tracyk

I want to try to tackle my transmission mount replacement. Got the write-ups ready - just trying to do a little proactive trouble shooting. I have doused the 13mm bolts (through the cross-member into the mount) with kroil for a couple days. The nuts appear exceptionally rusty and feel horrible to the touch (I do have extractor sockets if necessary). So...

Question 1 - I'll be replacing those nuts (new mount did not come with same). Plan is to take mount up to hardware joint to guarantee the fit. Is it GRADE 8 I'm looking for with respect to those nuts?

Question 2 - Being far sighted, it was very hard to tell what is going on with respect to the attached picture. LOOKS like it might be a broken bolt. But, it's not one of the four 13mms. It's next to them. (Otherwise, I literally checked to make sure I could feel a nut on each of the 13mms). I have no idea what this extra broken (?) bolt (?) is. Any ideas? I'm trying to get ducks in a row and figure out if it'll be a big problem and/or a plan for dealing with it before I waste a lot of time disabling the xj.
Thanks for any thoughts.

CCKen

The two large bolts you'll run into are M12x1.75x25MM. They screw in to the Aluminum TC adaptor and be a bugger to get out.

Be careful trying to get the crossmember bolts out. I snapped the head off one of mine.

Do not try to crank the bolts out using a giant 1/2" breaker bar using your full force. Apply a little loosening force, then tightening force. Once you have started the bolt moving just apply tightening/loosening until you make progress loosening, then just keep the tighten/loosen trick until the bolts start to move freely. Then use a 3/8" drive ratchet to take them out.

The crossmember bolts are M10x1.50 and are around 25-30MM long, which is the problem. They go through M10 weld nuts in the frame rail and the portion of the bolt threads protruding beyond the nuts is what will give you a problem...rust.

Penetrating oil on the crossmember bolts is useless.

tracyk

Thanks Ken. I got 2 of the 13mm nuts (cross-member into mount) off legitimately, another of them with an extractor socket, but the fourth, well I don't know. The 13mm and 1/2" extractor sockets fit over, but won't bite in. The 12mm is too small to get over the nut. Not sure what I can try next to get past that issue. Should I consider drilling into the bottom of the bolt? Seems like eventually that would eventually free it up/break it out?

I did take a crack at the cross-member-to-frame bolts and they're not interested in moving right now. I appreciate the risk of breaking the bolt head off, but tomorrow I might try pipe assistance (carefully). Otherwise, my greatest force is whatever 105# can generate (my "ape-ing on it" probably equals the regular force a man might be able to apply). I really don't want to contract this out nor do I want to miss out on the big high I'll get from the conquer haha.

peep

I too am far sighted, 20/15 on that, however 20" and closer in is a blurr, the downside of age.
Been to recent eye exam, other that fuzzy to 20", all it excellent. Eye Doc says dollar store magnifying glasses are A OK to use.
I use 1.25 to 1.50 power for most viewing 12 to 24", like reading and computer and most work tasks. For close in, like under the jeep, I up the power, for really close, like looking for cracks in parts, and small parts inspection or assembly, threading needles and such, up your power to 2.5, 3.5 or 4.0, at 1$ a pair good to have the full assortment in your tool box.

CCKen

Have another drink peep. WTF?

CCKen

Go easy with that pipe.

LAF1269

Was this intended for Peep?

tracyk

That's rich, Mr. Sassy Pants haha. Careful or I'll report you to Cruiser for "distracting."
But yes, peep, I need my nerdy 1.25s for anything within 1 foot

tracyk

Dang! Rich x 2! That's good stuff.
Relative to "business," I'll go easy on the pipe and, aside from Joplin, I'll assume that's permission to go forth and play with the drill if necessary

tracyk

Yep. Broke a bolt head off. (so, I'm 1-1 thus far)
Only decision now is whether to drive it with 3 X-member bolts intact or let it sit til I have help in a couple days.

...thanks for the help. I hate bad thread endings haha

CCKen

It should be okay to drive as long as you don't do any off roading.

tracyk

In the interest of happy endings and not leaving "danglers" should this pop up in someone else's search....


Problem solved. (thanks to awesome friend).


Re: Broken crossmember bolt head - Add propane. Add more propane. Drilled through bolt from the bottom (using trial and error to find effective drill bit size). Fortunately, the weld nut remained intact, so a tap was used to clean up those threads. All new crossmember bolts used for re-install. Cross member bolt size M10x1.50 (25-30mm long), grade 8. Thanks to ccken for the bolt specs.


Re: Stripped nut on one of the 13mm crossmember-to-mount bolts. Learned that copious amounts of propane to that nut while cross member and mount are still attached to transmission CAN indeed cause an exciting rubber fire. Plan B- leave pita nut alone for the moment, remove the two 18mm bolts holding mount to transmission. Then, directional prying/holding of cross member as required so as to allow cutting of the old mount to free it (for this, one of those curved carpet knives worked really well and easier than a pocket knife). Then took cross member off with (mutilated) mount still attached in order to work on the pita nut. In my case, "nut persuasion" required a vice, a hammer, a pry bar, lots of bending, and someone much stronger than me.
Cross member-to-mount nut size (ftr, I went with the Anchor #2625, does not come with nuts): M8x1.25 flange head or self-locking nuts with a washer to back on, grade 8 or 10 (again, specs courtesy of ccken). I also took new mount when buying the hardware to make sure everything was a good fit.


Misc observation - all write-ups I checked out used floor jack + block of wood under the transfer case for support. My guy used same, but under the pan. That option worked without disaster and seems to have given a little more "strategic" room to address the problems that popped up)


Oh, and sorry, dumbed description down a bit to my level haha
Thanks again, my CF peeps

CCKen

Good Work!