rshackleford

Im trying to install a transfer case drop kit from Rustys on my 99 Classis. The crossmember attaches to the frame with a stud and bolt on each side. The instructions said to remove the stud but there was no way it would twist out do to rust and Im not sure it was threaded in anyway. It seems to be pressed in. So I cut the stud off with a cutting tool and planned on drilling out the stud, tapping the hole and continuing on with the project.
I can't get the stud drilled out. I have been through a ton of drill bits. It was going good but the hardness of the metal seems to have changed about 1/2 inch in and I can't drill anymore.

How have other people installed a drop kit on the XJs with the stud?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

mcguyver_xj

your supposed to put a pair of vice grips on the stud and remove it that way and yes it is threaded in not pressed so now you should just keep drilling

Converted96

^^^ what he said, heat and pb would have helped to get the stud out, with vice grips or doing the double nut to make it a bolt. hopefully you have only done this to one side and can work on the other side with this information. as the above poster said, keep drilling now and tap it. it will help to step up, i had this happen on my sway bar link bolt that was pressed in yesterday. took about 3 hours to get it drilled out, and went through a few bits.

OOdynamite

Should have used a pitman arm puller

Converted96

renting one for the other side when i get to it here this next week. then im going to have to drill it out to 1/2", but that tool should keep the cussing to a minimum that day.

rshackleford

I tried the visee grips for awhile but it absolutely would not budge. When I dropped the transfer case a few months back I broke off on of the bolts and had to drill and tap that.
Almost every bolt on this jeep sso far has broken off. All 4 of the rear top shock mount bolts broke.
Based on that I didn't waste too much time trying to twist out the studs. Unfortunately, the studs seem to be made of harder stell then the bolt. Drilling went OK for awhile but the last 1/4 - 1/2" is just really difficult and Im going through bits like they were butter.

I put it back together with only one bolt on each side of the crossmember and I am taking it to the local driveline shop. They are the only shop in Chicago I have found that will install customer supplied parts and take over in the midddle of a project.

When I talked to the shop owner, who I know fairly well, he said, "you don't just drill and tap those studs. They are a real *****"

Converted96

That sucks. Sometimes taking it somewhere with a lift and more tools ends up being the only option. Good luck to you and them.

rshackleford

Thanks!!

Unfortunately I think the labor to clean this mess up is going to take the funds I had on reserve for an SYE

dc3mueller

I use a hole saw, drilled a decent sized hole above the welded nut, dropped a nut on the protruding stud, welded the nut to the stud, and threaded it the rest of the way out. About ten minutes work.