I only loosened the bolts like 1/2 turn.
They are still too tight for a hand ratchet.

But, what's this about the nut strip?
Why would it move when the 2 bolts are removed?
Isn't that thing welded in place?
Will the nut strip move away once I have both bolts removed?
It sounds like a nightmare to rethread 2 new bolts if the nut strip is not secured to the frame rail.

 

 

There used to be a pic of a black bracket(?) around the heat shield that I don't see now.

What is this bracket?

Could you post a pic of it again?

Concerning the nut strip (Sill Reinforcement), see pic below. If you don't have a trailer hitch (see pic) there should only be two bolts holdng the tail pipe bracket/heat shield on. If you remove both bolts the reinforcement will float out of the way. The parts catalog shows a rivet holding the reinforcement in place but my '99 didn't have one. The Sill Reinforcement for a non-trailer tow Jeep will only have the reinforcement on the right side (above the tail pipe), but it is the same reinforcement used for a trailer hitch. This means there will be two empty holes through the frame rail to the weld nuts for the hitch. Before removing the two bolts for the tail pipe bracket, get two M12x1.75 bolts and install them in the holes for the trailer hitch. This will hold the reinforcement in place until you can install two new bolts for the tail pipe bracket.





Concerning removing the bolts: Slowly tighten the bolt a bit, then loosenen it, tighten a bit, loosen, making progress on loosening the bolt each time. If you have broken the torque loose on these bolts you will now be fighting your way through the rusty parts of the bolt. Go easy and you will get them out.

The print in the pics is kind of foggy. If you want to read the text, depress and hold the Ctrl key on your keyboard while tapping the + key to enlage the image. Tap the - key to return to normal.

 

The nuts are welded to the nut strip but the nut strip can move freely within the rail. Just remove one first and then install that one into a different hole (without a gas tank skid plate or the receiver hitch you should have three options where you can put the bolt). All the nuts are in a line following the unirail except the one closest to the engine it has a slight offset to the side. (This is what a nut strip looks like the other side is the mirror opposite: http://www.quadratec.com/Assets/Imag.../167713-lg.jpg For whatever reason the nut strip is upside down in their picture) Once you have that bolt in remove the second and relocate it to another nut and they will be right there when you go to install the replacement bracket if you need help lining up the bolts with the nuts you can use a screw driver or a center punch to manipulate where the nuts line up in the holes in the rail preferably using the nut furthest away from the bolt that is still in the nut strip.

 

CCKen,
Instead of buying 2 new bolts (another trip to a store), I will try that bassshark suggested. I just remove the first bolt, and then thread that into the empty hole? Then remove bolt #2, replace the bracket, and then install bolt #2, and then move bolt #1 from the empty hole.

 

I tried that and it didn't work for me. Give it a try and let us know how to make out.

 

I may not have been clear enough, loosen both bolts at the same time (ex: loosen bolt A 1/4" then bolt B 1/4" and repeat until A is nearly out then remove A and relocate). Ken is absolutely right about alternating loosening and tightening. My XJ did not have a rivet holding the nut strip in place but the diagram is labeled 97 and 98 so you may have one.

 

Now I see what you were saying about relocating a removed bolt. No, I didn't try that - should have.

 

LOL, I went to inspect the other frame rail holes that I would relocate bolts to, to secure the nut strip while swapping out the 2 bracket bolts. That nut rail that extends out is basically disintegrated and can be broken like a Twix bar. The threads are basically nonexistent. They are rusted out beyond recognition. Gotta love trying to wrench on an XJ, where every single step is always a dead end. Thanks for trying to help, but it looks like the coat hanger will be the solution for the rest of this XJ's life. Gonna see if I can get a refund from Amazon.

 

Are the holes for the bracket still usable/accessible? if so you should still be able to replace the bracket and not worry about the rest of the holes, just don't drive around with the bolts out (put them back in the bracket holes) or what's left of the nut strip may shift.

 

I absolutely love how your rusted out barnacle = all XJ's suck to work on. Dude, get rid of that cancer ridden thing, and get one that hasn't been hanging out with the little mermaid, and you'd probably have more success wrenching on it. Well, maybe not, but at least it would eliminate one part of the problem.

 

I agree, that level of corrosion makes wrenching and repairs near impossible.

 

What he said ^^^^^^^.

Bimmer, you talk so much crap of an xj but really stop being spoiled. yOU should have investigated before buying that one. That's not jeeps fault if the xj has been in mud, ny salt ( and DRiVER didn't clean under carriage), or just sitting in the bushes. Get over it already. Guess what BMWs have their issues too. Any car is prone to rust. Guess what, my jeep is a NY jeep too and I never let it get that rusted. It's called a hose, even in the winter I find a way to clean the road salt off.

 

When I was looking for an '05-10 model Grand Cherokee for my daughter, I am sooooooooo glad I didn't buy one from up there. And there were plenty on eBay.

Ending getting one that originally came from west Texas. Clean. She loves it.

 

In all honesty, not all NE vehicles are rusted up. Just the ones where people let the road salt sit on the chassis. Do I have rust, yup but it manageable and a lil heat or penetrating oil makes Fast work when I'm doing work. Except my exhaust, that ***** is just f'd up lol. There's never saving that