AO

Good call. Just looked at the package... 1.75. I'll have to see if I find a 1.5.

Bill Ball

12 x 1.5 are available, obviously, but just not at your local hardware store. I tried to find it once. Buy online and after shipping and fussing with it to make to proper point, you're about even with the Porsche part.

AO

Ok... I give up. Sometimes it doesn't pay to be a cheap bastard - other times it does. This is NOT one of those times.

Looked at a few hardware stores. 12mm 1.75 pitch or 1.25 pitch is easy to find. Just no 1.5.

Figured I better cut my loses and just order it. Thanks everyone. I'll let know how things turn out.

Bill Ball

You think Dr. Porsche ordered that thread pitch to frustrate us DIY guys?

H2

How much is your time looking for a bolt and modifying it worth? That has to be factored in. However, if it's your hobby and you have the time, that's a whole different case. When I try to find my own solutions, I too often end up damaging something or spending an inordinate amount of time on the task.

H2

Garth S

Cheer up - at least it's not a left hand pitch! M12x1.5 is also the thread of the oem motor mounts - which sent me scurring for common nylocks in M12x1.75 for the #2698 mounts.
Andrew, if you have an old M Mount around, snap off the stud and do a screwdriver slot on the cut end, etc ...

Bill Ball

H2, you speak the truth. We told Andrew this was probably futile or at least not worth the trouble. Let's keep pummeling him. :-) However, Garth maybe just saved Andrew's DIY pride. The stuff you learn here. Where did I put those old motor mounts?

AO

My mounts are good (still). I thought about looking for another bolt with the same size/pitch that I could use for dual purpose, but that would have been way too much work. Andy what if I had f'ed it up in the process of making my "kewl tool"? I would have felt really bad then. The harware stores were on my home (depending on the route I took home from work). so no real time lost there.

Thanks for the enlightenment, fellas.

Steve J.

I found the 12x1.5 at NAPA for about a buck.

AO

My pride.... ouch my pride. I'll have to take it out of my kids allowance.

jpitman2

The other thing you need for repeatability is that the whole spindle assembly is in EXACTLY the same place in space for your laser markings to be worth anything. I would bet that between making the laser marks and finishing the ball joint job things will have been bumped around in terms of the supports under the lower arm, their clamps (hardest part for me on this job was changing the bottom shock support) etc. It certainly will get you closer to the original set up than anything else I can think of, but I would still do an alignment asap afterwards.
jp 83 Euro S AT 48k, BTDT

Bill Ball

NAPA. Wouldn't you know it. I wish there were one closer to home.

Garth S

One could always take a piece of rod stock and lay out the lines with a 1.5mm thread gauge: two evenings with a needle file should have the threads cut ....

PS. Bill, H2, et al What say we take a collection and have DR send the Porsche 'tool' to Andrew's wife: it could be left under the pillow as a 'tooth fairy' kind of thing ... -otherwise, I'll feel honour bound to come up with another wacko idea.

Bill Ball

LOL! Good one, Garth. Sometimes we are pennywise and dollar foolish.

AO

Damn if that's not the story of my life! LOL!