Coil Spring Retainer Question

[MtnBkr]

I've done some searching but wasn't able to find a related posting.

My buddy and I installed my budget boost last night after work. Everything went extremely smoothly until the tightening of the very last bolt.

I stripped the threads for the bolt that holds down the coil spring retainer. I stripped out the knuckle and wasn't able to tap it out.

Here's my question, is there any danger driving the Jeep without the spring retainer??? Obviously, I would only do this temporarily. It seems to me that the spring should stay put if I am just driving it on the road. I think the weight of the vehicle would be more than enough to keep it from popping out unless it was flexed out.

Does anyone have thoughts on this?

Thanks for your help and expertise!

 

[themangeraaad]

Personally, I wouldnt drive it, granted the weight of the XJ should hold it in, but first, the diffrent forces applied to it in daily driving may cause it to shift or pop out. Also, in the freak incident that you have to do some evasive driving to avoid an accident, you could get yourself into alot more trouble than you need. I figured I had cut enough of my fenders for daily driving, then had to do such driving, and ended up with a nice cut in my tire. I woudlnt risk it, you risk doing alot more damage to your vehicle and put others on the road at risk in the process. If it were me, I woudl probably be just as ready to take it to the road as you are, but thinking about it, I wouldnt do it myslef. I dont know how well it will hold w/o the spring retainer to be honest, but there are the chances something could go wrong and cost you and possibly others alot more than its worth.

 

[jeepbme]

shi....ive never had one on mine since i brought it 2 yrs ago. Wouldnt even know where its suppose to go if it had one. Send me a pic of what it looks like and where it goes.

 

[IntrepidXJ]

it will be fine for street driving....and even wheeling if you don;t have enough flex to unseat the coil

 

[53guy]

just drill all the way though the spring retainer hole and throw a longer bolt in it with a nut. Mine hold just fine like that.

 

[MtnBkr]

just drill all the way though the spring retainer hole and throw a longer bolt in it with a nut. Mine hold just fine like that.

How did you get access below to get the nut on?

 

[jeepbme]

got me worried now...anybody know the bolt size needed to fit the hole. Size/thread width

 

[dyna]

The stock shocks arent long enough to let the spring unseat. Personally I think you have to be kidding thinking a single 5/16 bolt and strip of bent up band iron are gonna hold the spring in place if it really unseated in heavy use? All 3 of my XJ`s had stripped threads after the install.

 

[jeepbme]

so the solution is ^

 

[RyanM]

This happened to me to. If someone hasnt already said it. i used these

Rustys, 10 bucks, self tapping bolts go thruough the hole behind the original
HTH

 

[MtnBkr]

The stock shocks arent long enough to let the spring unseat. Personally I think you have to be kidding thinking a single 5/16 bolt and strip of bent up band iron are gonna hold the spring in place if it really unseated in heavy use? All 3 of my XJ`s had stripped threads after the install.

Good point. The stock shocks definitely would keep it tight, especially since the 2" spacer would put even more pressure on the coil.

I drove it to work today... no tragic highway roll-overs or anything.

I think I'll just throw in a bigger self-tapping bolt when I get around to it.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[MtnBkr]

This happened to me to. If someone hasnt already said it. i used these

Rustys, 10 bucks, self tapping bolts go thruough the hole behind the original
HTH

Probably could make them too... but for $10, this seems pretty simple.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[jeepbme]

knowing rustys through, he'd charge another 10 for shipping.

 

[Menzenski]

Good point. The stock shocks definitely would keep it tight, especially since the 2" spacer would put even more pressure on the coil.

I have a 2" spacer up front as well, and when I removed my coils recently (during an axle swap), I had to unbolt the upper control arms at the axle to get them to unseat. I wouldn't worry about the coils falling out under normal usage. Even if you manage to unseat them while flexing, the coil's probably not going to fall out; it will be supported by the upper bumpstop tower.

 

[jeepbme]

i was wrong ^^ ...10 for the part 11 for shipping.

He always f_cks you on shipping.

 

[ponyracer1]

i was wrong ^^ ...10 for the part 11 for shipping.

He always f_cks you on shipping.

Jeez when is this ass gonna learn that he's cuttin his own throat by doing crap like that?? I would NEVER order squat from him just do to the way he talks to you on the phone and all the horror story's I've read.

X3 on stripping that stupid bolt out on the install, haven't been killed yet.......

 

[XJCreeper]

just drill all the way though the spring retainer hole and throw a longer bolt in it with a nut. Mine hold just fine like that.

Did the same thing. If you don't have a drill and tap to put a bolt of the next bigger size bolt in as suggest then go to the hardware store and get a self tapping one. I wouldn't suggest doing any offroading until you get it secure.

That little retainer is there for a reason. They are what holds the front springs in when at full droop. At full droop in my XJ the the top of the spring doesn't even touch. Nice to have the bottom bolted in to ensure it stays in place when t I clear the obstacle and the weight gets loaded back on it. You might consider this before you decide to leave it out and need to fix you popped out /misaligned spring on the trail.

 

[HaleYes]

Jeez when is this ass gonna learn that he's cuttin his own throat by doing crap like that?? I would NEVER order squat from him just do to the way he talks to you on the phone and all the horror story's I've read.

X3 on stripping that stupid bolt out on the install, haven't been killed yet.......

Call and order over the phone. Shipping will be cheaper. I will agree that his shipping calculator is less than the best.
I have always dealt with Rusty on the phone and have never paid outrageous shipping, and he was always professional.

 

[Lodi Jim]

Use a 5/16 bolt with a nut threaded on it, install into the "bad" hole.
Put a good tackweld on 3 sides. Remove bolt and slightly bend the retainer
strap to fit. Use new bolt to hold strap down. Works good for flexing the snot
out of your rig on the trail.