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Everything you said makes sense, except the geometry part.
This bolt takes all of the torque from the sway bar doing it's job, isn't it, or am I not understanding where the force from a sway bar goes?
BTW, thanks for your input
David
The bolt is strongest in tension, being pulled along its length, if the bolt backs out a little and there is a side load on it, especially cyclical it is much weaker. The threads also create a great place to start a stress crack across.
You could replace with 12.9 bolts but if there are cyclical side loads on they might still crack the same.
That’s a high strength bolt. It’s not common for them to break. Install at OEM torque. Make sure the large diameter of the spacer is against the bracket on the shock. Also make sure the bolt is tightened all the way, and not hitting the shock. It shouldn’t break again. Blue Loctite if you’re worried about it coming loose. Make sure the swaybar is not contacting the toe link, it looks close in your pictures.
Ira
Ira,
First, thanks for getting the bolt and spacer shipped to me quickly, I appreciate it.
Second, this is a picture of the left side, is what your referring to the larger diameter side of the spacer goes against the bracket on the strut?
Third, darn it, I just went to parts store to get some titanium drill bits and picked up Red 271 Loctite , should I get something different?
Forth, are you thinking, maybe lengthening both side drop links for more clearance?
David
The bolt is strongest in tension, being pulled along its length, if the bolt backs out a little and there is a side load on it, especially cyclical it is much weaker. The threads also create a great place to start a stress crack across.
You could replace with 12.9 bolts but if there are cyclical side loads on they might still crack the same.
Chris
Is the 12.9 , is that what track cars usally use instead of 10.9?
I am not sure what the sway bar is doing when the car is launched from a standing stop, ie. at a drag strip.
The new Porsches have launch control, my car has a Evoms Stage IV tune with a 5k launch.
The car only squats for a very brief time, then accelerates smoothly with no wheel hope, previously, before Techart Springs, Sway bars and Bilsten B8s, there was a good amount of wheel hop.
During straight line acceleration, no force is generated by the sway bar, no matter how fast or hard, or amount of squat. The only time a sway bar generates any force is when the car leans in a corner.
Yes, it looks correct in the picture. Red Loctite will work, but it will be difficult to remove it. Just use a very small amount. Lengthen the link if needed to insure the bar doesn't touch the toe link. It looks close in the picture. Contact there can generate a lot of force. I have longer links if needed.
Yes, it looks correct in the picture. Red Loctite will work, but it will be difficult to remove it. Just use a very small amount. Lengthen the link if needed to insure the bar doesn't touch the toe link. It looks close in the picture. Contact there can generate a lot of force. I have longer links if needed.
The saga continues
Had the car on a lift today, over an hour with right angle drill.
The titanium drill bits worked ok, but the EZ out would not grab the broken section of bolt left in the strut.
Considered drilling larger and retap but the bit keep sliding and would of started to obround the hole.
Made the decision to pull the strut out and attack it out of the car.
Find a small brazing tip and heat the bolt remains and only the remains, let it cool. Once it has cooled off it should come out. If not repeat the process. Can be done in place if you are careful.
Yes the broken bolt was stuck in the nut that is welded into the strut bottom with no room to drive it through. My mechanic used an air hammer to break the nut and bolt remnant off the strut. Easily done as the strut nut is just spot welded on. Then we just used another nut to attach the link.
This was the drivers side. Passenger side was fine but we replaced both.
Yes the broken bolt was stuck in the nut that is welded into the strut bottom with no room to drive it through. My mechanic used an air hammer to break the nut and bolt remnant off the strut. Easily done as the strut nut is just spot welded on. Then we just used another nut to attach the link.
This was the drivers side. Passenger side was fine but we replaced both.
So he must have gone up through the hole in the bottom of the strut bracket, in order to punch off the nut?
We considered that same move, from what can be seen with small mirror, is that there is two spot welds on the nut.
How difficult was it to break off?
Thanks
David
If it were my car, I'd try less destructive stuff first and progress to taking that captive nut off with a chisel.
Once the strut is out of the car and you can put it in a drill press, you have more precision options.
I'd try heating and cooling - especially if the original install involved red loctite (it needs a lot of heat to break), and even if it didn't have loctite, heating and cooling can cause corrosion to let loose. If that didn't work, I'd try to let some good penetrating oil soak for a couple of days, then go at it with a properly centered LEFT HAND twist drill. You get multiple benefits - if it catches, sometimes is spins the fastener remnants out. Make sure you use a good sharp drill with cooling lubricant at slow speeds appropriate for metal - the last thing you want is the metal to work harden. Even if it doesn't spin out with the drill, you can still continue to drill until you are at the threads, and then chase them out with a properly sized tap. 9 times out of 10 you are done there. Worst comes to worst you can knock the captive nut off and start fresh, with either a loose nut, or a nut tacked to the inside of the housing.
Oh, and for my last two cents - throw those easy outs in the trash. They cause more hassle than help. In my experience, they're hardened and brittle and prone to snap. If you've ever had one break one off in a snapped bolt and had to drill it out you know what a nightmare they can be.
If it were my car, I'd try less destructive stuff first and progress to taking that captive nut off with a chisel.
Once the strut is out of the car and you can put it in a drill press, you have more precision options.
I'd try heating and cooling - especially if the original install involved red loctite (it needs a lot of heat to break), and even if it didn't have loctite, heating and cooling can cause corrosion to let loose. If that didn't work, I'd try to let some good penetrating oil soak for a couple of days, then go at it with a properly centered LEFT HAND twist drill. You get multiple benefits - if it catches, sometimes is spins the fastener remnants out. Make sure you use a good sharp drill with cooling lubricant at slow speeds appropriate for metal - the last thing you want is the metal to work harden. Even if it doesn't spin out with the drill, you can still continue to drill until you are at the threads, and then chase them out with a properly sized tap. 9 times out of 10 you are done there. Worst comes to worst you can knock the captive nut off and start fresh, with either a loose nut, or a nut tacked to the inside of the housing.
Oh, and for my last two cents - throw those easy outs in the trash. They cause more hassle than help. In my experience, they're hardened and brittle and prone to snap. If you've ever had one break one off in a snapped bolt and had to drill it out you know what a nightmare they can be.
Our last attempt was with a left hand drill bit, it must have been a little dull, it started to walk and did not want to oblong the hole.
Appointment for Tuesday is scheduled to pull strut, I really don't want to go through the expense of removing/installing and then another alignment.
Yes, I have had the pleasure of breaking an ez-out, you can really come up with some creative cruse words when that happens.
08-25-2017, 05:53 PM
