Rear shock upper mount broke? bolt snapped into two.

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Dec 8, 2010 | 05:54 PM

#16

Detour

Cherokee Forum Vendor

Joined: Feb 2010

Posts: 737

Likes: 2

From: Black Diamond Foothills, KY.

Year: Multi

Model: Cherokee

Long time fix, they can be bolted or welded in place, dont cut the floor.

http://www.detoursusa.com/xjstm.php

Dec 8, 2010 | 06:04 PM

#17

xjnj

Member

Joined: Dec 2010

Posts: 173

Likes: 0

From: New Jersey

Year: 2001

Model: Cherokee

Engine: 4.0 I6

Quote:

Originally Posted by Programbo

Oh my! I just struggled with this exact same thing a few weeks ago and after laying under my Jeep and getting a face full of rust and getting no where trying all the methods people suggested and dreading trying to fish bolts thru that narrow gap between the floors here's what I did. (I'll try and get some photos on my cell if anyone needs to see.)

1) I finished snapping off all the bolts and removed the shocks.
2) Went in the back hatch area and pulled up the carpet and padding.
3) Got back under the Jeep with a drill and drilled a hole up thru the
floor(s) directly between the broken bolt holes to mark their
location.
4) Went back up top and drew a 4"x6" or so square around the drilled
holes.
5) Got my brother to use his electric wiz-wheel, angle grinder
whatever you call it to cut a hole thru the TOP layer of floor,
making sure not to go to deep and hit the secondary layer which
is where the bolt head/nuts are. Removed cut out squares.
6) Took the Sawz-All and a flexible blade and cut the hex nuts that
the shock bolts go thru off flush with the metal flooring.
7) Took a hammer and a punch and drove out the thin layer of
shock bolt left in the hole from above and...VIOLA! Nice clean open
holes to just puts your own nuts and bolts thru to remount the
shocks!

x2 This occurance happens to 90 percent of all stock XJs when replacing the rear shock bolts. I ended up having to go through the floor aswell, doing this helps when tightening the new bolts because they are visible to someone inside the jeep. Make sure you use grade 8 hardware on the new shocks though for if you ever need to replace them.

Dec 8, 2010 | 06:05 PM

#18

mdcmn7

Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010

Posts: 704

Likes: 0

Model: Cherokee

Engine: 4.0

Dont cut your floor, I just did this the other day. I only had one broken bolt, but it would work no matter how many you did

Whack it out. Air tools help, but a hammer and punch will work

Then fish a bolt through. I used lock washers because that is all I had.

I used the track bar mount to make a bar pin eliminator, but I am sure the bar pin would work as well. This was really simple and only took a few minutes

Dec 9, 2010 | 05:14 PM

#19

shook0002

Newbie

Joined: Nov 2010

Posts: 14

Likes: 0

From: Philly

Year: 1997

Model: Cherokee

Engine: 4.0

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdcmn7

Dont cut your floor, I just did this the other day. I only had one broken bolt, but it would work no matter how many you did

Whack it out. Air tools help, but a hammer and punch will work

Then fish a bolt through. I used lock washers because that is all I had.

I used the track bar mount to make a bar pin eliminator, but I am sure the bar pin would work as well. This was really simple and only took a few minutes

Good job, I really like this idea. You just used a stock track bar bracket? I'm going to do this when I lift mine.

Dec 9, 2010 | 05:21 PM

#20

PJsJeep

Member

Joined: Apr 2010

Posts: 107

Likes: 0

Model: Cherokee

This never fails had all four of mine snapped. Punched or drilled them out and fished screw through. Good luck

Dec 9, 2010 | 05:36 PM

#21

rtralabama

Thread Starter

CF Veteran

Joined: Aug 2010

Posts: 1,678

Likes: 0

From: Carlisle, PA

Year: 2000

Model: Cherokee

Engine: Inline 6

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJsJeep

This never fails had all four of mine snapped. Punched or drilled them out and fished screw through. Good luck

tried both and they failed. i just saw a square in the floor and grind them til they came off. it worked but i did it almost 2-3 months ago and all of the sudden this thread came back alive lol

Dec 9, 2010 | 05:51 PM

#22

genes005

Junior Member

Joined: Oct 2010

Posts: 37

Likes: 0

Model: Cherokee

join the club everybody is breaking bolts i did this and i cut the floor and replaced with some grade 8's and tac wielded the nuts in there real good... no more breaking.

Dec 9, 2010 | 07:35 PM

#23

Programbo

CF Veteran

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 1,964

Likes: 6

From: Baltimore, Maryland

Year: 1994 1993

Model: Cherokee

Engine: 4.0

Quote:

Originally Posted by gpXJ

I would never cut a hole in the floor of my Jeep, just to replace those shock bolts. Seriously, with a steel punch and a 2lb sledge, it literally takes 3 good whacks to knock those weld nuts out of there....

You're a better man than I am (but who is'nt). I laid under my XJ and pounded the h*ll out of those things for I can't remember how long and got no where. All I got was a sore shoulder and a face full of falling dirt and rust. I wouldnt hesitate to go the floor cutting route again.

Dec 9, 2010 | 07:40 PM

#24

mdcmn7

Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2010

Posts: 704

Likes: 0

Model: Cherokee

Engine: 4.0

I used the track bar mounting brackets. They are just a little narrow for the shock. A vice and channel locks opened them up just enough so everything fit. There are a ton of write ups in the forum. Look for "home brew BPE"

Dec 9, 2010 | 10:18 PM

#25

gpXJ

CF Veteran

Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 1,142

Likes: 2

From: Grand Prairie, Texas

Year: 1998

Model: Cherokee

Engine: 4.0 HO I6

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdcmn7

Just so you guys who are looking for this info don't bang your heads on the wall when you can't find it...it's actually the rear sway bar mounts that are used to make these.