Rear shock install!
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,219
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From: SW PA
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: Runs
I did all of the research on the upper rear shock bolts I could. I was prepared for them to all break. Went to the hardware store and purchased some grade 8 bolts, nuts and washers, a magnet wand to fish the bolts thru to the holes, and a new punch to drive the old bolts out and break the weld off of the old nuts. Got underneath my 1999 xj with all tools needed and ready for some laboring to begin. I put the socket on the first bolt gave it a good push and it loosened right up with no problem at all. I thought this cant be this easy. Got to the second bolt, same thing, it came right out with no problem. Then I thought ok the next side should be a big pain in the a$$. Put the socket on and out it came. Both bolts on the second one came right out. Thats all four bolts out and shocks replaced within 20 minutes. I gave myself a 3 hour window to get this job done before the wife came home and now I have time to spare. I guess all of that research I did was not really necessary, but now I know how to change shocks when the bolts break in the future.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 620
Likes: 0
From: Clover, S.C.
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
I wonder if someone heard you were gonna do it, & snuck under there last week with some PB Blaster. You know, like at 3 am. when you were sleeping.
I haven't tried my upper bolts yet, but broke off the passenger side lower shock stud just trying to do a bastard pack swap. 3 of the 4 bumpstop bolts broke off too.
I haven't tried my upper bolts yet, but broke off the passenger side lower shock stud just trying to do a bastard pack swap. 3 of the 4 bumpstop bolts broke off too.
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,092
Likes: 0
From: Chesapeake, Virginia
Year: 2002
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.7
the exact same thing happened to me, they all came off no problem, i figured out that the po must have tried to change them and it happend to him, so he used the self catching nuts in the unibody and 4 bolts, i replaced them all with the same thing and it works good, definitely a good option to the guys that arent so lucky with the upper shock bolts
CF Veteran
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,199
Likes: 1
From: Britt, MN
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
My cherokee has holes cut in the floor and I run 14" shocks. My other cherokee has 2 bolts with nuts holding one shock and one bolt holding the other. Been this way for almost 2 years
someday im going to build some upper mounts that weld in, i have some Iron Rock bar bin elimators that might end up welded in there.

someday im going to build some upper mounts that weld in, i have some Iron Rock bar bin elimators that might end up welded in there.
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