Windshield hinge tips and bolt size

If you drill them out right you won't have to tap them. I've had to drill out many bolts on the body while I was repainting my Jeep and never had to tap anything. Take the old bolts with you to the hardware store and use their tester tool thing to figure out what size they are.

freeskier93 said:

If you drill them out right you won't have to tap them. I've had to drill out many bolts on the body while I was repainting my Jeep and never had to tap anything. Take the old bolts with you to the hardware store and use their tester tool thing to figure out what size they are.

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Wow, true but...how often can everything go accordingly to plan in a perfect drilling world?rilling precisely and exactly on a bolt can be a PITA!Not to mention in his part of the rust world! I would suggest purchasing first an impact driver for all your torx head situations!There worth there weight in gold!:shhh:

I just had to remove my windshield hinge bolts to add my light mounts. I used an "impact screwdriver" and they came out without any problems. I smacked the screwdriver 3-4 with a hammer and then used a ratchet to removed the bolt. I ended up replacing the bolts with some SS 1 inch long 5/16-18 counter sunk allen head bolts from he hardware store.

Here is a link to an impact screwdriver.

http://www.amazon.com/Impact-Screw-Driver-Socket-Loosen/dp/B001ABIJV0

EDIT* I didn't fully read golenjeep's post, but I'm guess an impact driver is the same thing.

GOLENJEEPTJ said:

Wow, true but...how often can everything go accordingly to plan in a perfect drilling world?rilling precisely and exactly on a bolt can be a PITA!Not to mention in his part of the rust world! I would suggest purchasing first an impact driver for all your torx head situations!There worth there weight in gold!:shhh:

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Yeah, I never said it was easy or perfect. :laugh:

3/8 air impact - rattle them right out!

GOLENJEEPTJ said:

Wow, true but...how often can everything go accordingly to plan in a perfect drilling world?rilling precisely and exactly on a bolt can be a PITA!Not to mention in his part of the rust world! I would suggest purchasing first an impact driver for all your torx head situations!There worth there weight in gold!:shhh:

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They are rusty and do not look like they will being coming out easy so i want to prepare for the worst case.
So stupid question time, Ive looked at a few impact screwdriver sets online and none of them come with a torx bit. Did you just use a standard one from like a screwdriver kit? I noticed that all the impact ones are heat treated so im sure they are made to be stronger. will a standard one do that job. What size torx is it? does anyone know? maybe ill pick up a extra one just in case.

RegionJeep said:

I just had to remove my windshield hinge bolts to add my light mounts. I used an "impact screwdriver" and they came out without any problems. I smacked the screwdriver 3-4 with a hammer and then used a ratchet to removed the bolt. I ended up replacing the bolts with some SS 1 inch long 5/16-18 counter sunk allen head bolts from he hardware store.

Here is a link to an impact screwdriver.

http://www.amazon.com/Impact-Screw-Driver-Socket-Loosen/dp/B001ABIJV0

EDIT* I didn't fully read golenjeep's post, but I'm guess an impact driver is the same thing.

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They have that exact kit at Harbor freight (i know) for 6.99 so maybe ill just pick that one up. I cant seem to find one on the craftsman site. Id rather buy a better quality one but all i can find is cheap ones. Did you use the one in the link you posted? Did it work ok?
and thank you for the bolt size, i also plan on adding some light mounts while i have it apart. I have some left over kcs from another jeep project that would look good up there.

PortMcNeillJeep said:

3/8 air impact - rattle them right out!

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I think ill pass on that one.

Arcticcat843 said:

They are rusty and do not look like they will being coming out easy so i want to prepare for the worst case.
So stupid question time, Ive looked at a few impact screwdriver sets online and none of them come with a torx bit. Did you just use a standard one from like a screwdriver kit? I noticed that all the impact ones are heat treated so im sure they are made to be stronger. will a standard one do that job. What size torx is it? does anyone know? maybe ill pick up a extra one just in case.

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Go to a sears and get a full set of Crafsman torx bits that have a lifetime warranty because eventually you will break a torx bit at some time or another.

Yeah that probably wouldn't be a bad idea, i might do that.


While we are on the subject, has anyone sandblasted and painted there stock hinges? I cant seem to find a new set. Well i can but they are either stainless (i dont want chrome and $$$) or black (also dont really want) My jeep is red and i would like red ones. I just dont know if mine are beyond repainting, they are pretty bad. Especially the hinge part for the door, the holes the door pins go into are like twice the size they should be and the door is all sloppy. I dont know if there is suppose to be like a plastic bushing in there or if mine are just shot.
Ideally i would just like to buy new ones but i dont want to spend a fortune on them either.

Arcticcat843 said:

Yeah that probably wouldn't be a bad idea, i might do that.

While we are on the subject, has anyone sandblasted and painted there stock hinges? I cant seem to find a new set. Well i can but they are either stainless (i dont want chrome and $$$) or black (also dont really want) My jeep is red and i would like red ones. I just dont know if mine are beyond repainting, they are pretty bad. Especially the hinge part for the door, the holes the door pins go into are like twice the size they should be and the door is all sloppy. I dont know if there is suppose to be like a plastic bushing in there or if mine are just shot.
Ideally i would just like to buy new ones but i dont want to spend a fortune on them either.

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I bought a cheap old extra set of hinges off ebay and sanded the living hell out of the rust on them with an orbital DA sander using 80 grit and 220 grit sandpaper. Primed them and used ACE Rust-stop gloss black paint and they look awesome. I bought the backup pair just to throw on there while I prep and professionally paint (uncle has a gun and I have paint leftover from my half doors) my TJ's hinges and now I would actually be considering just using the gloss black ones if I didn't have matched paint for my own hinges.

I guess what I'm saying is that you can actually sand through all the rust and primer and paint the hell out of an old set and actually save them. Black hinges wouldn't stand out a whole lot on a red Jeep so I'd consider the cheap fix.