Ok Guys I have a lil dilema....

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:33 am

This nut is supposed to be seated inside the cross member thingy to hold the bolt that holds my skid plate, well it popped off when I took the plate out so they could access my front diff for the gear swap. How the heck do I get it back in there so it will stay and hold the bolt to put back on my skid plate ????

This pic shows where the bolt is supposed to be

And this one is the opposite side which is fine and the bolt is in place

HELP

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:49 am

If you can access above the hole ( which looks like you could) just drill all the way through and put a bolt in it

or find someone that will weld it back into place, not many choices

callaway · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:55 am

drill through the cross member and replace the press in nurzerts ( or weld in nuts in your case ) with a bolt that actually means something.

I had my skids installed using the nutzerts - came down hard on the trans skid and the nutzerts popped out. I drilled through the cross member and replaced the 4 nutzerts with 3/8" bolts and haven't had any issues since.

Jeep Dawg · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 11:58 am

OK, you have an intresting situation here. I been there. Stay with me here ok.....

Jack stand or another person. (Jack stand is ideal, it does not hurry you up cause the plate is heavy)

Get a lock nut washer. and get everything set into place.

slip the lock nut washer into the frame hole, (you should have just enough space to do this) Then take the skid place and get it close with the botl. Slid the bolt up and in a littlebit. Adjust jack stand untill you can kinda let it go and then slid the nut up into the hole ontop of the lock nut washer as you guide the bolt into place. (it may take you a few times or hours to get it) But once you get it, all you need to do is finger snug so the lock washer will do it's job. You then can use a wrench to bolt down.....

It took me a few attempts to get mine but I did it.

Look at what you need to do, think about it, set everything up and dont get mad. It will happen.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 12:41 pm

pretty much what jeep dawg said

i've found this to be helpful, but it depends on how dexterous you are (i am on good days..)

if the threads are pretty clean on a bolt/nut, you can use an extendable magnet to put the nut on several threads until you can get a wrench on it, if you can't make the angle with a wrench, try a prybar or nice wide screwdriver, anything you can get appropriate leverage against one side of the nut, preferably with the opposite side of the prybar wedged against something

that's basically exactly how i put the washers and nuts on when i did the 3rd bolt on my front recovery since I did away with the threaded clip that was on the towhook 3rd bolt

it can be done! i promise!

Jeep Dawg · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:31 pm

Like I said, Look at what you have to do. Think out the problem....Suddenly the problem is worked out.

Man I noticed how bad my spelling was in the last post. Some times my mind is faster than my fingers.

When I come into problems, I will sit, lay and just look at what I have. I will stay there until something kicks my brain cell and then I am like YES! thats what I need to do and this is how I gotta do it.....

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:36 pm

Methods like that is how i ended up taking naps on a creeper and losing the feeling in my arm from not taking it down off the top of a transmission or something :lol:

Jeep Dawg · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:51 pm

HaHa Thats is too funny

I feel ya man. I been there too.

A long time ago when I had my 95 YJ my muff fell off and I was in a state park area trying to figure what I need to do so I was laying on the ground and before I knew it I felt something kicking me and I slid out from under the YJ and it was a state trooper asking me if I was ok. Well yea I was and I also had about a 2 hour nap.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:54 pm

haha, it would happen to me about every slow day we had at the shop, expecially if it was real hot, or real cold

the concrete kept it cool, the tractor or box truck gave shade

if it was cold, i'd lay under the muffler and cross my arms :oops:

usually woke up after it had cooled off which meant it was cool enough to work on anyway

0311_DoC · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 2:53 pm

Well being there wasn't much space to work with, I explored my options and just drilled thru and used a longer bolt to secure the skid...

Thanks guys.....

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 2:59 pm

0311_DoC wrote:

Well being there wasn't much space to work with, I explored my options and just drilled thru and used a longer bolt to secure the skid...

Thanks guys.....

Best option and glad you got it repaired :wink:

David Jr · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 5:33 pm

Thanks for the flashbacks. Reminds me of plenty of weekends spent on my back trying to tighten up one stubborn, hard to get-at, bolt.

Ok Guys I have a lil dilema....

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