Need transverse link bolts or car is a lawn ornament!

[woytovich]

Well Terrapin Z is correct, he found the "kit" installed in my car... and indeed the mount has been cut out to 1 1/8".

At this point I am thinking the BEST way to handle this is to go back to a stock arrangement. I need to see the surface that the stock bushing rests against on the insides of the body-side mount.

I COULD weld the 1 1/8 hole shut and redrill for the stock bolt... but I think this would be easier and maybe better:

I'm thinking I could take the washer think, weld the hole closed and then drill the proper sized hole dead center. Use a stock bushing and a bolt of the proper shaft diameter that is long enough and torque down against the steel bushing sleeve that way. Centering the bolt on both sides rather than off center like the washer is now.

Thoughts?

Mark

[Zs-ondabrain]

I didn't realize the extent that the kit requires, that you cut the hell out of your crossmember. And I just threw one away. Sorry. If you have the large hole in your crossmember, then you're stuck with that kit, as mentioned by TerrapinZ.

There's your options in a nutshell.

Dave

[Zs-ondabrain]

That's looks like an option. Weld the hole shut with some (1/8" or 3/32") steel, center drill it to the stock width hole. I can send you the correct bolts if you need. It'll cost about $25 to overnight them and you can have them by wednesday.

If you wanna go that route, let me know asap and I'll get them to the post office in the morning.

Let me know.

Dave

[woytovich]

Well I was thinking it would be faster to just weld up the cam'washer thing and use it to "fill" the big hole (drilling a recentered hole for the right bolt)... I might need a bolt that is a bit longer in that case.

Was/is the stock inside of the body side just smooth steel with a hole in it? Does the bushing ends just rest against it or is there something else there?

What allows the TA to move up/down at this end?

mark

[woytovich]

Can you tell me the bolt diameter?

And, in your opinion, does it need to have a smooth shaft and be threaded only at the end? (does it move inside the bushing steel sleeve)? Would the threads cause problems?

[Zs-ondabrain]

Stock configuration is just a hole in the crossmember, the arm and it's bushing just sit up there and the bolt holds it in place. The rubber of the stock bushing allows the arm to move up and down. That's it. plain and simple.

Nothing on the inside of the crossmember, no washers, spacers or anything like that. just the inner steel tube of the bushing, resting between the sidewalls, compressed into place when you tighten the bolt that runs through it.

Dave

[woytovich]

I think I'm going to source compatible parts here. I'm going to weld/drill the cam thing to recenter the bolt hole and I'm going to source a bolt to do the job.

I'll take photos and report back.

On a side note: how much trouble is it to replace the crossmember/body mount (to go back to true stock)?

[Zs-ondabrain]

Not that difficult if you already have one. Not exactly an off the shelf part.

Support the motor, unbolt the motor mounts, the 2 bolts on each side of the crossmember that hold it to the frame, lower it down a little, unbolt the steering rack from the crossmember then pull the crossmember out. Put the new one in and reverse the process.

Only takes about 1/2 hour if you're prepped and ready to go. Or at least that's how long it took me.

Dave

[Curtis240Z]

The crossmember is not just a single formed "upsidedown U" shape. There is an additional steel plate for either reinforcing/proper spacing. I would replace the crossmember. Just my 2 cents.

[woytovich]

So the company that makes this camber kit, Specialty Products, WILL NOT sell me replacement bolts... they will not break apart a kit... Nice... GREAT customer service

Looks like I'm going to see about welding up the cam/washers and redrilling center holes and adding my own grade 8 bolts...

Mark

[Terrapin Z]

Curtis240Z is correct in the fact that there are spot welded on washers on the inside of the cross brace. I also agree that you should replace the whole thing.

JMHO.

I'll sell you the one I have, with the bolts and nuts if you want it. It just has the ding by the rack mount.

PM if interested

Dave

[woytovich]

Well it's that washer diameter that was cut out of the brace to install this kit. The kit's washer thing sits in this 1 1/8" hole and provides a surface to torque the bushing against. I would even hazard to say that the kit's thick washer is a more solid surface to torque against...

That said I do agree that the RIGHT way is to replace the whole thing with a stock, unmolested piece... that's not going to happen here in round one... I do not feel there is a safety issue the way I'm doing it - I wouldn't do it if I felt otherwise.

I will troll for a good stock piece for the swap sometime in the future.

mark