baycountry16

so as you can tell by my title, I'm trying to figure out the best way to solve the problem. Here is a picture of one side, but the other side snapped as well.I was thinking just drill it out and run bolts through the shock axle mounts with a nut on the other end. I see that from the factory it was a stud welded on. Is this the best way to go?

96Cherokee113

My buddy is a professional welder, so I would grind everything flush, drill a hole through it, insert a bolt from the opposite side and have him weld it up. Pretty much just making another stock mount but stronger. Use grade 8 hardware whatever you do. A nut and bolt should hold if you can't get it welded, though.

Throttle Jockey

your idea will work just fine. drill away.

rdeskater

welcome to the wold of snapped bolts. I snapped all four of my upper rear shock bolts installing my lift kit a few months back. fixed those up realtively easily. today I went to install a front mount hitch reciever and snapped the two bolts on the pass side sway bar mount. flush with the frame. got frustrated with it and gave up for the night, tomorrows another day. I'd say you got it right with drilling and bolting. buy some grade 8 hardware and make sure you've got enough length on the bolts thats not threaded for the bushing to ride on. make sure the bolts are a good tight fit inside the bushings, you dont want any play in there.

baycountry16

Thanks for all the info. I busted all four upper shock bolts as well today, but I have a plan for those. I have a 2001 that I've owned for 5 years here in MD but the previous owner was from upstate NY so that is probably why they all snapped. I gave up for the night but got the front done, and will tackle the rest of the back tomorrow. I got the 4 U-bolts off bothe sides before I finished tonight. I'm adding new leafs for a 3" kit tomorrow. I didn't snap any shock bolts up front. Please tell me I won't snap the 4 leaf spring bolts tomorrow. I still have those to do, and have been hitting them with PB blaster for a week. Do those 4 bolts typically break?

chad142

drill a little hole in the bolt and use a easyout bit

98 JeepJeep

no not typically because they are big bolts...they can be a sob to get out.

rdeskater

heres what I did for the rear upper shock bolts. hammer out the remaining studs/nuts. the nuts are just tac welded to the body, they come out with a few good whacks with a 3lb mini-sledge hammer and a punch. next take a drill 1/4" will do and drill through the floor from under the jeep. (just a pilot hole for proper alignment should come out just behind the rear seat.) then go up top and drill a 9/16" hole where your 1/4" hole was just drilled. this will give you enough room to get a new bolt through, and a socket around it. have a buddy hold the socket wrench from up top while you wrench on the nuts from the bottom.

baycountry16

I saw that method for the upper shock bolts, but I think I may pull the carpet back first, and then do it that way. That is what I was planning on anyway. This way I won't see the bolts above the carpet

98 JeepJeep

Or just fish the bolts through the axcess hole...........i would not want to cut holes in the floor. And allow pontential water in. If you do that use the star washers and it wont spin when you tighten them up.