tow-Hooks_p_10.html



OR you can get a front hitch, which also allows you to use a winch and spreads the load to both uniframerails.
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Hey thats pretty sweet, never seen anything like that before. I'll have to keep them in mind, I think I'd rather have front hooks than a hitch, so either way, I'll be saving for some kind of serious recovery, while a rear hook will do for the time being
 
winkosmosis said:
Here, you can install these without removing the front bumper. It bolts to where a front hitch bolts

http://store.hicountryoffroad.com/Jeep-XJ-Tow-Hook-Bracket-with-Tow-Hooks_p_10.html



OR you can get a front hitch, which also allows you to use a winch and spreads the load to both uniframerails.
Click to expand...


Hey thats pretty sweet, never seen anything like that before. I'll have to keep them in mind, I think I'd rather have front hooks than a hitch, so either way, I'll be saving for some kind of serious recovery, while a rear hook will do for the time being
 
I didn't even read any of the above posts..

My opinion: Class 3 hitches front and rear. That's what I did and it cost me $70 total.
-used front and rear hitches
-15 minutes with a wire wheel on each
-rattlecan both
-hardware from McMaster Carr
-new nutcerts for the rear
-done

I've used both for tugging completely disabled XJs out of swampy areas no problem
 
What planet are you guys buying tow hook brackets from?

My first recovery points were a Rusty's tow hook kit (only difference these showed from factory or Custom 4x4 was the lack of the little angle piece to tie the brackets into the front crossmember). Bumper came off 3 bolts each side, never had to touch the steering box bolts.

For Tow Hook installation, you shoudn't need to drop the endcaps -the entire bumper should just come off as a unit (at least, on 84-96 that's true). I'd recommend replacing the "speed nuts" that the six OEM bolts go into, though - all mine snapped when I put the rachet on the bolts, but they're like $0.25 each or less.

Let's not make this any harder than it needs to be, hm?
 
Rob Mayercik said:
What planet are you guys buying tow hook brackets from?

My first recovery points were a Rusty's tow hook kit (only difference these showed from factory or Custom 4x4 was the lack of the little angle piece to tie the brackets into the front crossmember). Bumper came off 3 bolts each side, never had to touch the steering box bolts.

For Tow Hook installation, you shoudn't need to drop the endcaps -the entire bumper should just come off as a unit (at least, on 84-96 that's true). I'd recommend replacing the "speed nuts" that the six OEM bolts go into, though - all mine snapped when I put the rachet on the bolts, but they're like $0.25 each or less.

Let's not make this any harder than it needs to be, hm?
Click to expand...

Exactly, you guys are worrying too much about this. Its one of the simplest things I have done to both of my DD XJ's. The beater never got towhooks because the unibody was Fubar'd and I sold it to a guy who is doing a 4wd swap.
 
Rob Mayercik said:
Bumper came off 3 bolts each side, never had to touch the steering box bolts.
Click to expand...

I didn't have to touch the steering box bolts to get the bumper off. I had to when installing the C4x4 hook brackets though. I read people doing so without touching the steering box but I got big hands and needed the room.
 
Some of you guys who are from Cali / the south should try working on a rust belt vehicle before you say something is easy :spin1:

Once I got the bolts on my front bumper to move for the first time, they weren't bad. Getting them to move required a 20" breaker bar and a bit of cursing though.
 
kastein said:
Some of you guys who are from Cali / the south should try working on a rust belt vehicle before you say something is easy :spin1:

Once I got the bolts on my front bumper to move for the first time, they weren't bad. Getting them to move required a 20" breaker bar and a bit of cursing though.
Click to expand...


hey, i may be from cali but my xj came from michigan, it was there for 4 years then went to the beach of san diego for a year or 2, i just recently got it only to understand your guy's pain of rusted bolts!
 
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