Suggestions?

[bgcntry72]

While replacing the bushing on the axle end of my teraflex trackbar, the but inside the box welded to the axle stripped out. When I backed off the bolt, it had the rusty meat of the threads from the nut wrapped around it. Now that the truck is sitting idle in the garage, what are my options for remedying this situation?
As of right now, I am considering welding an L-shaped tab over the bolt head to hold in in the axle until I can get to a plasma cutter. Then, cut a hole in the bottom of the box and reinforce it with some steel. Air chisel the old bolt out and put a new one in there, screw in the bolt, and tack it to the box again.
Have I though of everything here? Am I forgetting anything? Anyone done anything different? Thanks in advance fellas.

 

[Lawn Cher']

Is the bolt stuck inside the partially stripped nut and you can't get it out? Or is just the nut ruined? The nut should have a sheetmetal tab welded to it and should be able to escape through the bottom of the box when you remove the bolt. You shouldn't have to cut anything unless you can't get the bolt out of the nut.

 

[bgcntry72]

Well....

The stripped nut is still affixed to the inside of the L-shaped bracket. I have the bolt out, but cannot get it to tighten in to hold the trackbar tight, no meat left to the threads of the nut.

 

[XJJPR]

The tab and nut should just come out together.

Or am I missing something in the explanation here.

mark
orgs mfg

 

[Beezil]

same thing happened to chewy.

I don't know if chewy will see this thread, but double-check with him, cause my memory is so bad.

we drilled and tapped the same nut for the next size up in SAE, maybe 1/2-20, or even 9/16 or possibly 5/8....i fergit....

anyway, we either took out the metal sleeve or drilled it out too.

something like that anyway, but you get the point right?

 

[bgcntry72]

Not the same.

On my last XJ, there was room to get a wrench in there. Also, the nut was welded to a tab. This axle is not a 1999, but from a yard after I tore the original away from the unibody. On this one, the coil perch bends down and allows about 1"x1/2" access to the bolt, and it is about 3" inside that small opening. I am going to have to cut off the metal on the bottom of the trackbar axle mount, pound out the bolt, tack a new one in there, and then weld some plate over the hole.
I am about expired.
Truly.

 

[XJJPR]

are you talking "nut" not "Bolt"

this sounds weird, got pictures.

You should be able to remove strap and nut as one from the hole in the bracket.

The bolt goes in from the front, nut on strap from the back in the hole.

????

mark

 

[Eagle]

I am likewise confused. At one point you say the bolt is out, then you talk about chiseling or hamering the bolt out.

The factory has discontinued the plate with nut welded to it, and they also discontinued the hex-head track bar bolt. They now supply the same torx head bolt as used for the upper control arms. Get your self one of those and a heavy duty flange nut for the back and that's all you should need.

 

[Beezil]

he's been hitting the KGB too damn hard.

 

[bgcntry72]

Beezil is right.....but...

OK.....replace the last two words 'bolt' with 'nut'. The bolt is in my hand, and measures to 10mm. The nut is inside said box with the 1" x 1/2" opening on the right side as you look at it from the front. The other opening is covered by the sway bar mount. The nut is 3" inside the aforementioned small opening.
I could take a pic but not host it. :anon:

 

[Eagle]

Is there enough extra length on the bolt to just reach in and add another nut?

I had to do that when I replaced the rusted out stock rear bumper on my MJ with a Class 3 hitch/bumper. All the bolts go into weld nuts inside the frame rails. They all unscrewed, but some were rusted enough that they pretty much reamed out the weld nuts in the process. I couldn't get them to torque up with the replacement bumper, even using new bolts.

But the bolts were long enough that I could reach in and back up the weld nuts with a second nut, and that allowed me to torque everything down.

 

[XJJPR]

Re: Beezil is right.....but...

I could take a pic but not host it. :anon:

email me it please. I need to see this, I'm still

[email protected]

 

[Ghost]

I'm not, I don't think....

e-mail me the picture and I'll put it on my site for you to link in. [email protected] It sounds like the OLD 84 axle I had. There was no hole in the bottom of the track bar mount bracket and the bolt was welded to the mount. There is a small hole on one end but not one on the bottom!

 

[bgcntry72]

Exactly Ghost.

Exactly. I finally got a pal to come out with a plasma cutter and take out a 1" by 2" hole on the bottom of the mount. Air chisel to the nut, and then used the bolt to hold the new nut flush while I tacked it. Took bolt out and then welded a plate over the hole and ran a bead all along the axle where the plate runs. Trackbar went in perfectly, and is now a 7/16 Grade 8 piece with Red Threadlock. The factory bolt was too small for the new bushing, and allowed play. The 7/16 fit perfect.
:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

[Ghost]

If I remember my camera at lunch......

I'll throw up some images of it. That OLD axle is still in my garage! where did this axle come from bgcntry72? Sounds like it is a lot older than you may have thought!

 

[bgcntry72]

Junkyard.

It is a high-pinion 30, and thats about all I know. I bent my housing a couple of years ago and got this one and moved all my gears, axles, etc. to the straight one. It is old, rusted, and almost every bolt hole has had to be retapped, but it works.
It may get a Rust-Oleum coat for X-Mas.