nhfigxj

This is my first post hope its in the right place. I have a 1986 xj. I bought a new iron rock offroad double shear track bar kit with the frame side bracket. When I went to remove the stocker bracket the top front frame bolt just spins. I think its a broken nutsert. Or what ever they call It. Has anyone had this problem? Solutions? I've seen fastnal carries what they call Large Flange Ribbed Nutsert Steel

http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/details/0125658;jsessionid=jGs0JRkhvpGYvqB5rcmt753BQvx6tqg 1hQLCGb6l89pbrZStlffV!-1219021061!-866026473?isPunchout=false

Would one of these hold up?

I have spent days talking to friends and searching the web with no concrete answer. This is my daily driver and I'd only have three days to fix it before I go back to work monday. Multiple ideas would be great.

My last and final plan was to use the other three bolts to locate it on the rail and plug weld the other bolt hole and the hole in the middle. Rather not do that. Thank you all.

94XjSport94

The two on the outside are just a studded piece of flat stock thing. Take the nuts off and it should fall out. The two on the bottom, one is a bolt with a nut welded to the frame and the other is just a nut and bolt, IIRC. Unbolt everything you can and it should just come off...

For the new one I would just use a new pair of nuts and bolts until you can get another stock replacement or just roll with that.

nhfigxj

The two on the bottom of the frame rail don't look to be a problem. The one I'm having problems with is the one just in front of the coil spring inside the wheel well. It just turns like a stripped nut either way twisted. Do those top bolts of the bracket go all the way through the frame? I tried my best to poke my head up there with a light but I couldn't see any backer plate/nut. I figured they were captured inside the frame rail like the front leaf spring bolt is.

94XjSport94

Its like a piece of flat stock with two studs pressed in to it. Check this link out for a picture reference:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/87-01-JEEP-CHEROKEE-93-98-GRAND-CHEROKEE-FRONT-TRACK-BAR-FRAME-MOUNT-BRACKET-/121532024178?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c4bdf8572&vxp=mtr
The top two bolts are connected. Probably spun it out of the flat stock. That sucks... Remove the other one and hope it comes off. If not, you'll have to grind, cut, or somehow break it apart in order to bolt the new one on.

nhfigxj

Ok I guess I'm lost. I see the plate on the bottom two bolts. The other two bolts on the top of the bracket go into a piece of threaded dippled flat stock? The bolts at the top of the bracket are the ones I'm having problems with. Its not a matter of disassembly its more the reassembly part.

nhfigxj

Thank you I see dirty bird. Right behind the steering shaft. Guess that's the cold of new england getting to my eyes. Haha. Thank you so much.

94XjSport94

If it's broken just use two correct size grade 8 bolts.

nhfigxj

I don't believe it to be broken. I do how ever expect that flat bar to be stripped. Will it be a good idea to put a piece of flat stock on plate side to spread the load a bit or will some large fender washers work? (I know there's a lot of lateral force applyd to that mount.) Grade 8s and some nylock nuts should wrap that up. I thought for sure I was up the creek without a paddle if they put nutserts like the leaf has. One very happy jeeper right now. Now I can move on and figure out what I wanna do for the steering set up. Thanks again.

94XjSport94

I'd just use washers and call it a day.

Photojared

Mine did the same thing. Replaced with bolts and washers. I'm thinking of getting a plate made out of some 3/16" to replace the stock unit. The more I think of it I don't want only washers holding up the track bar. Probably better to spread the force out on a greater area. That's probably why it's engineered that way from the factory. The bracket takes a lot of stress.

Bustedback

When one of the upper studs stripped out of the strip on mine I just gave it a little tack weld to keep it from spinning and then used new bolts with washers.