Re: Broken Shock Bolt (Matt G. DAKSY, others)

From: DAKSY (rsmith13@nycap.rr.com)
Date: Sat Sep 06 2003 - 07:00:56 EDT


Hey, Aaron,

<snip> I know a few people have had problems with the lower front shot bolts
breaking on the ProComps. The front lower drivers side shock bolt just
broke today on my Dad's 97 4x4. It seems to me that Matt G. replaced that
bolt several times. Does anyone have a solution to this problem? Will
replacing the bolt with a grade eight solve things? Any first hand
experience would be great. <snip>

Sorry to hear that the front shock problem is back. I had problems 4 times
with the ProComps.
& for what it's worth, I torqued them to the FSM specs, WITH a
micrometer-clicker-type torque
wrench. The first time I noticed the clunk, and after a week of wondering
WTF was wrong I found that
 the bolt had merely backed out of the threaded hole in the lower support
arm.
I applied thread locker 245 & retorqued. A week (?) later the clunk was
back. That night I crawled under & KNEW where to look. Everything looked
fine, but when I checked to see if the torque was holding, the hex
head spun. It had sheared in the threaded boss. So...I drilled the old bolt
(in the process totally mahtzoing the threads) & installed Home Depot bolts.
I used the largest that would fit in the existing hole, & I modified a nut
to hold it on the back side. They broke 2X., probably because of the slop
of the bolt in the hole combined with the constant change in directional
pressure from the shock. My bad....
I decided to order Bilsteins for the front & whie I was waiting, I used
what's left of my machinist training & repaired the thread (using the
correct helicoil kit) & installed a 5$ OEM bolt from the dealer. A week
later, the freekin thing backed out & disappeared. It also backed out the
helicoil. By this time I'd received the Bilsteins,
so I removed the ProComps. I installed a new helicoil insert with thread
locker on it, the Bilsteins, & bolts with thread locker & retorqued to FSM
spec.
That was many months/miles ago & no problems.(knock on would) so far. I
would not go back to the ProComps if ya paid me, & while I'm not totally
overjoyed with the Bilsteins, at least they're staying on the DASKY.
L8r,

Bob Smith (DAKSY2K on AIM)
(maybe Tockicos...)
Averill Park, NY
2K DAK SY CC Sport + V6 4X4 5 Speed

WebPage URL: http://home.nycap.rr.com/daksy/



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Feb 06 2004 - 11:46:57 EST