rollsk8894
05-14-2014, 11:55 AM
Hi everyone whats up. I'm on here occasionally for tech advice but I seem to have ran into a bump with my s13 that I could not find any info on. Please excuse my grammar.
Well my bolts to the brace that holds the tension rod and sway bar in place just magically fell out one day. The nuts that they bolt into are tack welded into a sealed part of the frame. Since this happens to be a vital part of my car i wasted no time in coming up with a solution for the issue. Also I opted to go with larger bolts and nuts (m12x1.25) to replace stock (m10x1.25) bolts.
Keep in mind this is for a missile car and that I wasn't going to pay some asshole $500 to fix this when I have all the tools.
Moderate to Expert skill level
Estimated Time: (Roughly 3-4hrs depending on how mechanically inclined you are)
Tools Needed:
-Pneumatic circular saw
-Pneumatic sander
-Air compressor
-Sawzall (optional)
-Flat head screwdriver
-Drill w/ drill bits
-Floor Jack/ Jack stands
-3/8 drive socket wrench or larger
-17mm sockets short and deep
-6 inch socket wrench extension
-17mm wrench
-Mig or Tig welder(I used a mig)
-Two pairs of Grade 8 M12x 1.25 nuts and bolts
-One Can of black spray paint or under coating
Pretty tired so I hope I didn't leave anything necessary out. Sorry if I did.
Let's begin.
Btw I did this with the wheel still mounted to the car but you can take it off for ease of access.
First, you will want to jack up the car and secure with jack stands. Now you will proceed to remove your tension rod.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/7FB4576E-D9FC-4A68-A002-B19A3B5CDE05.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/7FB4576E-D9FC-4A68-A002-B19A3B5CDE05.jpg.html)
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/26E00304-E5E9-49B1-8396-E506F5896519.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/26E00304-E5E9-49B1-8396-E506F5896519.jpg.html)
Then you will want to grab the sander and sand the area to bare metal that you are going to cut. Then grab a marker and mark where you are going to cut. I made a 6inch wide 3 inch high cut out of the frame rail. Then grab the circular saw and begin to cut your marked area wearing safety glasses please.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/ACFAC7B9-F8FB-4AC2-9478-D8CC3F08A10E.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/ACFAC7B9-F8FB-4AC2-9478-D8CC3F08A10E.jpg.html)
Next, you will then take the drill and a 3/4inch drill bit and drill out the bolt holes to fit your newer larger bolts. One of your nuts will have to be shaved down to fit the bolt hole and frame support depending on which side of the car you are repairing. In the pictures you will see the right nut that is shaved due to that I am repairing the driver side of my 240sx and the frame support is there.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/89A7DD3C-7304-4519-B566-70DE563EF2BF_1.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/89A7DD3C-7304-4519-B566-70DE563EF2BF_1.jpg.html)
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/FE95DE56-FF76-46DF-92E1-3C7ABA099D98_1.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/FE95DE56-FF76-46DF-92E1-3C7ABA099D98_1.jpg.html)
Third, you will toque the nuts and bolts down to spec using thread lock and or teflon tape to be safe.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/E2B0B2DE-34B7-4C5A-8656-0E8873531A1E.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/E2B0B2DE-34B7-4C5A-8656-0E8873531A1E.jpg.html)
Now you have to close this hole up in the frame and you don't want them to move. So you will weld a nice bead around the edge of the nuts to secure them to the inside of the frame rail. Also you will most likely want to buy a new piece of metal to place over this gaping hole. I used a piece of mild steel about an 1/8 inch thick and slightly bigger than the hole to cover it because my original piece was pretty mangled after I was done.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/724B82F6-7CE5-4216-8827-96289F7FD1B6.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/724B82F6-7CE5-4216-8827-96289F7FD1B6.jpg.html)
Once you have the nuts welded in place. Your on the home stretch, weld the new plate you have in and once it cools throw a coat of spray paint over it so it doesn't rust. Now all you have to do is re-install your tension rod and your good to go.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/21AC6921-097F-4155-A64F-FB2624B6A7F3.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/21AC6921-097F-4155-A64F-FB2624B6A7F3.jpg.html)
Take it out for a victory lap and I'd suggest an alignment.
