please post things that come loose.

Feb 16, 2004 11 Replies

Make sure if you are lifted and modified to regularly do your maintenance. Most trail breaks can be avoided by keeping your nuts and bolts tightened and your rig maintained.



I have a custom built dana 44 in my XJ. It has warn alloy shafts, ARB locker, 4.56 gears, disc brakes. I put it in last year and never re tightened the U bolts. They worked their way loose and then I managed to hit some stuff so hard that I actually broke the welds on both leaf spring pads. Stepping on the gas gave me horrible drive line vibes becuase the whole axle was actually rotating and the pinion angle was all over the place. It resulted in the rear drive shaft bearing caps giving loose on the trail. My drive shaft flopped around at beat the snot out of my new muffler. Fixing the bearing caps from spares I had and over tightening the u bolts to crush the spring pads in place got me home, but just barely. When I got it home and removed the U bolts, the spring perches actually just fell off. I had to figure out the pinion angel and re weld them. I hope my crappy welds hold.



Go out and check your stuff! check things like the front track bar, it likes to come loose. After market control arms come loose too.



Can you guys think of any other common things that loosen on our jeeps? Post your thoughts here so we can all go out and tighten things up. Kevin in San Diego


Don't know if its common, but I caught a very loose nut on the drop pitman arm during a routine post-lift inspection. Dodged a bullet there.

Steve

Kev> Can you guys think of any other common things that loosen on our jeeps? Post

Loose nut behind the steering wheel?

Track bar bolts. Quick disco bolts. Bolts at the flange where your exhuast connect to the output manifold. Seat bolts....and if those are loose your wear a rip in your floorboard. The strip on the windsheald that holds the softop or windjammer in place. The bolts that hold the radiator in place, from all the bouncing....oh ya....all from experience

Nick

Good one Bill. KH

maintenance.

LOL I bet if I pulled the bolt off my drop pitman arm it still wouldnt come off. Still, a good thing to check. KH

That was my primary problem! KH

maintenance.

LOL yep. and if you have jks quick disconnects, the big lower pin bolt likes to come loose. I lost one that way. KH

Yes indeed I lost two caps to that one. KH

More that I am remembering: bolts holding clutch linkage to bellhousing, made it very difficult to get in gear(thought I needed a new clutch but was very happy to find this)

not sure how common but: bolts holding transmission to bellhousing, found that i only had two finger tight bolts holding them together shortly after I bought the Jeep!

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