Trouble With Box removal

[SomeNew Name]

well I've been having problems removing the box from my 92 comanche.. it seems that it jut doesn't want to come off. I managed to have 2 studs completly unthread from the box on the passanger side just infront of the X-member, the other 2 parrell to that are not budging, I'm able to get at those with the grinder.

 

The 2 in the X-member are not moving either, I had a working air drill which I attached a socket to, ended up shearing off on the drive threads.. so it's outta commision (it's helped me with alot of rusty bolts). So now my tooling is limited to Deep Sockets and breaker bars and pipes now. :cry: I have a compressor but nothing to use with it but the cut off tool.

 

Now since my tooling is so limited and I still can't get those bolts to move what should I do? do I have any options here?

 

Also the gas tank has a skid plate that is stuck to the bed, I don't need it , so anyway I can remove it is acceptible. NOTE: the gas tank is empty and the lines all disconnected and plugged but fumes are running rampant there so heat and electric tools (in my mind are outta the question unless safe working proceedures are presented ) ;)

 

 

Thanks in advance for the help guys!

Cheers!

Eugene

[JeepcoMJ]

all I can say is to torch all of the bolts off. be very careful and have a friend with a fire extinguisher.

 

otherwise, you're SOL

[feerocknok]

PB Blaster and let it soak overnight. Then spray it again in the morning and let it sit. Then spray it again that night. Then try breaking em in the morning.

Every autoparts store should sell it.

[tjbliley]

Try and find a product called knocker loose. Fastenall carries it.

 

 

It is better than PB

[rockhardzj]

When I dropped the tank from my 98 xj, it was full, less maybe 2 gallons max, and I put the tank on a ATV jack, and then cut the bolt parts themselves with an angle grinder, I then went around back, and sliced the pin ends from the strap ends, so that the straps would fit through the rear crossmember.

 

You should be able to adapt my idea from an xj tank to an mj tank.

 

I just have the ghetto harbor freight ATV jack. it's nice, because the tank is held level, and doesnt wobble all around and stuff.

[SomeNew Name]

Well I've been soaking them in Liquid Wrench, it's all I have available to me at the moment.

 

Also note that the entire underbody was coated in a thick rubberized coating.. and is present under bolt heads, (even after being cleaned) which doesn't help the penetranting solvent do it's job.

 

I've thought about filling the gas tank with water and grinding all the heads off to remove it but that would still leave the 2 in the X-member to be removed and the grinder won't fit in there. Any methods for getting those out? is it possible to fit something between the X-member and the box that would cut the bolts?

 

I'm just trying to remove the box to put on to another comanche, and hardwear can be replaced. I'm also all game for the most savage methods possible, I just want it off.

[JeepcoMJ]

torch, torch, torch.

 

and need I say it again, torch.

 

if you just torch the heads off, you can then weld on a nut to the remaining stud upon removal of the box, and wrench it off after soaking it with pb blaster or lightly heating it

[SomeNew Name]

No torch, and no welder :cry:

[JeepcoMJ]

have a friend with a torch?

 

another thing is that a propane tank with a torch adapter works well too, and will cost under $100 most likely. quite a functional method for heating and/or cutting in a pinch.

 

were we closer I'd stop by with my backpack torch (gotta love the fact that grandpa builds fire-practice towers and is constantly upgrading!) and fix the problem for ya!

 

grinder won't cut it ;) enjoy the pun

[SomeNew Name]

lol, well, there is my neighbour that has one, but I really don't like asking to borrow peoples tools, If you need to ask for it more than once, you need to go buy your own.

 

Also even if I go to use the torch there still is the problem with the ga tank being full of fumes.. and I'm not a big fan of being bald.. would I be fine if I just filled the tank with water and slap down a fan or two?

[Pete M]

If you don't have a torch yet, I suggest a small MAP gas torch. :D Burns hotter than propane. And make sure you get one of these little babies (although I've never seen a hand-held MAP gas torch with out one):

 

self-igniting torch:

[feerocknok]

would I be fine if I just filled the tank with water and slap down a fan or two?

Judge me as you will, but if I was worried about it, I'd just fill the tank till water was pooring out the disconnected lines. You'll be taking the tank out in the end, so it's not like there'll be water still in there.

[DirtyComanche]

Also even if I go to use the torch there still is the problem with the ga tank being full of fumes.. and I'm not a big fan of being bald.. would I be fine if I just filled the tank with water and slap down a fan or two?

