Gas tank strap bolts

[Akula69]

Took the gas tank down today right before painting to pull the bed back. All the bed bolts came out fine, but all three tank bolts snapped.

 

Where are you folks getting your tank bolts? or, are you substituting something else?

 

Thanks

[Wildman]

I've made some "J" bolts for the straps -

 

3/8" x 5" carriage bolts, ground the heads down to fit into the key holes, heated and bent the heads to a 90*, Done :D

[lostissues]

best bet is to make them with carriage bolts. that is what I will be doing. I did find a source online but with the ridiculous shipping it came out to about 50 bucks for the 3 bolts. actually with a quick google search they are not that bad http://www.restorationperformance.com/s ... /No/Detail

 

there are a few more on the google search

http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&q= ... N&start=70

[kyleag89]

Has anyone used the bolts that lostissues posted? If they will work I will probly get a set of those.

[garyindiane]

I used carriage bolts also.

 

-Gary

[CWLONGSHOT]

Carriage bolts are a good option. They are avalible readilly in longer legnths and bend easilly with a bit of heat. Personally, I had a bunch of threaded drill rod, so I used that.

 

CW

[Wildman]

Carriage bolts are a good option. They are avalible readilly in longer legnths and bend easilly with a bit of heat. Personally, I had a bunch of threaded drill rod, so I used that.

 

CW

 

I would agree with the threaded rod, and welding them to the top portion of the broken J-bolt.

 

If the OP has a welder on hand :dunno:

 

And even use galvanized threaded rod :brows:

 

Back when I need J-bolts, no store had them on hand, and I had the 3/8" carriage bolts on hand, and used them :D

 

Reading the post for J-bolts at 5.95 for a pair.......plus shipping....... :hmm:

 

3/8" x 5" carriage bolts.........60 cents each......little grinding and little heat.... :dunno:

[kastein]

Comanche ones are different from Cherokee ones, that I know :( Comanches use a metric thread (I want to say M10-1.0 or M10-1.5 but I am not sure) while Cherokees use a 3/8-16 UNC thread.

 

When I dropped my tank I cut the straps, pulled the bolts intact, then cleaned them up with a wire wheel, hit them with heat and penetrating lube and the nuts popped right off. Cleaned them up the rest of the way and reused with new nuts+washers. And my MJ is probably rustier than any other on here except maybe Jakeman17's or Wwildman's :eek: I know this won't help you now that yours are already broken but it's useful info for anyone reading the thread.

[freakjeep93]

jakemans isnt too bad actually. i think i can take the cake for rustiest mj

[kastein]

This is the front axle that came in mine:

 

So you might... but might not :eek: mine spent its first few years in Alaska and then moved to Massachusetts.

[freakjeep93]

here's the front axel out of mine . the frame is good on this one but ive got a donor thats really bad ..

[kastein]

Yikes :ack: I wonder why the passenger side is always worse? More slush/potholes/crap getting kicked up maybe?