Will Feather

DO NOT SELL.

CurtP

Aluminum and steel can be welded together. Ever see the construction of an Aegis class cruiser? Neat stuff.


Why wouldn't these thread repairs be acceptable? They're stronger than threads cut directly into cast aluminum. I'd opt for a TIME-SERT, but I'd be ok with a Helicoil too. If the surrounding area was compromised, I could understand. Maybe I misunderstood?


Personally, I'd take the control arm off and have a machine shop repair it with a TIME-SERT. They could also weld up the hole, drill and tap it too.

I come from a different background than most of you guys and I'm still trying to understand why you guys do some of the things you do. Not saying it's wrong, but it sure seems different. Torsion bar delete is one of these things. I could never imagine supporting the weight of the entire car on a small diameter single-shear bolt. I haven't looked too closely at the upper mount, but I'd be concerned about it as well.

Van

No. Tell me about it.

As for a thread repair, something like a helicoil or timecert would be shorter than the original depth of the thread bearing surface (these are pretty long bolts in deep holes). So, you'd have less thread engagement / load transfer. Plus, because of the tolerance stack-up (between the bolt threads to the timecert and the timecert's threads to the control arm), I think there is a greater risk of vibration induced failure or loosening in the future.

Like you say, using the rear coil over suspension instead of torsion bars is a compromise - why make the compromise even greater?

This is just my 2 cents. Take it for what it's worth! You have to fix these cars like your life depends on it - because, to some degree, it does.

CurtP

Ticonderoga-class Aegis cruisers have a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure. There is a very defined weld line where the two meet. I did a long cruise on the USS Normandy (CG-60). The Arleigh Burke-class is all steel (but retains an aluminum mast).

Both Helicoil and TIME-SERT are available in longer lengths - you don't have to stack them (stacking should never be done, IMO). Properly done, the inserts are considerably stronger than the original cut threads.

I still don't like the coil-over setup on a !torsion bar car. Either that bolt needs to be bigger, or it needs to be in double-sheer (or preferably, both). http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tabl...ted_Joint.html