 

 

Just filling the tank with water is safe enough. Generally the fumes that are present around it are not in a high enough concentration to ignite. Personally I've ground/welded around my tank (filled with gas) many times. I haven't died yet - not that it makes it smart.

 

 

 

Anyways, I have only a couple ways of dealing with stubborn bolts using limited tools. Some people say I'm hack - and they're probably right. Typically I start with a breaker bar, then throw a cheat pipe on it. Often severly messed bolts will not move at this point, and the real trick it to put a box end wrench on them and hit the wrench with a sledge hammer - it mimics the motion of an impact, just very crudely. Also, I often take a pin punch and punch the head of the bolt before doing anything else, it can break the bolt free by shattering the rust in the threads.

 

 

If all that fails, rent a torch. Or rent an air impact. Or a plasma.

[comanche-man22]

sheeez that sure as anything isnt smart!!! the closest i have been is when i welded the rear pass. shock mount back together...i doubt i would get closer... ;)

[SomeNew Name]

Breaker Bars and cheat pipes have been basically the only method I've been using and alot of the time it just doesn't cut the cheese.

 

I would assume it would be safer to use a torch, when the gas tank is full, than when it is empty, cause it's the actual fumes that cause the flame. right? that's why fuel is vapourized/ or atomized when it hits the cylinders. not to mention a better burn. right? am I flawed in assuming so?

 

I filled the gas tank with water, until it started pouring out of the disconnected rubber hoses, so that I would feel safe when using a cut off tool to remove the skid plate on the tank. Now that I have that set up for me.. I don't think I should have any problems removing the gas tank.

 

Now it comes down to the 2 bolts in the X-member. I have used someones advice to use a pin punch and a ball peen to hit the head of the bolt to loosen the threads but unfortunatley didn't loosesn it up at all :cry:

 

I just want those Flippen bolts out.. it's been a huge headache for me.. and

I myself don't have much experience with a torch and wouldn't know where to begin if I wanted to try to remove/ cut the bolts out. If I just wanted to loosen the bolt, Would I heat up the area around the bolt to allow for thermal expansion? and if I wanted to cut it what would I want to do?

 

Please Note: That if I do use a torch it would be a propane one, really cheap and I think my neighbour has one.

 

Thanks for the help so far guys I really appreaciate it.

[87manche]

pound the next size socket onto the nut with a hammer, apply great force with breaker bar until stud breaks.

 

The studd will break where it goes into the nut.

Drill out remaining piece and retap.

 

is it a longbed or shortbed.

If it's a longbed I will pay you not to destroy the tank skid.

[UNL1MTD]

Breaker Bars and cheat pipes have been basically the only method I've been using and alot of the time it just doesn't cut the cheese....

 

Now it comes down to the 2 bolts in the X-member. I have used someones advice to use a pin punch and a ball peen to hit the head of the bolt to loosen the threads but unfortunatley didn't loosesn it up at all :cry:

 

I just want those Flippen bolts out.. it's been a huge headache for me..

 

I used a long breaker bar and the heads of both the bolts snapped off. Breaker bar was in the neighborhood of 2 feet. This will allow for you to remove the bed from the x member, but creates the problem of a bolt with no head stuck in the bed.

[JeeperjohnfromPA]

I discovered a little trick for stuborn bolts and nuts.

When they are rusted on realy bad, and all 'normal' methods of removing it have failed try this.

 

First heat it up with a propane torch, tap it a few times with a Ballpean hammer, (while it's still hot). Then after it cools down spray some liquid wrench or PB breaker type stuff on it, and tap it with a Ballpean again, let it sit an hour or so. Now instead of trying to loosen it, try to tighten it. Not alot, just a little. If you can tighten it, even just a little teanie bit, there's hope.

If it tightend a little, spray it again with the PB/liquid wrench, and try to loosen it a bit. DON'T try to take it all the way off yet, just loosen it that little teanie bit, now spray it again. Now tighten it just a teanie bit, spray it again. Keep repeating this process, after a several times you should notice it will start to loosen more and more. Just keep repeating this process, and tap it with the Ballpean after each time you spray it.

 

It takes some Muscle, and paintence, but can save you the headache of re-taping a hard to reach spot, or having drill out a snapped bolt/stud.

 

The Key here is to try and tighten it at first. By tightening and loosening it you'll work the spray into the threads better, and eventualy it will come loose.

[SomeNew Name]

well i got that sucker off a long time ago! I didn't bother using a torch cause I don't have access to one.. I just got soo pissed off that I grabbed a 1/2 inch drive breaker bar and a 10 foot cheat pipe and tightened the sucker until the stud broke... thanks for the advice..