steve1979

I started my lift on my 98 xj this weekend and decided to start on the rear. The passenger side upper shackle bolt was already snapped and the shackle was nearly rotted through. I decided to hack out the shackle to see how bad it was, only to find 1/8 inch of the bolt sticking out of the frame.
I cut a hole in the floor above it and I can see the bolt but can't get a good enough bite with vise grips to break it free. I tried an easy out extractor but don't have enough bite on the shackle side and no room on the frame side.
What are my opinions here, ouside of breaking the nut off the frame and using a new one? If this is my only option how hard is it to break that weld?

Kingfisher

I don't think you would ever move it with vise grips anyway.

I guess the easiest thing to do would be to relocate the shackle forward.

DJeXeCute

Just cut the bolt out of there and run a new bolt/nut

burg3rlicious

It's hardened, it wont be too easy to cut through unless you have a plasma torch. That area is such a pain in the ***, there's almost nowhere to get tools. You could cut the bottom portion of the rear quarter panel (a pretty popular mod for clearance) to get a better angle. Remove the gas tank? What tools do you have access to?

burg3rlicious

When I say get a better angle, I mean on the bolt area

steve1979

Just an update. The nut was already pulling apart from the body so I worked at it an the nut broke free. I have all new bolts on order as well as the nuts for the lower shackle bolt, they will be here Tuesday. As for the upper shackle bolt nut what can I use? Is there a way to use the nut from the lower bolt on the upper? It fit just don't know how I would tighten it, my only thought is a pass through socket.

And the rear quarters were already cut, did that to eliminate a rust issue.

steve1979

This is what it looked like

Codenamefa

I just got done tackling this on my XJ when I broke the nut welds inside the plate, I decided it was time to build my own Shackle box out of 1/4" plate and I welded it on and it is 100 times stronger plus I made it easy access to get and the nut on the other side it the weld breaks loose when replacing bushings or putting new leafs in. I even had a brainy idea to cut holes with a hole saw to get at the bolts better without killing ones self when tightening or loosening the bolts. People wouldn't believe the lazy amount of weld they put in there to keep the nut from moving, Mine looked like a tiny spot weld of maybe 3mm of weld and only on 1 side.