Recommendations for body bolt repair?

[hollowpoint]

'21 JLUR 4-door.

With the cool weather making an appearance this weekend, I figured I would install a set of rock sliders I acquired a few weeks ago. Things went almost according to plan, except for one body bolt that refuses to behave!

The drivers rear was a major PITA to get out - it started off nice, then tightened up. I tried all of the tricks, from running it up and then back down (to clean the threads), more heat, less heat, bigger wrench, smaller wrench - it took nearly an hour of working it to get it free.

But as my luck would have it, now that it's out, I can't get it to tighten properly. I can push the bolt back in the hole and up into the body and it feels like it connects with something - and when I start to turn it, it seems to get tight, but then I hear a pop and its loose again. I am assuming either the retaining clip is in the way, or I managed to dork up the threads on the welded nut at the top.

Either way, does anyone have a recommendation for a shop somewhere in the Houston/Austin/College Station area with experience working on body bolts? I would prefer to find someone who has done something of this nature before, not someone who would be practicing on my JLU!

Thanks!

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[The Last Cowboy]

you may be able drill it out and put a thread insert in it, or try to match a nut to the bolt, then put the nut on the back side.

 

[hollowpoint]

you may be able drill it out and put a thread insert in it, or try to match a nut to the bolt, then put the nut on the back side.

Right, but either way requires drilling down from the top, right? There isn't any easy access to that nut that I know of without surgery. Which is something I'd rather leave to a professional that has the correct tools.

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