Cross member bolt stripped........

[sprngfldxj]

Need some help! Put on H&T and took off TC Drop, and when I went to replace bolts, two of them would not grab tight.
Is there another way to insure a strong hold?
Doesnt the frame rail have somekind of backing to hold them, or do I look for another method?

 

[2000bluexj]

One of mine is like that. Im going to drill and retap when i get the time

 

[whitneyj]

drill and tap or cut a hole and put a new nut in there

 

[MrShaft696]

I had the same prob and had to drill and tap a new hole, there is just enouh metal to do so.

 

[Goatman]

Just run a 7/16" tap into the existing hole, that will fix it.

 

[sprngfldxj]

Thanks guys!
With the Drop Bracket supports I have, it seemed to be a big deal.
Appreciate the experience!!

 

[xjmatt]

I already did the drill and tap method on 2 of mine when they broke the first time I lifted and now I'm down to 3 bolts after shearing the head off one on a rock. Not that I plan to deal with these bolts again but I'm tired of what was obviously a half arsed method.

I'm planning to go through the drain plugs in the floor in the cabin to get access to the inside of the rail and drop in a home made nut-cert and do away with the stripped stock captive nuts all together.

 

[Goatman]

BTW, the nutserts that are in there are fairly soft metal. You can run a 7/16" tap into it without any drilling, then use a 7/16" bolt. You guys that are drilling and then taping haven't said what size you're going to. If the nutsert is still in there hard, this will make it stronger than it was new. The other thing is to check the bolts regularly to keep them tight so they don't strip out.

 

[Mike1331]

I had one on each side strip. I tried drilling and taping through the nut of one and ran out of usable metal with the nut. I had to cut a hole in the floor and install another nut.
2nd one i did no drilling and tapped it out with a 7/16 tap and a screwed in a 7/16 bolt and its held up just fine.

DO NOT DRILL, tap only.