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DuncanS
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2013
Posts: 4583
Location: New Hampshire
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 Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 4:32 pm Post subject: Clamshell bolt failure |
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Clamshell bolt failure--I'm sure this topic has already be covered, but can't seem to find an answer. The front bolt that holds up the clamshell, just turns and wiggles easily as it appears the captured nut on the inside of the bumper has become freed. How can I resolve this? There doesn't appear to be any access to the inside of the crash tube behind the bumper and my latch seems to be plastic and so welding a nut on the outside of the tube doesn't appear to ba an option. '91 2WD manual. Have modified the back hinge parts of the clamshell to accommodate 16" 205's but now have no way to hold the front of the clamshell up. Help.
Duncan |
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Sodo
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007
Posts: 10688
Location: Western WA
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 4:45 pm Post subject: Re: Clamshell bolt failure |
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Now you have lots of space below that crossmember.
Make a nutplate that bolts on below and the bolt extends upward into that original hole.
_________________
'90 Westy EJ25, NEW oil rings (!) 2Peloquins, 3knobs, SyncroShop pressure-oiled pinion-bearing & GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox.
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered original gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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DuncanS
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2013
Posts: 4583
Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 4:56 pm Post subject: Re: Clamshell bolt failure |
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| Thought 'o that, but the latch is so close to the bolt, that drilling and tapping an attachment hole will be a challenge. |
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DuncanS
Samba Member
Joined: October 17, 2013
Posts: 4583
Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2019 4:15 am Post subject: Re: Clamshell bolt failure |
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Any bolt-on attachment will work, but the problem is how to get the bolt out in the first place. Since the nut spins freely inside, there isn't any way to remove it other than grabbing the head with some vise grips and cutting through the bolt. At 3 in the morning I woke up and decided to have my local mechanic who did the engine swap and is good, take his plasma torch, which will remove a minimal amount of material, burn out the whole assembly. Weld the nut to the back of the plate and then weld the whole shebang back in place. This way, I don't have anything rattling round inside the crash tube.
Thanks for putting up with my stupid question. Maybe just the act of writing it down allowed me to give it more thought and come up with a solution. Apparently this is never a problem as there was no flood of suggestions as would be the case in Vanagon Syndrome.
Duncan |
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