Body lift - Point of no return... HELP!!

[FMExplorer]

Hey gang!
I am to the point of no return on the 3" body lift and could use some suggestion while the 14 cans of WD40 are soaking in

I have all of the mounts exposed, brake lines loosened, steering disconnected and seats removed. The large washers with the square nuts are what are giving me the most problem right now. What size/type wrench works best for holding on to these?

Also - the mount that sits over the gas tank - I am anticipating a problem here. Any suggestions?

JonM

 

[GJarrett]

I'm Confused...

Maybe your earlier model has "large washers with square nuts" (new models don't) but it does not matter. You back out the bolts from above. Just start backing them out. Except for the front two bolts that go up instead of down; you work from the bottom on those. You do not loosen any nuts or anything like that. The mount above the gas tank is no problem because you are wrenching from above, behind your back seat. If you are trying to work from below you have it wrong.

You probably used all that WD40 because you tried to back a bolt out and got resistance. Those are resistance threaded bolts designed to hold firmly in place and NEVER back out. You just start backing them out anyway. It may take a breakover wrench and you'll think the bolts are crossthreaded (that's exactly what it feels like) but have at it anyway and get started.

Hope that helped.

 

[FMExplorer]

Gerald,
Thanks for the tips...
The anticipated problem came when I started loosening one of the rear mounts and the washer/nut combo spun. The bushing needs to be replaced. The other rear mount came out fine. My concern is if the one over the gas tank is deteriorated as well. Vise grips work when there is room to get them in...

Anyhow, I am using a 4' breaker bar - even with that leverage things are tight, but moving! That's the update for now... When I have everything apart, I will snap some shots and then add the "after" pics to the before and after thread...

Later!

J

 

[FMExplorer]

Ok - unless anyone has snapped a head off a bolt during a body lift before, we will quickly learn how to remedy the situation So far 8 bolts out and 7 were relatively trouble free... If the raising of the explorer goes smoothly, I anticipate another 2 hours before she's done...

J

 

[rock883]

How did it go?? I just read you rpost and was wondering?? I bet when you jacked up the one side it looked kinda weird having one side way off the ground and the other side's doors almost hitting the ground. Anyways, the one undet the gas tank is easily accessible once it is lifted. Hope everything goes well for you, I am gonna work on the rear bumper this coming weekend. I was thinking, you know how the frame in the rear is in a c-chape and the open part faces inward and the bumper mounts face outward? Well, I was thinking of cutting a slot on top of the frame rail right where the bumper mounts, then maybe welding some washers to the relocation brackets to make up for the difference of the frame rail, you see where I am at here? Then bolting the bumper on like that. Only problem is, how should I cut that slot? I used a dremmel tool on the armrest in the middle of the seats to get that bolt out, but I went through that bit like nothing. Are there better bits I can use to cut the metal better?

 

[FMExplorer]

Hey Rock!

Ran into a few snags today...
1st - snapped 3 of the bolts off. Fortunately none were above the gas tank. 1 was a front mount - easy to reach. The other 2 were mid-truck, 1 on each side. Those are still in limbo. Not sure what to do, but will post a procedure when done.

Front bumper will be relocated with the supplied brackets, but I am going to have the rear done by a hitch-fab shop. The receiver hitch will look dumb hamging by itself and the rear tire carrier will look even worse. Unfortunately I am in the boat of "not gonna get that done for another month"
When it is done I will have a receiver hitch even with the frame and the tire carrier relocated a little up and out to accomodate up to a 33" tire.

That's the plan anyhow!


And thanks go out to Hank Grimmick... He is on his way over to help with the last few details....


JonM

 

[rock883]

Sanpped off 3 of the bolts?? Man I am glad that never happened to me!! I would liek to raise the hitch up and all, but I think that would cost way too much, althogh it would be nice to have a rear square bumper/tire carrier with a 2" receiver built in that also had 1/4" thick brackets that would accomodate for the lift. That may be in the future thoguh for me, I am gonna e-mail the local 4x4 shop and ask them how much it would cost for the bumper probably without the spare tire carrier unless I could get another rim just like mine (the 12 hole ones) and another tire exactly the same, although a buddy of mine claims to be getting a jeep and the owner has some 32x11.50 that he would give to him if he bought the jeep, and my friend said he would sell them to me for like $100, so I could get another new one for about $100 and another rim for like %75 and be set to go, although the bumper/spare tire carrier would cost a lot, so I don't know if the tire carrier would be on there also, but it'd be nice. Anyways, enough about my dreams, I hope you get everything done without any more problems, I am having a problem right now also. My steering feels real shaky, like the steering shaft is rattling, very nerve wracking when driving. Although it only shakes/rattles when I hit bumps, although recently it has been doing it regularly, I might try to take the shaft apart and put the extension in and see how it is, or maybe have to go with the flaming river replacement shaft. Tell me how it is going.