I got factory ones from hitch donor xj. OEM.......http://www.factorychryslerparts.com/...roduct=4534884

 

Don't want to start a fire storm here and appreciate all the comments but I would hazard a guess that the factory used nut strips because it was quicker on the assembly line. If you are using proper grade fasteners, bolts, washers etc and correct torque settings, I don't think you're going to pull that hitch off your Jeep unless you're towing more than the vehicle's rating.

These Jeeps have "frame" rails but that's not as strong as a full-framed vehicle. I wouldn't be hauling over capacity in one and the hitch is only one component. I think you need to look at the weight of the Jeep versus what you're towing, how many people are in there with you, condition of brakes, weight distributing hitch or not etc. If a failure occurs, I don't think it's going to come down to using nut strips or traditional fasteners-it will probably be a case of too much load for the class of vehicle and improper driving.

A Jeep XJ is not going to be equivalent to a Dodge Ram 1500 (or other full size truck) for towing no matter what springs, trans cooler or electric brakes you put on it. I feel fine pulling my utility trailer full of brush to the dump with a Class II hitch. I wouldn't pull a car on a car float with it on the highway at 55 MPH no matter what hitch it had.
Just my opinion.

 

The spacers that came with my hitch give you as much contact area as a nut strip would they are almost touching each other and they are made with thicker medal than the nut strips are. I don't think haveing nut strips would be any better than what I have now.

 

I had a hitch put on by uhaul when I first got my Cherokee, they used those spacers and there are tears in the frame rail from them using those since they can shift individually where the nutstrip would have to bend. Also, they have harsher corners than the nutstrip so they will puncture more easily. Lucky for me the tears were fairly small and when I got a new aftermarket bumper it mounts through the frame rail with a solid piece, and I have shackle relocation brackets sandwiching the frame rail from the bottom. Never towed over capacity, had pulled or been pulled no more than 4 or 5 times with that hitch.

 

For anyone here who doesn't know what were all talking about, here's a pic of the nut strip. Can't remember where i got this pic, probably somewhere on this forum.
It slides into the frame channel opening at the rear.
The rear bumper needs to be removed for access to the frame rail opening.

 

Sounds like they may not have been torqued down properly. That's one of the reasons I don't like other people to work on my vehicles.

 

Are you saying they tightened them too much or too little? Anyway I had to remove the hitch when I put on new shackles and I personally installed it correctly and it still ripped holes. It's just what it is. I mean a bunch of shifting blocks is not as strong as a solid slab no matter how you look at it

 

I think there's a good reason Chrysler went with nut strips instead of just welding nuts to the frame like the shackle nuts.

The frame channel isn't all that heavy gauge of a metal and the 'individual' washer/bolt combos could tend to rip off the frame under severe towing or pulling especially stuck in the mud jerk pulling.

The nut strip has the effect of combining all the bolts as one putting less over all stress on the frame rail.

I didn't want to pull the PITA bumper to install new nut strips so i went with the easy route, the washer/carriage bolt method.

I will only tow nothing larger than my garden trailer and have to be very careful being pulled out of a ditch.

Maybe someday i'll pull the bumper and do it right! naah

 

I guess I was reacting to the comment that said the nut strips were flimsy. That was my problem when I looked at them. The nuts didn't look like Grade 8 nuts so really, what are you getting? Proper torqueing of fasteners is often overlooked as well and not sure if the nut strips give a torque to tighten too.

 

I'm with you. The ones that XJ Wonders sell have the nuts TIG welded in place on two sides, so they aren't going anywhere. They also come with Grade 8 bolts, which is nice. I'd say they are probably the best off the shelf nut strips I've seen.

But... they are still 1/8" steel, so I've decided to make my own. I'll use 1/4", and just weld them up here at home.

 

The 1/4" steel sounds a lot better to me. Good idea BlueridgeMark.

 

I'll post pics when I get it done.

 

Those home brewed 1/4" nut strips will not only outlive the Jeep but all of us too.

Yeah looking forward to the pics.

 

I recently took the hitch off to do some work to the uni frame and the spacers haven't caused any problems, no rips or dents where they where. I haven't towed anymore than about 3K with it but I do use it to drag disabled vehicles around on the property. I am going to put it back in how it was.

 

I just got some xj wonders nut strips. They're built to nuclear reactor specs. I feel like I can go to war with them.
I thought I was going to drip the bumper and get my hitch going between showers here in nola, but damn did they make getting the bumper off harder than it needed to be. I did get the bolts moving but will have to finish tomorrow (hopefully).