Trying to replace my rear shocks 1999 XJ, the nuts are rusted on tight. I have spayed WD40 on them but to no avail. Don't want to strip or break them. Any suggestions to get the buggers off safely?

 

PB Blaster or cut them\


or torch

 

Top, bottom, both? In all honesty, you might as well get prepared to break the top bolts. There are lots of threads on how to fix them once broken. I went the hard route of drilling and tapping them. Some people knock the nut plates out and replace with regular nuts and bolts, and some even cut the sheet metal in the hatch area to get to them from the top.

 

Those things love to snap off. top and bottom

 

I just replaced my rear shocks yesterday. With a set of Rough Country shocks. I racked it up....oh I work at a Toyota shop so working on my vehicles is always easy. found out that only one of the bolts on top where there. The other bolt on each shock was gone but they welded it in. So I took my air grinder out and had to cut the shocks off. One of the bolts broke and the other came right out. I cleaned up the metal real good and took the paint off the brackets on the new shocks. Then I just welded the new ones in. Worked out well. I know that wasn't the best idea....but I didnt feel like drilling out all four holes and rethreading each one. Would have took forever. But the welds are nice and its not going anywhere. The bottom bolts came right off. Oh and I soaked all my bolts before hand with BG penetrating oil. Like pb blaster but better I think.

Sent from my DROID INCREDIBLE using Cherokee Forum

 

I broke all 4 top bolts on my '91 when putting new rear shocks on recently... after reading about it here I used a long punch and a 2lb. hammer and knocked the old nuts off (actually very easy on mine) then I used a thin piece of wire to fish new bolts in from the top. I tightened them up with an air wrench, didn't even have to hold the bolts at the top with a wrench. Piece of cake

 

i broke all 4 of the top bolts on my 2000 and drilled and tapped them...horrible idea after breaking 2 taps...would not recommend that route

 

Spray liberally with PB blaster and let soak overnight while in your garage. In the morning, grab your ball peen hammer and start tapping it, lightly at first. See if that loosens them up. I've loosened several stubborn, rusty nuts and bolts like that.

 

Thanks for the ideas..... damn rust