Bumper and Winch Help Needed

[grokshot]

My son and I each have 2021 Rubicon JLUs. We bought Rugged Ridge Arcus Bumpers and Badlands Apex Winches. Two issues occured today when we installed them.

Issue 1. For my son's install everything went great except when we first used the winch for a test he swears he saw sparks down near the winch plate but only that first time, I didn't see them. We tried in and out a few times for a few feet after that and nothing. The positive and negative are connected directly to the battery. The only thought I have is when I initially connected the negative cable to the post on the winch I had to back it off to reposition the cable and the post turned loose, maybe a turn and a half, so I had to hold the bottom of the post to loosen the outside cable covering nut. Then I tightened the post back down and then the cable and nut on top. Could something have happened inside? I am not sure what that post is connected to inside the winch.

Issue 2. When we got to my install there was an issue with one of the bolts on the inside of the frame. As you can see from the pictures (the green jeep is for reference of location and the closeup is actually mine) the frame welded nut (blue) broke away from the plate (red) because the bolt must have threaded wrong and became too tight. The nut is round on the outside, I've tried to hold it with vicegrips but all it does is spin and not is stripped of all paint. I have to find a way to get the bolt out and not let the nut fall into the frame as it seems the frame has no way out up there in the front. I think if I can get the bolt out and not let the nut fall into the frame then I can use a new bolt, washer, and nut to save the job. Any ideas how to get this to the point where I can keep moving forward with the install?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Sponsored

 

[GATORB8]

Have you tried vice grips on the nut and pressure (pry bar) out on the bolt head while you hit it with an impact?

 

[grokshot]

Have you tried vice grips on the nut and pressure (pry bar) out on the bolt head while you hit it with an impact?

I haven't tried that. I can tomorrow morning. Maybe an impact will break it enough and with vice grips on the nut I can just pull it out from the top. It's worth a try for sure. Thank you.

 

[Bullwinkle]

I haven't tried that. I can tomorrow morning. Maybe an impact will break it enough and with vice grips on the nut I can just pull it out from the top. It's worth a try for sure. Thank you.

Can you get a nut cracker on it, that would release the cross thread binding?

 

[grokshot]

Can you get a nut cracker on it, that would release the cross thread binding?

Unfortunately not. There is a plate on one side and the frame on the other.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Unfortunately not. There is a plate on one side and the frame on the other.

Maybe a thin chisel for same purpose

 

[Bullwinkle]

Maybe a thin chisel for same purpose

even a carefully used drill bit of proper size might unbind that enough

 

[grokshot]

Maybe a thin chisel for same purpose

I'll try. I really appreciate the ideas.

 

[Bullwinkle]

I'll try. I really appreciate the ideas.

welcome, just phishin

 

[grokshot]

UPDATE: I was able to get the bolt and nut out. It took some doing but I was able to pull the nut that was welded to the plate completely out. I can replace the bolt and the nut now so that issue is done.

The remaining issue is the question of the negative terminal on the winch. It’s all tightened and good now. There is just the question of the initial sparks. We haven’t tried it since. Thoughts?

Sponsored