Body Bolt Stuck

[whiterubicon]

I was trying to install ACE Rock Sliders this weekend. Passenger side went OK - the bolts were a little tough, but I expected that. Moved to the driver side, and the rear two came out fairly easily, but the front one is stuck. I got it about 1/2 inch out and it really is binding. I have tried to tighten it back and then loosen again, same results. Now, I am not using a breaker bar yet. Just extended my ratchet a little. I contacted a local 4 Wheel Drive shop (who responded very quickly) and they supplied me with a video of what they do to repair a broken body bolt on the JL.

1. Go buy a breaker bar, see what I can do. Hope that I can get the bolt out and install the drivers side. If it breaks, take in and have them repair it.
2. Just take it to the shop. Let them try to get the bolt out and repair it if they break it.

Not sure which option is best. If I do break the bolt at home, is it safe to drive it (about 30 miles) to the shop?

Thanks for any help or insight that you can give

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[dpike]

Have you heated it or tried penetrating oil to loosen it up. I think those front ones are notorious for breaking. There's also a video around of removing them. Taking it slowly and driving it back in when it gets tight to help clear the threads.

 

[DuRsT]

I was trying to install ACE Rock Sliders this weekend. Passenger side went OK - the bolts were a little tough, but I expected that. Moved to the driver side, and the rear two came out fairly easily, but the front one is stuck. I got it about 1/2 inch out and it really is binding. I have tried to tighten it back and then loosen again, same results. Now, I am not using a breaker bar yet. Just extended my ratchet a little. I contacted a local 4 Wheel Drive shop (who responded very quickly) and they supplied me with a video of what they do to repair a broken body bolt on the JL.

1. Go buy a breaker bar, see what I can do. Hope that I can get the bolt out and install the drivers side. If it breaks, take in and have them repair it.
2. Just take it to the shop. Let them try to get the bolt out and repair it if they break it.

Not sure which option is best. If I do break the bolt at home, is it safe to drive it (about 30 miles) to the shop?

Thanks for any help or insight that you can give

I just did this Saturday and the install was the exact same on my JK years ago.

The first driver side bolt is the worst of the bunch. Make sure you keep the ratchet head squarely under the bolt and use an extended handle. It will pop a lot and you’ll think you broke it a few times.

 

[whiterubicon]

Thanks - going to go purchase a breaker bar and some penetrating oil to help free it up. Good thing is, I can let it sit without having to drive it. Thanks again - will let you know how it goes.

 

[HungryHound]

Spray it with PB Blaster and tighten it a little. Spray, tighten, repeat until it's back where you started. Let it sit for a few minutes. Then loosen it again. Should come all the way out, if not, spray and tighten a little more and slowly work it out.

Thanks - going to go purchase a breaker bar and some penetrating oil to help free it up. Good thing is, I can let it sit without having to drive it. Thanks again - will let you know how it goes.

 

[Redbaron73]

Before you use a breaker bar, get a strong impact wrench. This will be less stressful on the bolt. I personally used a Dewalt Impact wrench /c 330ft lbs of torque. I let it hammer for a bit, then used PB blaster and let it cool, then did it again. 10 minutes an the stubborn bolt came out.

 

[limeade]

I would definitely not use an impact wrench if the body bolt is already binding. Plus, I really don't see how a liquid penetrant is going to defy the laws of gravity by flowing upwards and against gravity.

When I removed the body bolts for my skid install, I had to heat the bolts up ALOT with a propane torch. I had my son apply heat directly to each bolt head for a few minutes at a time and move to the next one, continuing this process as I worked on one bolt. I made sure to start loosening the next bolt as soon as the heat was removed. The back two bolts on each side came out easier than the front two. Heat would have to be reapplied to the front two several times as I wrenched on them.

For your stuck bolt, I would heat it up and run it back up inside the nut. Then I'd heat it up again and begin the process of removing it, ensuring you tighten it every couple of turns to clear the threads. At the first sign of binding, apply more heat.

Good luck

 

[Carolina Jeeper]

Another option is to heat it up some some and apply bees wax. For those who are unaware, oils and penetrating fluids defy gravity and flow uphill because of the capillary effect in tight spaces like bolt threads.

 

[DuRsT]

I didn't use heat or PB Blaster when I did mine. I suppose I may have been lucky, but this is my second set that I've installed the same exact way.

I used an extended 1/2" ratchet, small DeWalt electric impact, and an air driven impact.

I loosened all bolts with the ratchet, the front bolts were removed almost exclusively with the ratchet alone minus the last few threads that the electric knocked out quickly for me. Driver side is damn tight and binds the whole way back out. As heat causes metal to expand, I didn't apply heat. I understand that this is to warm up the Loctite, I have just never needed it. As you work the bolt out it will bind and pop the most when you're not nicely perpendicular to the mating surface with the ratchet. Given the amount of force it requires to remove there will be 'pops' as the bolt moves and then binds again.

The entire job took me about 30 minutes, not in a rush, and more than half of that time was spent on the front bolts.

 

[JeepinJason33]

Before I even tried a breaker bar or impact wrench, I used a heat gun. After heating each bolt I was able to easily free them with just a socket wrench. As mentioned, you can blast it with WD40 and every other type of spray, but it is doubtful it will penetrate up into the bolt. The front bolts tend to have the most factory lock tight on them. They used the red type which generally requires heat to remove. After removal, I scrapped off the lock tight from each bolt. I then applied anti-seize and retorqued them after a few road trips. Just checked after 3,000 miles and they are still plenty tight.

 

[whiterubicon]

After a lot of heat and patience, the last both came out. It was very slow going at first. I would heat and turn, then heat and turn. When it would bind some, I would heat and tighten back a little. That seemed to work. Finally got it loose. Feel like there must have been a sale on red lock tight at the factory, because it was caked on. I cleaned all bolts and then applied some anti seize. Thanks for all the advice

 

[MatthewAMEL]

Is a heat gun sufficient? Or should I use a torch?
I just got our JLURD and haven't had a chance to examine the body bolt area. Is there anything in the immediate vicinty of the front bolts that will be a problem with a torch? Is there a rubber bushing?
I really like the Barricade Slider/Step, but I'm a little wary of snapping a bolt on our new JL.

My understanding is only the front bolts have red loctite on them. I've always had good luck with heat, but not on a bolt this long.

Thanks.

 

[JeepinJason33]

Is a heat gun sufficient? Or should I use a torch?
I just got our JLURD and haven't had a chance to examine the body bolt area. Is there anything in the immediate vicinty of the front bolts that will be a problem with a torch? Is there a rubber bushing?
I really like the Barricade Slider/Step, but I'm a little wary of snapping a bolt on our new JL.

My understanding is only the front bolts have red loctite on them. I've always had good luck with heat, but not on a bolt this long.

Thanks.

I used a heat gun and was fine. There was loctite on all of the bolts on my 2021, but the front ones were dipped in it very heavily by Satan the body bolt guy at the Jeep factory on Wednesdays.

 

[Redbaron73]

I have done 3 2020s, 2 wrangler and 1 gladiator. I used an impact Dewalt.
The trick is to hit it a bit in one direction, then reverse. Take it slow and it comes out.

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