Body bushing replacement, penetrating oil access points

Maddart

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Original poster
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May 5, 2024
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43
Location
Chicago
Looking to replace my body bushings with crown rubber bushings. The four bolts at the rear are all somewhat rusted in, and I prefer not to break them off if possible ( i can get a 1/4 turn with alot of metal creaking) and I have been applying penetrating oil, but from what I can tell there is no direct access to the weld nuts to lube. The penetrating oil i can only get to the top of the bushing, not to the threaded portion. Does anyone have any pointers.
TIA
 
Over a couple of days, tap them with a hammer, then re-apply the penetrant. Liquid Wrench works best, in my experience, and I have tried them all.
 
Drill little holes to fit the spray tube and give them a soak. I would go at the back ones from inside the wheel well. If you remove the plastic liner you can easily drill a hole in the box back there where the nut sits. For the ones by the rear shock, I would go in through the floor above.

Being in Chicago, it might not make a difference. Especially the rear ones, it's a square nut that sits loose inside a sheet metal cage and that cage can get rusted to the point where it doesn't hold the nut whatsoever.


I ended up having to cut out the whole thing on my driver side and rebuild with a big access hole. Also, cut a big access hole to remove the one on the passenger side but I was able to save the original box part.

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Drill little holes to fit the spray tube and give them a soak. I would go at the back ones from inside the wheel well. If you remove the plastic liner you can easily drill a hole in the box back there where the nut sits. For the ones by the rear shock, I would go in through the floor above.

Being in Chicago, it might not make a difference. Especially the rear ones, it's a square nut that sits loose inside a sheet metal cage and that cage can get rusted to the point where it doesn't hold the nut whatsoever.


I ended up having to cut out the whole thing on my driver side and rebuild with a big access hole. Also, cut a big access hole to remove the one on the passenger side but I was able to save the original box part.

View attachment 549407
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View attachment 549409

I am also from Chicago, but the Jeep came from the Illinois Kentucky border. I don’t have a Welder so possibly I’m better off taking this to the shop to have it done.
 
The ones at the rear cross member you can get to if you remove the rear plastic inner liner, If I remember correctly there are some small holes already there, if not you could drill one.

The two in the cargo area can be accessed if you drill two small holes where the raised dimple is in the tub, the bolts are directly below those dimples
 
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When I first removed the bolts on mine years ago, several were stuck. I did a lot of small tightening and loosening to break and clear the corrosion. It took a bit, but the stuck bolts came out.
 
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The ones at the rear cross member you can get to if you remove the rear plastic inner liner, If I remember correctly there are some small holes already there, if not you could drill one.

The two in the cargo area can be accessed if you drill two small holes where the raised dimple is in the tub, the bolts are directly below those dimples
 
The ones at the rear cross member you can get to if you remove the rear plastic inner liner, If I remember correctly there are some small holes already there, if not you could drill one.

The two in the cargo area can be accessed if you drill two small holes where the raised dimple is in the tub, the bolts are directly below those dimples

This is a photo of the bed of the jeep. I don’t see the dimples you might be referring too.
The ones at the rear cross member you can get to if you remove the rear plastic inner liner, If I remember correctly there are some small holes already there, if not you could drill one.

The two in the cargo area can be accessed if you drill two small holes where the raised dimple is in the tub, the bolts are directly below those dimples

this is the jeep bed, I don’t see the dimple you are referring too

IMG_5698.jpeg
 
This is a photo of the bed of the jeep. I don’t see the dimples you might be referring too.


this is the jeep bed, I don’t see the dimple you are referring too

View attachment 549603

This must be an LJ? Unfortunately I can’t take a picture of mine as I have a custom rack that covers that area that is bolted down.

I can’t remember on an LJ if they retained the same mounting as a TJ or they moved. They maybe under your seat.

I would look at where the body mounts are under your Jeep, then try and locate the dimples from above. Maybe on LJ’s they eliminated them?