Well my bolts to the brace that holds the tension rod and sway bar in place just magically fell out one day. The nuts that they bolt into are tack welded into a sealed part of the frame. Since this happens to be a vital part of my car i wasted no time in coming up with a solution for the issue. Also I opted to go with larger bolts and nuts (m12x1.25) to replace stock (m10x1.25) bolts.
Keep in mind this is for a missile car and that I wasn't going to pay some asshole $500 to fix this when I have all the tools.
Moderate to Expert skill level
Estimated Time: (Roughly 3-4hrs depending on how mechanically inclined you are)
Tools Needed:
-Pneumatic circular saw
-Pneumatic sander
-Air compressor
-Sawzall (optional)
-Flat head screwdriver
-Drill w/ drill bits
-Floor Jack/ Jack stands
-3/8 drive socket wrench or larger
-17mm sockets short and deep
-6 inch socket wrench extension
-17mm wrench
-Mig or Tig welder(I used a mig)
-Two pairs of Grade 8 M12x 1.25 nuts and bolts
-One Can of black spray paint or under coating
Pretty tired so I hope I didn't leave anything necessary out. Sorry if I did.
Let's begin.
Btw I did this with the wheel still mounted to the car but you can take it off for ease of access.
First, you will want to jack up the car and secure with jack stands. Now you will proceed to remove your tension rod.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/7FB4576E-D9FC-4A68-A002-B19A3B5CDE05.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/7FB4576E-D9FC-4A68-A002-B19A3B5CDE05.jpg.html)
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/26E00304-E5E9-49B1-8396-E506F5896519.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/26E00304-E5E9-49B1-8396-E506F5896519.jpg.html)
Then you will want to grab the sander and sand the area to bare metal that you are going to cut. Then grab a marker and mark where you are going to cut. I made a 6inch wide 3 inch high cut out of the frame rail. Then grab the circular saw and begin to cut your marked area wearing safety glasses please.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/ACFAC7B9-F8FB-4AC2-9478-D8CC3F08A10E.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/ACFAC7B9-F8FB-4AC2-9478-D8CC3F08A10E.jpg.html)
Next, you will then take the drill and a 3/4inch drill bit and drill out the bolt holes to fit your newer larger bolts. One of your nuts will have to be shaved down to fit the bolt hole and frame support depending on which side of the car you are repairing. In the pictures you will see the right nut that is shaved due to that I am repairing the driver side of my 240sx and the frame support is there.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/89A7DD3C-7304-4519-B566-70DE563EF2BF_1.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/89A7DD3C-7304-4519-B566-70DE563EF2BF_1.jpg.html)
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/FE95DE56-FF76-46DF-92E1-3C7ABA099D98_1.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/FE95DE56-FF76-46DF-92E1-3C7ABA099D98_1.jpg.html)
Third, you will toque the nuts and bolts down to spec using thread lock and or teflon tape to be safe.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/E2B0B2DE-34B7-4C5A-8656-0E8873531A1E.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/E2B0B2DE-34B7-4C5A-8656-0E8873531A1E.jpg.html)
Now you have to close this hole up in the frame and you don't want them to move. So you will weld a nice bead around the edge of the nuts to secure them to the inside of the frame rail. Also you will most likely want to buy a new piece of metal to place over this gaping hole. I used a piece of mild steel about an 1/8 inch thick and slightly bigger than the hole to cover it because my original piece was pretty mangled after I was done.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/724B82F6-7CE5-4216-8827-96289F7FD1B6.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/724B82F6-7CE5-4216-8827-96289F7FD1B6.jpg.html)
Once you have the nuts welded in place. Your on the home stretch, weld the new plate you have in and once it cools throw a coat of spray paint over it so it doesn't rust. Now all you have to do is re-install your tension rod and your good to go.
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g307/rollsk8894/Mobile%20Uploads/21AC6921-097F-4155-A64F-FB2624B6A7F3.jpg (http://s59.photobucket.com/user/rollsk8894/media/Mobile%20Uploads/21AC6921-097F-4155-A64F-FB2624B6A7F3.jpg.html)
Take it out for a victory lap and I'd suggest an alignment.