Transfer Case Skid bolt spinning

[KevinM60]

Hit it with a torch for about 15 seconds at a time till it releases

I started doing that and then realized it was next to the gas tank so I backed off of that. I might get my fire extinguisher out and try that by heating it up slowly and to low temp only but for an extended period. If that works it’ll be better having to cut the bolt off

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[Puch]

I started doing that and then realized it was next to the gas tank so I backed off of that. I might get my fire extinguisher out and try that by heating it up slowly and to low temp only but for an extended period. If that works it’ll be better having to cut the bolt off

I purchased one of these. Way better than a torch IMO. Definitely safer. Maybe you can rent one somewhere near you?

 

[whiteglad]

Mine did not have any loctite but were tight. The factory really tightened some of them and either almost cross threaded them or the threads in the nuts were tighter than normal spec. I put high pressure chassis grease on the threads when re-installing the bolts. My daughter's JK had similarly tight bolts, also the M12 x 1.5 thread. I went to the Metal Cloak trans cross member so removed all those bolts.

 

[Lunentucker]

I’m not at home right now but I have this from the install manual

it’s the top left one next to the fuel tank.
Heating it up didn’t work so unless I come up with something else I’ll probably have to cut the head off the bolt and replace the nut and bolt. If so I’ll leave it for now and use the factory skid until I get the replacement parts and the time to switch it out.

I went and looked at mine yesterday after your initial post and deduced it was that one. None of the holes near it are very useful for access.
If wedging doesn't work I'd go for cutting the head off and fishing it out with a magnet. I think if you stuck the magnet in there and then put the vehicle on an incline, the remaining bolt and nut would slide right to it and catch.

 

[Blaster11]

Just happened to me recently when installing a skid plate. I ended up cutting the head off, leaving as much thread as possible, and prying the brace down as far as I could and then hit the rivnut with the welder to lock it in place. Once that was complete I heated the rivnut up with a torch, releasing the Loctite, and spun the rest of the bolt out with a pair of vise grips easily. I may have made it sound easy but it took me a while to get to that final plan....wishing you all the luck!!

 

[KevinM60]

Just happened to me recently when installing a skid plate. I ended up cutting the head off, leaving as much thread as possible, and prying the brace down as far as I could and then hit the rivnut with the welder to lock it in place. Once that was complete I heated the rivnut up with a torch, releasing the Loctite, and spun the rest of the bolt out with a pair of vise grips easily. I may have made it sound easy but it took me a while to get to that final plan....wishing you all the luck!!

Not a bad idea. I might try that one

 

[Boostnu]

Just happened to me recently when installing a skid plate. I ended up cutting the head off, leaving as much thread as possible, and prying the brace down as far as I could and then hit the rivnut with the welder to lock it in place. Once that was complete I heated the rivnut up with a torch, releasing the Loctite, and spun the rest of the bolt out with a pair of vise grips easily. I may have made it sound easy but it took me a while to get to that final plan....wishing you all the luck!!

This is a great idea! It would have been nice if jeep would have tacked them in from the factory especially using red lock tight on them. The splines on these don’t hold that great and don’t take much to round them off and let them spin.

 

[KevinM60]

Just happened to me recently when installing a skid plate. I ended up cutting the head off, leaving as much thread as possible, and prying the brace down as far as I could and then hit the rivnut with the welder to lock it in place. Once that was complete I heated the rivnut up with a torch, releasing the Loctite, and spun the rest of the bolt out with a pair of vise grips easily. I may have made it sound easy but it took me a while to get to that final plan....wishing you all the luck!!

Since I'm going to take the TC skid off anyway, once I cut the head off and remove the other mounting bolts I'll have all the access to the rivnut that I need to be able to work on it. For the heating part, instead of the torch method I like the inductive heat method shown above that keeps the heat more localized but I might use my soldering iron instead if it will heat the bolt up enough to soften the loctite.
I won't be able to get to this until next month after I get back from vacation so for now I'm using my factory TC skid and get all my tools and replacement parts on hand so I can do it all at once.

 

[KevinM60]

I ended up cutting the head off, pushing the old nut through, and replacing the nut with a serrated flange locknut.

I wasn’t expecting it to grab so good but it seated right in and torqued to spec.

 

[KMelfi]

I ended up cutting the head off, pushing the old nut through, and replacing the nut with a serrated flange locknut.

I wasn’t expecting it to grab so good but it seated right in and torqued to spec.

where did you pick that up? Need one!!!

 

[KevinM60]

where did you pick that up? Need one!!!

https://a.co/d/aNvmOCU
Amazon

 

[KMelfi]

https://a.co/d/aNvmOCU
Amazon

order placed! Thank you!!!
So you were able to get this into the frame and if seated and held the cross member in?!?!

 

[KevinM60]

order placed! Thank you!!!
So you were able to get this into the frame and if seated and held the cross member in?!?!

For the location on mine there is a hole in the frame above and a little bit aft of where I needed it that is big enough for it to fit in. A telescoping magnet can come in handy if you lose track of it. I used a little glue to hold it in
Place while I threaded it but once the ribs took hold it stayed in place enough to get it to torque spec.

 

[KMelfi]

For the location on mine there is a hole in the frame above and a little bit aft of where I needed it that is big enough for it to fit in. A telescoping magnet can come in handy if you lose track of it. I used a little glue to hold it in
Place while I threaded it but once the ribs took hold it stayed in place enough to get it to torque spec.

awesome. Shall see if it works when it gets here tomorrow.

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