Drilling out YJ windshield hinges for CJ mirrors

The screws thread only into the hinge - very short screws. They are somewhere around a 1/4-24 X 3/8" in size. You would probably want to take the hinge off to drill and tap it.

-- JimG

On or about Sun, 30 Nov 2003, snipped-for-privacy@columbus.rr.com of snipped-for-privacy@columbus.r...:

The threaded holes for the mirror mounts on my `79 CJ-5 do not extend into the body. The screws are quite short and only are as deep as the hinge is thick.

Wow! Thanks for the tip. I'm trying to figure what size bolts I need...obviously that's pretty shallow but I guess only a few threads are needed...not like the mirrors weigh that much. Allen

snipped-for-privacy@columbus.r...:

If your going to take them off, why not just use a set of CJ hinges as they are the same as the YJ, just with the holes you need already there....good idea on the mirrors by the way, even with no doors, you will have mirrors.

I don't want to buy another set of hinges...I'd rather buy just the bolts ;-) My jeep is already eating me out of house and home!

Good call. I just checked a mail-order catalogue and they list the hinges as fitting "1976-95 CJ & YJ Wrangler. /Includes mirror holes/"

I guess it depends on how badly rusted the existing hinge screws are and if ABanks' time is worth US$60, plus shipping and handling.

Depending on how old your YJ is you might be very thankful that you pulled the old hinges completely off. The rust behind mine was insane compared to the rest of the body. Literally 99.9 percent of the rust on my YJ's body was behind the windshield hinges.

I pulled my hinges off too to check that. It's a YJ tub on a CJ and wasn't sure which windshild they used. But everything looks real good and solid. Allen