Rivnuts for rear shocks

[N8N_99xj]

So my new Heep is stuck at my buddy's shop because his guys broke the upper shock mount bolts. I sent video of the traditional method but I realized I have a bunch of steel rivnuts that I bought to replace spun ones on the front skid plate, trans xmember, t-case skid etc. On my last XJ.

1) I think they're M8 is that right? (Need to find the box they're in) is that also the right size for the upper shock bolts?

2) would a steel rivnut be strong enough or should I do the bolt from above method? Or drill out holes and weld a nut to a washer and weld that on? Not really a wheeler, most off road use will be mild trails, power lines etc. But I do have upcountry and am using cop shocks.

Thanks!

Sent from my 0PJA2 using Tapatalk

 

[Bryan C.]

Not sure if riv nuts are strong enough. It is a bit expensive and maybe overkill for your needs but JKS has a rear upper shock mount bracket.
http://jksmfg.com/i-9052792-cheroke...justable-shock-mount.html?ref=category:381190

 

[Tim_MN]

Why not simply fish in hardware store nuts and bolts with a short hunk of wire ? Rough Country flag nuts ( www.roughcountry.com/jeep-xj-rear-bar-pin-flag-nut-1082.html ) are the ideal solution, you could buy them or make your own. If the holes are the correct size you could use rivnuts, but there is no benefit in using them.

 

[N8N_99xj]

I just was thinking that it would be a neater install as with the "fish the bolt from above" method you have no way of holding the bolt when tightening the nut although an air gun will sort it. And I already have the rivnuts. Was just curious if they would be strong enough.

I didn't know about the flag nut thing. That looks like the ticket, I'll order today!

 

[sinat01]

I found if you use a magnet to fish them in there with the magnet will hold it good enough to keep it from spinning, its how I done mine... both times

 

[lazyxj]

Why not simply fish in hardware store nuts and bolts with a short hunk of wire ? Rough Country flag nuts ( www.roughcountry.com/jeep-xj-rear-bar-pin-flag-nut-1082.html ) are the ideal solution, you could buy them or make your own. If the holes are the correct size you could use rivnuts, but there is no benefit in using them.

X2, it's not that hard to fish the bolts in, once the old weld nuts are either drilled out or removed. I have found that an air impact hammer will knock off the old weld nuts in a couple seconds each.
Another option is to use a hole saw and punch access holes through the floor, from the interior.

Search and you will find multiple ways of fixing this extremely common problem.

 

[Tim_MN]

Holes in the floor are not required at all.

If you buy longer bolts, you can clamp a vise grip on the threaded end, and tighten the bolt. I have had no problems with a long box end wrench stuck in the triangle hole.

 

[TRCM]

On mine, I can hold a wrench on the nut as I tighten it...and I ain't got little fingers.

no special access holes either.


In theory, a riv-nut would work, but I prefer to use them on static joints (like holding a bumpstop to the frame or a flare to the body), and while the joint itself is static, the shock pushing & pulling against it is not and would induce cyclic stresses on the fastener.



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[bjoehandley]

Why not simply fish in hardware store nuts and bolts with a short hunk of wire ? Rough Country flag nuts ( www.roughcountry.com/jeep-xj-rear-bar-pin-flag-nut-1082.html ) are the ideal solution, you could buy them or make your own. If the holes are the correct size you could use rivnuts, but there is no benefit in using them.

Dad ended up doing something like that with my XJ after I broke one of those bolt swapping out a pair of shocks and he accidentally knocked the nut out trying to get the remains out. He ended up welding a Grade 8 nut to an el-cheapo Menards box end wrench and put it in the same way. He just now said it cost about half of what this kit costs just to do the single wrench/nut on my XJ several years ago.

 

[Tim_MN]

In theory, a riv-nut would work, but I prefer to use them on static joints (like holding a bumpstop to the frame or a flare to the body), and while the joint itself is static, the shock pushing & pulling against it is not and would induce cyclic stresses on the fastener.

Good observation, I had not considered the stress of the shocks pushing and pulling on the rivnuts.

Fishing in some bolts is still my top choice, it is easy, effective, and low cost.

 

[trippled]

Good observation, I had not considered the stress of the shocks pushing and pulling on the rivnuts.

Fishing in some bolts is still my top choice, it is easy, effective, and low cost.

This. Getting a wrench on the bolts is not hard at all. I did it on the wife's in 4" of snow with a kid sleeping in the car. Even a punch and hammer will knock the old nuts out in a few whacks.