Last summer I upgraded my spring/shocks to an IronMan 4x4 nitro lift and JBA UCA's. It's been nice so far but in doing the front, I stripped the passenger sway bar bolt to the frame. It was a clean clut right at the frame level. I tried heat, oil and to drill it out with an easy-out tool (Usually works for me), but it was really stuck in there and I ended up having to drill out the old thing, threads and all. I have a tap, but I think the frame is too thin there to hold a sway bar bolt. One thing led to another and I ended up leaving the sway bar off just to see how it would be. It's been 5 months or so, with noticeable changes (good and bad) to the ride and handling. I didn't see a reason to re-attach it til now. My wife and I are having a baby in about 6 months and she does not like my GX not having a sway bar. Also, I've been having nightmares that I'll have the baby in the backseat driving to who know's where, we get cutoff and... So, I want to re-attach the swaybar. Any idea on the best way to get a bolt into the box frame of the GX? I've thought of 3 solutions and I'm sure there's many more. Any input is greatly appreciated
1) Cut the section and welding in some nut inserts for the bolt. The problem I see is its quite time consuming and may needlessly compromise frame strength in that area.
2) On some Jeep forums I saw people using nut serts on old CJ frames. It seems like the quickest solution but tbh I don't have the tool and I'm not sure how strong that would hold. Last thing I want is for the sway bar mount to snap and drop on the highway from some pothole I hit.
3) I drill a hole into the side of the box frame, make a U-shaped bracket and place a nut at the bottom and bolt it all together. Sort of in the middle but I'm not sure what thickness of metal or bolt to use. Also whatever thickness of metal will angle that part of the bracket down and I'm not sure if that'll affect sway bar function.
1) Cut the section and welding in some nut inserts for the bolt. The problem I see is its quite time consuming and may needlessly compromise frame strength in that area.
2) On some Jeep forums I saw people using nut serts on old CJ frames. It seems like the quickest solution but tbh I don't have the tool and I'm not sure how strong that would hold. Last thing I want is for the sway bar mount to snap and drop on the highway from some pothole I hit.
3) I drill a hole into the side of the box frame, make a U-shaped bracket and place a nut at the bottom and bolt it all together. Sort of in the middle but I'm not sure what thickness of metal or bolt to use. Also whatever thickness of metal will angle that part of the bracket down and I'm not sure if that'll affect sway bar function.
