Loose steering box bolts

[YukonJeep]

I have an 81 CJ5 with power steering and am also having a problems tightening the 3rd bolt that holds the brace on (saw the older thread). My problem is that I took the bumper off, but the factory cross member, which uses rivets and is welded, blocks the front of the frame leaving me no way to get inside it to access the bolt. I was going to weld it like everyone else, but if I can't get inside?? Don't really want to start cutting away the metal around the box but I am going to put on a winch plate, should I ditch the crossmember and use the plate as the "new front crossmember"? Sounds a bit dangerous to me...any help would be appreciated! Not currently driving it due to this problem!!!

 

[CJ]

You can't 'ditch' the crossmember. It's an integral part of the frame.

 

[BusaDave9]

I know what you mean. Here is a picture of an aftermarket steering bracket but the bolts are in the same place.

You mention one bolt you are having trouble with but there are 3 in this picture that go up into the frame. Inside the frame are the nuts. The question is how do you hold the nuts when you turn the bolt.
I'm afraid I don't have a good answer for you. I have never had to remove those bolts but I think I will have to. The factory left no room to put a wrench or ratchet in there. One thought; can you put something in between the nut and the inner edge of frame to prevent it from turning?

 

[Old Dog]

It's been a really long time since I had to mess with mine. But I seem to remember going into the frame from the front, don't remember anything being in the way. can you post a couple pics.
Maybe someone who has done this and remembers can jump in.

 

[BusaDave9]

Even if you try to go into the front the crossmember blocks the opening into the frame.

 

[IOPort51]

If this were mine, I would look at making an access hole to reach and/or replace the nut in question. the original is/was welded to the inside of the frame, I think?
I would be looking at the possibility of using a hole saw to make a hole large enough to put a socket through. A nice smooth round hole is far less likely to result in a stress crack than a hole made with a torch. You would want to be right on the money with the center of the hole.
This is , of course, just my .02, given with the best intentions.

 

[YukonJeep]

Thanks everyone! Was pretty sure I couldn't ditch the stock crossmember, but had to ask! Going for the drill small hole in frame route and cross my pinkies, would hate to create an area for the box to start cracking the frame. Will post some pics of my bucket when I get a few minutes...

 

[DHugg]

Hey, YukonJeep:

Had the identical problem, Someone recommended welding a bold onto a 18-20 inch piece of welding rod and, using a bolt with a built-in pattern of "lock washers", the series of sharp ridges around the bolt flange, insert the bolt via the rod into one of the large openings at the top if the frame, behind (toward the Jeep rear) the steering pump mount. When I look at the opening, I see also the metal cover for the left front brake line, I think.

I have re-tightened this bolt three times now. Once I had it brazed to a stainless wire of about 0.5mm (pencil lead) thick. Every time I re-tightened the bolt, I had to do something differently, using pressure against a big washer on the bolt head to hold the nut in contact with the frame, or insert the end of a big screwdriver to jam the nut against.

Wasn't always easy, but it always has worked. I want a better solution, but haven't been able to figure it out; real estate is crowded there.

I hope you get it licked. I have hopes of not having to drop he steering box again (at least for the rest of this year!).

 

[YukonJeep]

Yeah, what a pain! Still have not started to drill or sawzall(!). Now I am wondering how I will bolt on the Currie brace and my winch plate bolts as they also need to go in the frame behind the stock crossmember....what a design! Might just have to cut the welds and the rivets on the crossmember, fix it for good (uh huh!!!) and reweld/bolt it back on. It still doesn't seem like the right way to go about it though!

 

[BrockGrimes]

I know a guy who removed/modified the crossmember and made it so it could be bolted on. He said he uses grade 8 hardware and blue locktite on everything.

 

[Petescj]

Heres a pic of the access hole the previous owner of my Cj made. Its just big enough to get a wrench on it. I plan on using loc tite and tac welding the nut. Then Im gonna seal it back up. Im leaving it the way it is right now though till I put in my heavy duty steering box mount.

 

[BusaDave9]

It's crazy this is such a common problem. There are 3 bolts going up from the steering mounting into the frame. All 3 of mine have a nut that is loose. I'd hate to cut open my frame but I guess that's what's necessary.

 

[BrockGrimes]

Couldn't you just tac it thru that one big round hole?
Throw some electrical tape around the hole stick a rod
from an arc welder it and ZAP!

 

[YukonJeep]

I'm sure as soon as I fix the one problem bolt/nut, the other 2 will give me problems! Thought about drilling out 3 holes from the top of the frame and use the threaded rod with a nut on each end idea, but then mounting the winch plate would be a pain, not to mention that the rod may not be strong enough! If AMC had just given us a little bit of room around that front member(cross member!) to get a wrench in....

 

[DHugg]

YukonJeep, I know I will have to do something better in the future. Yesterday I was fab'ing some seat belt extenders out of 1 X 6 X 1/4 stainless, using a tap to thread a 1/2 inch fine thread attach hole. It struck me that a 3 X 6 X 1/2 piece of steel, drilled at the attachment points and tapped to fit good bolts, could be welded in place of a cutout on the underside of the frame. That would do as well as the tacked-in nuts you and I are struggling with.

I hope my Dad is up in Heaven laughing his head off. He almost had to tie me to get me to pay attention when he was teaching me car mechanicing. If I had a fraction of his knowledge, I'd already be done my now!

Go ahead, Pop, Laugh. I deserve it.

 

[YukonJeep]

Well....I'm going in with the torch this week-end to cut a "service hole" in the front crossmember. Found that one of the bolts for the front spring hanger has also broken loose in the frame...2 out of 3 on the drivers side. Wonder what the passenger side looks like.......

 

[coldwater]

Well....I'm going in with the torch this week-end to cut a "service hole" in the front crossmember. Found that one of the bolts for the front spring hanger has also broken loose in the frame...2 out of 3 on the drivers side. Wonder what the passenger side looks like.......

Hold on there cowboy! It's allways better to find a way other than cutting into your frame. There's a long opening on the outside of the frame near the bolts you need to get to. Grind or sawsall the bolt heads off if you have to to remove them, then try what I did in the pictures. Is it a pain in the <-BAD WORD->? yup. does it work? yup, and it's better than carving up the frame any day. Use good grade 8 hardware and you should never have to do this again, so in the end, a little pain in the <-BAD WORD-> pays off down the road.

 

[YukonJeep]

Mine is an 81 and has a fully boxed frame, which also has the front crossmember in the way, so I was just going to notch enough room in the front crossmember to get a wrench in there so I can run a nut and bolt.

 

[coldwater]

Mine is an 81 and has a fully boxed frame, which also has the front crossmember in the way, so I was just going to notch enough room in the front crossmember to get a wrench in there so I can run a nut and bolt.

I have the same frame. It actually took me about 10 minutes to get the worse one in place. I didnt have to hold it with a wrench, I just cranked it down with an impact.

 

[YukonJeep]

I have the same frame. It actually took me about 10 minutes to get the worse one in place. I didnt have to hold it with a wrench, I just cranked it down with an impact.

How did you get into your frame? I saw the little slot you talked of...won't be getting any sawzal or grinder in there! I better think about this some more.....