What did you do TO your Gladiator today? [ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS, NO GUN TALK]

[johnchabin]

I crossed the 10.9 stamped on the bolt head… correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s about a grade 8 bolt. I’d be drilling it out with a small carbide bit as a pilot hole to see if you get anywhere. Then a bigger hole. Then a spiral extractor.

Someone else here may see it differently.

At least it’s pretty accessible!

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[DanW]

I crossed the 10.9 stamped on the bolt head… correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s about a grade 8 bolt. I’d be drilling it out with a small carbide bit as a pilot hole to see if you get anywhere. Then a bigger hole. Then a spiral extractor.

Someone else here may see it differently.

At least it’s pretty accessible!

Yeah, if I was going to break one, location-wise, this is not too bad.

 

[MassAppeal16]

Finally got my RSE steps on. Been a battle with missing parts. No fault of RSE (Ian was awesome) but the company I bought them through kept giving me the run around. Like the way they look but the clunk sound when they retract will take some getting used to.

 

[Greg_L]

Yeah, if I was going to break one, location-wise, this is not too bad.

All good suggestions so far....but before you try potentially destructive things like drilling and welding, try just tapping it little by little with a small punch and hammer.

I'm a former machinist and drag race engine builder. I've removed thousands of broken bolts from terrible places with just a punch, a hammer, and patience. The location of your broken bolt is actually pretty fortunate.

Now, if the simple method doesn't work....then go ahead and try the other methods. Sure drilling it out is possible and pretty easy in a driveway. But if you go off center or god-forbid break the bit...more headache.

I'd actually opt for the weld-a-nut option if you can. Those bolts aren't that tight and that should get the stub out very cleanly with no drill shavings or damage elsewhere.

Another drill-related option....use a reverse bit. You can drill it in reverse and that process very well could just pull the bolt out all on it's own.

 

[KevinM60]

A buddy that has a great deal of experience told me that there is a kit I can buy at an auto store called an easy extractor or something like that. But he did say it might be tough, even with that.

I´m praying that enough is sticking out to use vice grips, but I don´t think that is the case.

Thank you for the advice and tips!

This will be my first experience doing this kind of thing. So the positive is that I will learn from it.

I read somewhere, maybe out of a Jeep service manual, that you can´t re-use the cover bolts once they´ve been used. So is that true? Do I need to buy new bolts? I sure hope not. I do still have all the old bolts from the stock cover, so I could sub one of those in once I get the broken one out.

Make sure to drill dead center on that bolt. Going off center could drill into the housing, damage the threads and make it nearly impossible to get the bolt out without an elox. Not something you want to have to do.

 

[WILDHOBO]

A buddy that has a great deal of experience told me that there is a kit I can buy at an auto store called an easy extractor or something like that. But he did say it might be tough, even with that.

I´m praying that enough is sticking out to use vice grips, but I don´t think that is the case.

Thank you for the advice and tips!

This will be my first experience doing this kind of thing. So the positive is that I will learn from it.

I read somewhere, maybe out of a Jeep service manual, that you can´t re-use the cover bolts once they´ve been used. So is that true? Do I need to buy new bolts? I sure hope not. I do still have all the old bolts from the stock cover, so I could sub one of those in once I get the broken one out.

The extractor kits are the right method, but are not easy.

 

[WILDHOBO]

All good suggestions so far....but before you try potentially destructive things like drilling and welding, try just tapping it little by little with a small punch and hammer.

I'm a former machinist and drag race engine builder. I've removed thousands of broken bolts from terrible places with just a punch, a hammer, and patience. The location of your broken bolt is actually pretty fortunate.

Now, if the simple method doesn't work....then go ahead and try the other methods. Sure drilling it out is possible and pretty easy in a driveway. But if you go off center or god-forbid break the bit...more headache.

I'd actually opt for the weld-a-nut option if you can. Those bolts aren't that tight and that should get the stub out very cleanly with no drill shavings or damage elsewhere.

Another drill-related option....use a reverse bit. You can drill it in reverse and that process very well could just pull the bolt out all on it's own.

Very good suggestions.

 

[Shibbyjeep]

Installed my Warn VR 10-S I recently purchased with a 40% off coupon code.

 

[yoda13]

Changed the oil…

 

[Jeepmonster]

Got new door pockets on Amazon. Much better than the net pockets, which were starting to stretch and lose elasticity. These are nice because the front part isn't so wide (to hold drinks) that my leg rubs on it.

Update 10-20-24: Need to replace these with slim ones, which is unfortunate because these are so nice to have extra storage without rubbing up against my legs. Wife can't drive the Jeep because seat won't slide forward. Thought about cutting notches, but don't want to put that much work into it and risk really hacking it up.

 

[Minty JL]

Damn. That's a lot of driving.

Yeah been a busy two weeks as the acting MD Team Lead. This was effectively my dry run to assume the position in the 3-6 months. Come January I'll be officially rated as a Senior Field Ops Engineer then shortly after that MD Team Lead of Field Operations. Love the job and the company is fuckin amazing.

 

[JTGuy]

Installed my MC rear sway bar bracket braces after a coat of black paint. Now that rear sway bar is solid back there. Possibly my last mod to it.

 

[Rusty PW]

Going over the JT for our trip to Denver next week. Think it needed an air filter. Only 43,000 miles on the oem one. Surprised that it didn't throw a code as sensitive as the ecu is on the diesel.

 

[KDerekT83]

Finally got around to installing a set of steel fenders..... Really liking this look. To me, it makes the truck look like it might have a set of balls.

 

[Dp7]

Installed my poop tent

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