I need to put a couple #8's in through the rear of the tow hook brackets. there is an existing hole already in the unibody there, right near the sway bar end up front. anuway, does anyone know what size hole that is. I guess I am being lazy and its hard to measure laying on the ground.

Thanks for any info.

 

lol, if i would have taken 2 minutes to look at quadratec i would have saw a 1/2" comes with the rugged ridge kit. oh well, Mods, you can delete this post.

 

I was going to say, "The largest size that will fit through the hole, and back it up with a heavy hardened washer on each side or a couple of conventional flat washers." You're going through sheetmetal, so the extra load-spreading is useful.

Don't bother with split locks to retain - they're worthless (which is why they're cheap.) Use either "star" washers (multiple formed teeth,) self-locking nuts (Nylon collar or deformed thread - you can make the latter yourself,) jam nuts (if you have enough exposed thread,) or LocTite (#242 will be sufficient - no need to get silly.) You do not want these working loose without your knowing about it!

LocTite does not change installation torque specs. If you use a pair of jam nuts, you will torque the one nut to spec, then torque the second nut against the first nut (holding the lower nut with a wrench as well) to the same spec. This sets up a conflicting preload in the bolt, which helps to retain the thing. A star washer or LocTite may be used with jam nuts as well, but is generally not necessary.

To make a deformed-thread nut, you set a hex nut on a metal plate. Round off a cold chisel on your grinder (round edge) at least as wide as the nut itself, set it across the nut, and give it one solid whack with a sledgehammer. Set the good threads on first, the deformed threads will be diffficult to start. However, since only the last one or two threads has been deformed, it will start just fine and only be difficult to run down once you hit the deformed threads.

No need to change installation torque with deformed thread nuts, either (since they're usually used where the prevailing torque to move the nut is less than the torque to accomplish the required preload. I don't use them for anything 1/4" or less.)

NB: That's pretty much exactly how commercial deformed-thread locknuts are made, except that it's a three-corner punch and on an automated line, with the nut partially threaded on a short stud. But, same theory.