Decided to install my JLP traction bars today. I got almost know where on it. jacked it up, took the tires off, took the drivers side leaf spring bracket off, went to put on my JLP top bracket, ubolts and lower bracket and hit the wall. The nuts went on real hard. Put the rachet to them and got them on a ways (struggling the whole way). decided to pull them back off and wire brush the u bolts cuz they were rusty. Well, let just say once I got the nut back to the bottom of the threads they stopped. Had to use a breaker bar to move them. Before I got the first but off I twisted the threaded part of the U bolt clean off. The other 3 nuts didnt want to come off so I hit them with the impact and they didnt move. Cut the other ubolt off with an angle grinder.

The nuts are a locking nut (not nylon, they are stamped at the end to put force on the bolt). I cleaned up the other u bolts and tryed to put the nuts on them, but the would only go on 1-2 turns by hand. So I would assume the nuts are bunk and were smashed way to hard.

Anyone else have this problem? I wish John was around, but he is in Florida racing and wont be back till the 16th. I really hope he will take care of this problem.

Chris

 

Mine went on a little hard but not to that extreme I just figured that was the way they were kind of like a nut used on rocker arms

 

No problems with my installation. Sorry to hear of the difficulty. John has another number on his voice message to call. Try that first before getting too frustrated. I think it is 410 259 8737, check his web sight.

D-Day

Good Luck!

 

One of my U-bolts needed to be replaced due to a similar scenario and JL got one out to me asap.

Impact wrench on this installation is HIGHLY unadviseable.

Sorry about your trouble.

Bob

 

I had pretty much the same exact problem, including having to cut the ubolt on the one side after I broke the other. I called and talked to Johnny. He sent me new ubolts and nuts and told me to lubricate them a little with anti-sieze. I haven't had a chance to try it again, but give him a call, he'll take care of you

 

I figured John would take care of the problem. Seems like a stand up guy. I am sorta releaved to hear its not just me, but sux that we have had these problems. Oh well, as long as I can get them on, everything will be fine.

Chris

 

zero issues on my install, 4 hours start to finish. Good luck, Todd

 

My install went fine except I drilled my wire harnes on the driver side!
Before you drill the holes for the front bracket make sure your wire harnes is out of the way.

Suavy

 

Jakhammer, when we get back from fla. we'll take care of this. the problem we have seen with this. is 99% of the time is when an Impact gun is used it starts to bounce the u-bolt around the inside of the bracket. the threads get smashed.and when the nut gets to the smashed part of the threads this is where it gets jammed. we reccomend using anti-sieze compund to lubricate the threads 1st. then only use hand tools to tighten the bolts. If you use this method you shouldn't encounter any issues..give me a few days to get back to the shop and we'll get you fixed up...JL

 

Johnny, we started out with hand tools, but had to put major effort into turning the nuts. Just before we tryed to pull them off we used a torque wrench set to 75ft lbs and it was clicking before they moved and I still needed to run the nuts up a good 1/2 inch on the u bolts before they were tight. No air tools came out until we couldnt get the nuts back off. It was a last ditch effort that didnt work. I tried all the nuts and they are all the same. Its almost like the nuts got stamped way to hard when they were made. When threaded onto the u bolts (ran a nut on a good u bolt with it out of the truck) and the threads of the bolt almost even with the top of the nut, I can see the whole it oblong. As my buddy said when we put the stock pieces back on, "Its a good thing I was working on that power steering pump (for his mud truck) cuz I would have just cut the stock u bolts off." Im glad he had another little project to keep him busy. lol.

Thanks for dropping in on this Johnny. I didnt know if you would be online while in Florida, but I sure hoped you would be.

I am still very happy with the bars though. Great construction and the guys that have seen them so far have been blown away. I have a waiting list for rides once they go on. lol.

Chris
ps, hows the racing?