The top bolt on rear shock broke off. Can I take 3/8 selftapping bolts and offset the top of shock a little with those? I sure hope so. Please help. Quick replies . Its a 96 XJ. I acctually broke all 4 off. Going to get 4 new long grade 8 bolts today.6" long ones it looks to be.

 

dont offset it just drill out the one that broke and get a self tapper for that side

 

when I broke all 4 of my rear upper shock bolts I hammered out the broken studs/nuts from the bottom (they're only tac welded in there) then drill a pilot hole through the floor from the bottom (will come out behind the backseat), then from the inside drill a 9/16" hole to allow you to put a bolt through and have a buddy sit up there with a socket wrench while you put nuts on from the bottom.

 

^^ that would be about as good as you can do...

 

Thanks guys. Im gonna try the long bolt through floor board.

 

drill out the old bolt and thread a new one. do it 4 times..

 

Or you can just Fish in new Bolts and drop them in like everyone else does...i wouldnt want to cut holes in the floor and allow the chance for Water in.....

 

so they can snap next time you need to do shocks and have the same problem again? sounds repetitive to me. by the way, dont drill the 9/16" hole all the way through. just through the floorboard so you have access to the bolt head I've never had a drop of water come through. and as far as fishing the new bolts through, you could do that, scratch up your hands getting them in and fight the wrench in there to hold it sure, go for it, sounds like fun to me

 

Had my "buddy" snap all 4 bolts on mine so I just drilled through the floor boards and got some really big heavy duty washers and some grade 8 nuts and bolts. So far so good.

 

When I broke all four, this is what I did and it worked GREAT. I got a hole saw and drilled around the stock weld nut. After I had 4 clean holes a nut can fit into, I proceeded to get the right nuts and washers I needed. I placed a nut on top of a washer and welded it all the way around so it was strong as can be. Then I stuck the nut side into the hole, and welded the edge of the washer to surrounding metal. Pretty much like installing a new factory weld nut, but stronger and Grade 8. Pretty much, I drilled a hole so a nut can fit through, welded the nut to a washer so it didn't fall into the unibody, and welded the washer along the edge.