Spray them twice a day for about a week w/ liquid wrench...most will come out, if not, put a torch on them...they'll come out.
EDIT: get a cheap torch at WM in the plumbing section.
What did you do to your TJ today?
- Thread starter LJRubiconGuy
- Start date
EDIT: get a cheap torch at WM in the plumbing section.
WNC05willys
TJ Enthusiast
front brake pads and started to measure in the garage for the harken hoister i got. only neighbor i have willing to help take off the top is moving to indiana!! wife and kid are no help, so its time for some simple machine mechanical advantage. wife is happy because its forcing me to clean out the garage and she can pull her car in now (she thinks!!!!!)
WNC05willys
TJ Enthusiast
Im always curious about the top being a problem. How much do they weigh? Why not overhead press it off?
Pretty sure I saw it posted as weighing 140 pounds.
WNC05willys
TJ Enthusiast
its not so much the weight, its awkwardly unbalanced and setting it down without breaking anything would be tricky too. I had been looking for a hoist for awhile just so I didn't have to bother the neighbor every time i wanted the top on or off, his pending move just sped up my timeline
Elyse8743
TJ Enthusiast
Yup, Kroll worked like a charm on all the top bolts. Unbelievably easy to get out.
Bottom two are stripped by the PO, sooo... trying to figure that out lol. They've been kroiled as well, but I've had no luck trying other extraction methods so far.
Are they the torx, or standard bolts?
If standard, beat a smaller socket on w/ a hammer
Elyse8743
TJ Enthusiast
Torx. I've tried punching in different sized torx, a flathead attachment, left hand drill etc. Tomorrow ill have an angle grinder so ill try to cut down two sides and use a wrench, if that doesn't work im going to just cut the bolt heads off and use a vice grip for the rest of the bolt .
Yours is much cleaner.Boogieman looks like we have very similar Jeeps ours is just not a Rubicon
MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
I've had luck removing damaged bolts and nuts over the years using this style of tool. I happen to have a Craftsman set, but I've seen Irwin makes some that are sold at my local Lowes and ACE hardware stores.
Just kick it a few times. That always seems to work in the cartoons.
Elyse8743
TJ Enthusiast
I may check that out. I saw one like that at home depot this morning but it didn't look like it'd fit over a t55. I might check lowes or the local hardware store and see.
Its worth a shot, though!!
Elyse8743
TJ Enthusiast
Oh, trust me, tried that a couple times too.
Swearing didn't seem to help either ...
Grinding the heads off doesn't really solve your problem because (unless you have some very special grinding tools), you can only grind it flush (literally removing only the head)...you still have the rest of the bolt going through the hole in the bumper, keeping you from moving it any way except out (away from the frame, in the same direction as the bolt is threaded). EDIT: I would be surprised if you could "roll" the bumper off of the frame, rotating around the lower bolts-less-heads...but I could be wrong.
I would try heat if you have a torch; even a propane torch will add some hot to it, and the chisel method. Here's a vid of the chisel method. EDIT: I meant to mention that I have had surprising success with this method, even on bolts that I, myself, had stripped out because they were rusted in.
You can also try a pipe wrench it you have one. And don't forget that simply whanging on it a few times on the head with a hammer can actually help "shock" it loose.
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MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
Yeah, I wasn't thinking, that bolt head is pretty big. I just went out and checked and the biggest size I have is for a 3/4 inch or 19 mm, and it wouldn't fit over it. If you find some with larger sizes they might work.