Thread: Strut mount bolts too short....solution?

Shawn, you could always have Mike drill the strut mount larger for studs that you can source. Just a thought.

Thats a good idea as well.

Mike explained it to me. Easy enough to understand.

Thanks for the links. Someday I shall have a clue.


Great minds...


In fact, you could take a 10 mm X 1.25 X 35 mm grade 8 button head cap screw (thanks Old Guy and Coach), and drill and tap the OEM plate to have the bolt screw into the now threaded plate.

Then you could put a dab of JB Weld on the last several threads and underside of the head, and screw it into place. Let it dry for a day. In this case, utilizing JB Weld like super-insane-lock-tite. Wipe off any threads that need cleaning before the JB Weld sets-up.

This method would not require actual welding on the plate or bolt head. Mike does not want to fatique any metal in the mount or bolt by rapidly heating it and cooling it. Perhaps being overly cautious.

Therefore, you would end up losing just a miniscule amount of "meat" on the plate around the holes, no heating and cooling, bigger, stronger, longer bolts, and the bolts are available wherever they sell metric fasteners.

Further, anybody with a drill and tap set could duplicate the effort in their garage, and the cost is neglible. Six (6) new grade-8 button head cap screws, six (6) new lock nuts, one can(s) of JB Weld.


Mike and I were pondering, discussing and cussing. Plenty of cussing.

I *think* we are going to implement our plan today. I am tied up till mid-afternoon, afterwhich I am going bolt hunting at Lowes. Then running by to see Mike.

Additional pictures and more information later today.

How To Change Out Your OEM Strut Mount Studs:

If you want to change out your factory strut mount studs, to much beefier and longer studs, with minimal hassle and expense, this is how to do it.

Total cost was eleven (11) bucks for hardware and whatever a couple small tubes of JB Weld costs. Plus a bit of time and effort. And I'm about to cut down that "effort" part considerably.

I bought six (6) 3/8 - 16 X 1 1/4 inch grade-8 button head socket screws in black oxide. Along with six (6) grade-8 locking nuts.

This is what the top of the new screws look like.



Here are the size comparisons between OEM and what I purchased.



Another stud vs. bolt comparison shot.



One more time.



Damn I love this new Cannon camera.



Looking at the ends.



Beefy new hardware all lined up with the mount.



Another angle on that one.



The new bolts fit through the bodywork and Cusco bar no problems. Just a small bit of play.



This is a 3/8 X 16 tap. It lines right up with the holes perfectly. We measured the stock OEM hole at 5/16 (standard). No prior drilling needed on the stock mount. Just line it up, eyeball it carefully, and twist it in.



The tap will self-align to a degree in the OEM hole. Then give it some careful torque and it will pull itself through.



Mike rocks, and it is through. I take pictures.



The new screw, halfway through, post tapping the mount.



Nice and flush. This is just hand tight to check it.



All three (3), halfway through.



Note a tiny-miniscule amount of space between the screw head and the mount. That goes away when you crank the hell out them after the next steps. Don't crank'em yet.



From the flipside. I love it.



Screw in all three (3) screws about halfway. Apply a liberal coat of JB Weld under the screw cap and up the first several threads. Think of the JB Weld as permanent Lock-tite.



Screw all three (3) screws in all the way. Crank them real tight. They will "seat themselves" against the strut mount perfectly flush. You should see some JB Weld on the threads as they come through the strut mount. The screw cap should squish all the excess JB Weld out of the way, use a towel to clean up the excess. Then dab some extra JB Weld around the threaded base of each screw. Up about two or three threads. Those threads will never engage anything anyways.



Finished product from the bottom. Which is facing up.



Another shot of the finished product.



Hell yes.



And that is a done deal.



Thanks to everyone for discussing this and giving me advice. It may be duh-simple to some of you guys, but I sincerely appreciate your guidance.

I am extremely happy with our collective solution.

Please let me know if you have any questions or further input.

Awesome write-up Shawn!

very nice.. I suggest you repost this in the howto section.

Thanks!

To tell the truth, I'm a little amazed that I could write-up a fix or solution for our vehicles that had not been previously documented.

Somehow, it just don't seem right.


Shucks...and....awesome!

Uh..."repost this" how exactly? Cut and paste my post with the "How To" portion? Reference this thread from the new "How To" thread with a link? Ie...I would want to document who helped with the solution.

And thanks again to you sir, Old Man, Coach, TheRealNighthog, Hank, Tommy, and the rest of the guys who chimed in. You guys gave me the direction and some excellent advice. I did the footwork and took pics.

I'd just create a new thread over there and copy & paste. If you want to reference this thread, go for it!

Looks good. I could do this with my smart car person too. Thanks.

Well....I started to cut n paste. However, upon the first "enter", when I was going to come back to this thread for some copying and pasting, I got an automatic message "Please wait till this thread gets approved by a moderator." Then my "How To" disappeared. ....

Damn.

Moderators, please understand that the "How To" was just getting started. Right now, that is one damn short "How To." Soon as you guys officially approve it, I'll finalize it.


Gracias!

I had plenty of help from "smart car" folks. Thank you and everyone else for their input.