So I replaced my rear hatch gas struts, and all was heaven for a few weeks. My old hatch stud had been beat up from the old gas strut, but I ignored it and left in in place. One day while shutting my hatch, the stud snapped and the gas shock broke some of the plastic moulding. When I went to remove it, it just kept spinning

as if there was another nut on the back of it holding it in place. Problem is, that nut is inaccessible. Has anyone replaced one of these before? I've got the new one in my glove box, just have to remove the old one. Thanks!

Busted rear hatch stud.

 

The nut it's spot welded to the pillar but over time it breaks loose and just spins. You have to cut a approximately a 1/2x 1 slot the fit the wrench in and with vice grips on the stud and eventually everything comes out. I have to do this with both side on mine. I can get you some pictures in the mornings or I should say when I get up and moving.

 

Please do that'd help a lot!

 

My son broke his by using new struts he picked up at work that he knew nothing about. I told him not to use them as they were very stiff and free so he did. Broke one stud off and bent the other then the strut hit the glass in the hatch and it broke. All this for some "Free Struts"


Some peoples kids

 

haha whoa! Those are strong. The issue that drove me to swap out the struts in the first place was that the passenger side kept twisting. It would eventually loosen the threads on the strut enough that it would pop out of place very loudly while shut and while I was driving. The stud itself was visibly worn down, particularly at the base of the ball. I had thought about replacing it when I did the struts but decided to hold off because I figured "pffftt, it'll take me ten seconds to unscrew and screw on one of those things.' haha. Either way it's the same amount of effort in the end.

BTW I am using Strongarm struts made specifically for the Jeep Cherokee as an OEM replacement. Is this a similar type you are referring to or was your son's a different case altogether?

 

Mine started getting loose and tried to pull out of the sheet metal, I welded them in place.

 

I'm not even gonna try to find it in my photos. It IS possible to make a slot with an angle grinder, through which you can feed a nut in there with a mini needle nosed vice grips. I've done it, and it works.

Also on one Jeep I just have a hole there. My ram just has a little bolt sticking out with a washer on it smaller than the hole. Because it's always under pressure, (unless you lift too fast), that shaft with the washer stays there and works.

Or.. be careful electric welding. The welder should know...I might unplug my Puter and TCU for that, Idk.

 

Ouch! Teachable moment if there ever was one.

Yup, stuff like this is almost always engineered "just enough", and when you swap in stronger pieces you'll discover the weak points quickly.

 

I forgot about it bud I'll get those pictures asap.

 

You ever get a chance to snap those shots?

 

So I finally got around to taking care of the stud, as well as a few other things this week. I took advice and cut a small rectangular hole so I could access the nut behind the stud. I used a 5/8 wrench to hold the nut in place (I think it may actually be a 15mm, but I didn't have one on hand and 3/8 worked well). I taped the open side of the wrench so the nut would not fall and I could keep it easily in place. The rest is academic. Thanks for all the help and hope this helps someone else.

 

Hey you got it! I came at it from the front...someday I'll find that pic. Nice to have that working again Eh?

 

It's a friggin dream! Thanks for all your advice DFlintstone and everyone else!