Tricks for reattaching UCA

[ColoCherokees]

Got a grinder? Drill a hole through the head where it looks like you can fit a T-55...makes it deep enough to pass through the far side of the mounting bracket, and then cut the head and bolt sides off the bolt. Hit the remaining 'donut' with a pointy air chisel bit, and it should pop out pretty easily. Do all this quickly though so it doesn't cool; it's like a poor-man's Blue Torch from heating up after grinding it.

I'm about to tackle this myself, and was wondering what size drill bit to use?

 

[Yucca-Man]

I don't recall - it was whatever we had handy that would fit the inner diameter of the Torx. There's no point in drilling off those six points, but you want the drilled hole to be pretty large.

 

[tsill]

Thanks for all the great techniques! I didn't get to try the redneck method but it does look like fun so maybe next time. Success was a result of a combination of methods...a ratchet strap from the frame to the UCA mount, a prybar and floor jack rotating the axle, the bottle jack pushing the mount back, blocking the passenger front tire, a c-clamp crimping the cheap sheet metal UCA together, and of course a little persuasion from the BFH. I have a picture I could send if anyone would like to post it for general amusement.
After that it was just a matter of the rear upper shock mounts (all four broken of course). I drilled and tapped one side and knocked the other side out and replaced it. All set with BPE's and shocks installed. Now the only painful job left is getting the lower swaybar mounts out so I can install the JKS pins. I don't remember it being this hard last time but I lost a T-55 bit trying to turn these things. I now understand the pins are press-fit. I've taken a break on this one after trying the blue wrench and BFH for a while. Also soaked it in PB blaster but they're on there pretty good. I thought this stuff would be easy on a newer jeep! So anything I missed on this one? Maybe just a larger hammer?
-Jeremy

sorry to bring back a dead post from 04 but I wanted to keep topics together.

i'm replacing uca's and lca's today and would like to know if the trackbar has to be disconnected or can I get by without it?

I understand obviously about jacking the body up and lowering the axle but should the axle be lowered onto jackstands?

Also, is it easy to adjust the control arms for fine tuning after everything is torqued down? I.E. will the control arms rotate freely with the axle on the ground.

I've done lifts, rebuilt my t-case and all sorts of things but the control arms I've never tackled.

 

[600dollarxj]

the upper is easy to place with the lower off, and then I usually get the lower on by controlling height with a floor jack and putting a bottle jack on top of the LCA and pushing the axle to where it needs to be.

 

[tsill]

the upper is easy to place with the lower off, and then I usually get the lower on by controlling height with a floor jack and putting a bottle jack on top of the LCA and pushing the axle to where it needs to be.

Thanks for the help. I'm gonna try to do a write up on this with some good pics.

 

[PornstaR]

jack under pinion??? never had problems doing mine..... running LAs now so way too easy now