Body mount bolts normal or reverse threaded?

[arnie_mueller]

I’m installing some Rusty’s sliders which require the removal of body mount bolts. Are these things normal lefty loosey righty righty? I’m on the passenger side and the front one almost seems to be getting tighter. I tried the middle one and I heard a big snap.

I’m laying under the Jeep looking up and turning the normal threaded direction. Before I break something that’s going to cost too much to repair, need some wisdom.

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[WontonJLUR]

They're normal threaded, but you need to use extreme caution removing them. The front pair (just behind the front tires) has red threadlocker, and the next 2 pairs behind them have blue. The bolts are made of bitchalloy and will break, ask me how I know. The best way to extract them is to heat the hell out of them, but do so carefully (if using a torch) because you don't want to cook the rubber isolator.

 

[arnie_mueller]

They're normal threaded, but you need to use extreme caution removing them. The front pair (just behind the front tires) has red threadlocker, and the next 2 pairs behind them have blue. The bolts are made of bitchalloy and will break, ask me how I know. The best way to extract them is to heat the hell out of them, but do so carefully (if using a torch) because you don't want to cook the rubber isolator.

Hopefully it was just the locktite that I heard and felt snap. I don’t have a heat gun unfortunately.

my least favorite thing in the world is marketing that lies. “Get our stuff, it’s bolt on, it’s so easy to install! Only 10 steps!”

then they forget to mention hat by bolt on it means drilling 6 holes into my frame and probably breaking body mount bolts.

fun

Thanks. Maybe I’ll just keep going slow and see what happens I guess

 

[WontonJLUR]

Hopefully it was just the locktite that I heard and felt snap. I don’t have a heat gun unfortunately.

my least favorite thing in the world is marketing that lies. “Get our stuff, it’s bolt on, it’s so easy to install! Only 10 steps!”

then they forget to mention hat by bolt on it means drilling 6 holes into my frame and probably breaking body mount bolts.

fun

Thanks. Maybe I’ll just keep going slow and see what happens I guess

Best of luck. I broke the passenger front bolt and ended up cutting a hole in the fender to extract the entire cup/nut assembly that captures the bolt. I used a torch on the driver front and was able to extract it without issue. The 2 pairs behind it also came out without issue, but make sure you're using a long breaker bar and very carefully applying the force to loosen it.

If you have a hardware store local, it might be best to run and grab a "high heat torch" (yellow bottle). Not very expensive and will save you tons of headache on the front bolts.

 

[arnie_mueller]

They're normal threaded, but you need to use extreme caution removing them. The front pair (just behind the front tires) has red threadlocker, and the next 2 pairs behind them have blue. The bolts are made of bitchalloy and will break, ask me how I know. The best way to extract them is to heat the hell out of them, but do so carefully (if using a torch) because you don't want to cook the rubber isolator.

Thanks man! The small washer in the front one is wiggling a little now, feel much better now. Just need some patience with these things.

I appreciate you Easing my concerns.

 

[WontonJLUR]

Thanks man! The small washer in the front one is wiggling a little now, feel much better now. Just need some patience with these things.

I appreciate you Easing my concerns.

Of course! Best of luck to you. I'd advise continuing caution until the bolt is all the way out.

 

[arnie_mueller]

Best of luck. I broke the passenger front bolt and ended up cutting a hole in the fender to extract the entire cup/nut assembly that captures the bolt. I used a torch on the driver front and was able to extract it without issue. The 2 pairs behind it also came out without issue, but make sure you're using a long breaker bar and very carefully applying the force to loosen it.

If you have a hardware store local, it might be best to run and grab a "high heat torch" (yellow bottle). Not very expensive and will save you tons of headache on the front bolts.

I have never used a torch, I don’t want to burn down my Jeep. Haha

I have an 18” breaker bar with a Daytona jack handle….

 

[WontonJLUR]

I have never used a torch, I don’t want to burn down my Jeep. Haha

I have an 18” breaker bar with a Daytona jack handle….

That's a great breaker bar!

Yeah, torches are great when you need em, if you need em. Some people break their body mount bolts, some don't. Just luck of the draw.

Love the tools btw, I just got into Milwaukee stuff after I decided to replace my decade old Makita tools. They weren't failing or anything, but figured what the hell, I wanted to treat myself. Some really cool tools in their lineup and I may have been a little ambitious in my "initial purchase"

 

[arnie_mueller]

That's a great breaker bar!

Yeah, torches are great when you need em, if you need em. Some people break their body mount bolts, some don't. Just luck of the draw.

Love the tools btw, I just got into Milwaukee stuff after I decided to replace my decade old Makita tools. They weren't failing or anything, but figured what the hell, I wanted to treat myself. Some really cool tools in their lineup and I may have been a little ambitious in my "initial purchase"

Now I’m even more worried. I’ll look up how to use a torch on bolts and go buy one. Excuse to buy more tools!

 

[WontonJLUR]

Now I’m even more worried. I’ll look up how to use a torch on bolts and go buy one. Excuse to buy more tools!

Never a bad day when you get to buy more tools! A decent heat gun may work just as well, it'll just take longer. Far less risk of burning your Jeep down though lol. May wanna keep a fire extinguisher around. The biggest risk you'll have in using a torch to heat those bolts is the rubber isolator between the frame's body mount and the body itself. It'll smoke pretty good, but just keep your eye on it.

 

[JP52]

I used a torque wrench to loosen mine so I could control the force I was applying. If it had gotten too high I would have quit or heated the bolt. Another thing people do is once it starts coming out screw it in a half turn or so for every turn you back it out if it feels like it is sticking as it comes out. I think that helps when the locktite gums up. Too late for you but if others are thinking of buying anything that requires removing the body bolts I suggest to see if you can loosen them before ordering. Mine were not too hard to remove so it's not always such a chore. Hope it turns out OK for you.

 

[Atomic-Mouse]

I have pulled the body bolts on two JLs, on a 4 door and a 2 door.
The first was on my 392 and knowing the bolts were easy to break I took extreme caution. Tighten and loosen by 1/4 turn many times on the same bolt. One was not giving up so I got out my bore scope and discovered you can access the threads on the backside through gaps in the body panels. I used a ton of lube (PB blaster or WD/40 anything with a long bendable straw) and flooded the cavity with spray lube. after just a few tightening and loosing atempts the bolt threaded out smoothly. When I did my 2 door I sprayed all the bolts prior to their removal. After the bolts were removed I used a blow gun to blow out any remaining lube. I sprayed so much lube it left a puddle on the shop floor and was running down my arm, but I didn’t break anything. I think I used two cans on the 2 door to pre soak and more during the process.

 

[arnie_mueller]

This…. Jeep is on fiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrre
-Rihana

 

[WontonJLUR]

This…. Jeep is in fiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrre
-Rihana

Same one I used. It actually stays in the house garage now and pretty much exclusively gets used for starting fires out on the back deck lol

 

[21JLURDG]

I had to remove mine also for the rock sliders. They do have threadlocker and I would never use a breaker bar on them. Even a 1/2 socket wrench can exert too much force and break them. I used a lot of PB Blaster and a cheap heat gun, but even an old hair dryer can help. Be careful with using torque wrenches as breaker bars as some specifically say not to use force on the reversing setting as it will throw the calibration off. A turn forward and 1/4 back off continuously is a great idea. I also kept hitting them with a hammer to help loosen any corrosion.

If you break a body bolt off, you'll probably better off taking it to a body shop to repair. I used anti-seize on mine for future use.

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