Earth bolt under the Rad is stripped

[cinquecento]

Hi all...

Looking for some engineering advice.. I have a stripped thread in the frame where the bolt that holds the Front part of the chassis to the frame and that also seconds as the earthing point on the front driver side goes.

As this is under the rad (who ever designed that!!!) I will pull the rad out.. and then my current plan is to insert a dyna bolt.. at least that will give me a new thread to tighten up things.

Any other ideas?? ... many thanks

[Ballistic Banana]

Hi Lindsay How are you down in that loverly part of the world.you lucky lucky man

Are you sure its stripped. If its anything like where the expansion tank sits on the cross memember of the chassis it will be a threaded insert that is welded/Glued in. Which if you think about it, it possible is because that part you are on about is the rectangular part of the chassis and the end of also. So if its a threaded part of the chassis it would only be a few turns of thread(the thickness of chassis tube)? ( dose that make sense? ) which brings me back to thinking its a threaded insert that may be spinning within the hole in the chassis it shoukld be welded/glued into.

maybe contact someone like Ian at sportmotive who has rebuilt a few of these cars and has had to bolt a new nose to chassis

I really do hope that all makes sense Lindsay ...I have a had acouple of fosters Mate

BB

[shpub]

I had that bolt shear on me. Drilled it out, retapped and fitted a new one. Access was very difficult even with the rad removed. Long extensions from the front was the only way I found. Moved the earth connection to the bolts that hold the expansion tank. Extended the lead by bolting on a replacement and then wrapping the joint in self amalgamating tape to seal it.

[plasticman]

It is not an insert it ia a nut welded onto the inside of a plate on the end of the chassis . The simplest solution is to tap it out to M12 instead of M10 and use a bigger bolt . This is the one of two bolts that secures the front of the body to the chassis so needs to be reasonably strong . you will need an extended handle for the tap as you will not be able to turn a standard one due to the proimity of the body , David

[Ballistic Banana]

Hey Plasticman I heard today my sister was admiring one of your great jobs? although she told you I had a Chimeara You would have been better of speaking to my Nephew who was with her

BB

[seasider]

Ballistic Banana said:

although she told you I had a Chimeara

BB

That must be the 158

Along with that slow colour

[cinquecento]

Thanks for all the replies!!!!

[plasticman]

I was pretty sure they were talking about you though I have never seen your car around !

[cinquecento]

May I ask for one extra bit of info.. what is the suggested torque rating for doing up this bolt... fairly high I would imagine as it holds the front of the car together!!. I'm looking into getting it drilled and tapped.. or possibily a helicoil insert fitted.. but need the torque rating/estimate.. thanks

[aussie john]

G,day mate, I dont think you should really reef it up, I never had any bolts on my various lotus come loose, I dont think they support the body but only locate it. good luck, John.

[seasider]

cinquecento said:

what is the suggested torque rating for doing up this bolt...

aussie john said:

G,day mate, I dont think you should really reef it up, I never had any bolts on my various lotus come loose, I dont think they support the body but only locate it. good luck, John.

I have just cleaned mine when putting in a nice new ally rad

I went for tight + a bit more

sorry mate

[cinquecento]

Just to close this off... I used some Permatex Stripped Thread Repair stuff...seems to have done the trick in repairing the thread.

Moved the earth to somewhere sensible too!!