While tearing down the front suspension on my 66 this weekend I noticed that the "Unisteer" rack and pinion kits mounting brace bolt was loose by about 5/16"(hence some of the banging around while driving). I removed the R&P unit and the brace I noticed the upper threads on the loose bolt were damaged. Then I checked the threads of the welded in nut inside the frame that usually mounts the crossmember and noticed that the nut wiggled a bit while chasing the threads with the bolt that was not damaged from the other side. My guess is that the weld on the nut is going to break and spin as soon as I put any real torque on it. I have read quite a few posts about this type of "challenge" but I still have a couple of questions on this one.
1. Because the nut is still in place is there anything I can do to save it without cutting/welding? (I read in a previous post that a good welder could weld it in place from outside the frame??)
2. Also read that these bolts are tapered and need to be special ordered?
3. Not sure about these bolts? ie. came with car or R&P kit.
Thanks for the info on the bolts. I wonder if the tapered bolt still needs to be used being that the R&P bracket replaces the stock cross member? Also still not sure what to do about the semi loose nut inside the frame rail?
Unless the rack manufacturer is nutz, you need the special bolts. And yes, the car will drive very badly without a crossbar of some kind at that point.
Try running a tap through it, slowly and with lots of high surfer cutting oil... Home depot has the dark cutting oil in the black pipe section.
The tap needs to be a 1/2-13... The tapered shoulder is there to help center the brace (whatever type you are using). You can use a normal bolt if the hole in your brace has a tight enough tolerance to not slide around under load. But the tapered bolts are cheap enough already so why not just buy new ones right?
Also, run a die over the OEM bolts that you are using to mount the brace.....
So, in a nutshell:
1. Run a 1/2-13 tap through the bolt holes on your car with some dark cutting oil.
2. Run a die over your 1/2-13 OEM bolts using dark cutting oil.
3. Clean off the bolts and the threaded nuts on the car with some canned brake cleaner (to blast away all the chips and gunk).
4. Apply some anti-seize to the bolts and reinstall.
5. Do a happy dance if this solves your problem...
For the last 10,000ish miles my 66 has had a stud and nut on the passenger side and the crossmember skewed slightly forward and a self taping 3/8s bolt run in on the drivers side because someone before I got the car thought that was a good fix ,I've since drilled and retaped the broken bolt .An today the mailman brought me these
If it were me, I'd tack that nut in place FIRST, then run a cleaning tap (not a cutting tap) to restore the threads, and grab a couple new 1/2-11 bolts in Grade 5 to replace your damaged one(s) and use with a flat washer and secure the bracket in place using RED 271 Threadlocker on the bolts.
You DON'T want to use the OE crossmember bolts as they are made to fit a corresponding "countersink" in the crossmember and if used on your bracket will create a pinch-point on the shaft of the bolt where the entire load will be focused.
I understand the fear you have of breaking the nut loose .I could see the one I was working on move and I was a little nervous as well.I think it is more of a captured nut versus a welded nut. maybe kinda like how the nut on the fender to rocker panel is?Maybe something like this ,but I'm only guessing www.cjponyparts.com/fender-to-cowl-nut/p/3http:// bigger of course
Thanks on the bolts bartl, that was my thought. 2nd 66, I guess I'll have to hope the nut is captured somehow inside the frame and doesn't break free because that is a really crumby place to have to cut and patch the frame.
Thanks again guys and wish me luck. I'll let you know how it goes.
I understand the fear you have of breaking the nut loose .I could see the one I was working on move and I was a little nervous as well.I think it is more of a captured nut versus a welded nut. maybe kinda like how the nut on the fender to rocker panel is?Maybe something like this ,but I'm only guessing www.cjponyparts.com/fender-to-cowl-nut/p/3http:// bigger of course
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