Cross Brace
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
From: cambridge UK Cambs
Cross Brace
Hi
I have finally ( after 3 years) had a good look at my cross brace and got a bit of a shock.
On the drivers side rear 2 of the bolts and the spacer block is missing and it looks like the thread is gone in the holes as well, and on the front one bolt will only tighten finger tight, urgh.
Is there a standard 'fix' for problems like this ? The obvious one of welding some nuts onto the frame doesn't sound like a great idea with all that GRP around and I cant see how you can get above the hole to use a caged nut .
All ideas would be gratefully received
thanks for the help
Barry
I have finally ( after 3 years) had a good look at my cross brace and got a bit of a shock.
On the drivers side rear 2 of the bolts and the spacer block is missing and it looks like the thread is gone in the holes as well, and on the front one bolt will only tighten finger tight, urgh.
Is there a standard 'fix' for problems like this ? The obvious one of welding some nuts onto the frame doesn't sound like a great idea with all that GRP around and I cant see how you can get above the hole to use a caged nut .
All ideas would be gratefully received
thanks for the help
Barry
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,485
Likes: 2
From: Champaign, IL
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by The Hobbit
Hi
The obvious one of welding some nuts onto the frame doesn't sound like a great idea with all that GRP around and I cant see how you can get above the hole to use a caged nut .
The obvious one of welding some nuts onto the frame doesn't sound like a great idea with all that GRP around and I cant see how you can get above the hole to use a caged nut .
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,490
Likes: 68
From: Hewitt NJ
Well sounds like the best solution is to drill out the threads and install the appropiate size nutcert (threaded inserts). That will give you a very strong mounting point again w/o the need to weld.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 11,182
Likes: 2
From: Almost all Skyline Cruises Vettes at Waterside 1-5
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Originally Posted by The Hobbit
Hi
I have finally ( after 3 years) had a good look at my cross brace and got a bit of a shock.
On the drivers side rear 2 of the bolts and the spacer block is missing and it looks like the thread is gone in the holes as well, and on the front one bolt will only tighten finger tight, urgh.
Is there a standard 'fix' for problems like this ? The obvious one of welding some nuts onto the frame doesn't sound like a great idea with all that GRP around and I cant see how you can get above the hole to use a caged nut .
All ideas would be gratefully received
thanks for the help
Barry
I have finally ( after 3 years) had a good look at my cross brace and got a bit of a shock.
On the drivers side rear 2 of the bolts and the spacer block is missing and it looks like the thread is gone in the holes as well, and on the front one bolt will only tighten finger tight, urgh.
Is there a standard 'fix' for problems like this ? The obvious one of welding some nuts onto the frame doesn't sound like a great idea with all that GRP around and I cant see how you can get above the hole to use a caged nut .
All ideas would be gratefully received
thanks for the help
Barry
In the meanwhile here's a bump
I am curious, didn't things rattle? didn't chassis feel a little loose over bumps?
seeya
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,726
Likes: 46
From: Waukesha WI
St. Jude Donor '15
The prevoius owner of my 90 vert messed up a few of the holes too. For the two worst ones I punched out the factory nutserts and had a shop weld a 1/4" (I think) steel plate over it which I drilled and tapped.
I think I am going to have to do that to the rest of the holes since most of them are screwed up to varying degrees.
I think I am going to have to do that to the rest of the holes since most of them are screwed up to varying degrees.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,801
Likes: 2
From: Amarillo TX
Barry,
The nutserts that we use to mount our Cross-frame might solve your problem. To install them, you would have to drill the hole out to 17/32". Then you could use new 3/8" bolts of the proper lenght to re-attach your factory brace.
Give me a call if I can help.
Dave
The nutserts that we use to mount our Cross-frame might solve your problem. To install them, you would have to drill the hole out to 17/32". Then you could use new 3/8" bolts of the proper lenght to re-attach your factory brace.
Give me a call if I can help.
Dave
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 339
Likes: 0
From: cambridge UK Cambs
ToyC4
GRP is an oldish term for Fiberglass (Glass Reinforced Plastic )
Dale1990
I would be worried about welding as the body is so flammable, has anyone else got any views on this ?
Jackdaroofer
The car has a few rattles, but no more than any other old vert I have been in, luckily all of the mounting point have at least 1 decent bolt.
R-D Racing / Admiral94
How do these 'nutserts' work? are they like helicoils or are they press fit ?
Thanks for all of the help guys, This is the sort of thing you can't find in a book
Barry
GRP is an oldish term for Fiberglass (Glass Reinforced Plastic )
Dale1990
I would be worried about welding as the body is so flammable, has anyone else got any views on this ?
Jackdaroofer
The car has a few rattles, but no more than any other old vert I have been in, luckily all of the mounting point have at least 1 decent bolt.
R-D Racing / Admiral94
How do these 'nutserts' work? are they like helicoils or are they press fit ?
Thanks for all of the help guys, This is the sort of thing you can't find in a book
Barry
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Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
Do go with the nutserts, they're great although if you use the installation tool that works like a rivet gun you'll have to have a pair of strong hands. I was worn out after doing 8 of them. Then instead of using bolts, get yourself some 3/8 studs that have an allen socket in one end, put red loctite on these and install them. Then use blue loctite on the nuts and tighten up your cross frame with them. This should hold it tight forever. I did mine this way and they are still tight as can be.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,726
Likes: 46
From: Waukesha WI
St. Jude Donor '15
MIG welding by a competant individual is perfectly safe. Vettes are no more sensitive to heat than any other car - just keep open flames away from painted surfaces just like any other car. Everything under the car is steel - no worries.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 3,490
Likes: 68
From: Hewitt NJ
Originally Posted by The Hobbit
...R-D Racing / Admiral94
How do these 'nutserts' work? are they like helicoils or are they press fit ?
Thanks for all of the help guys, This is the sort of thing you can't find in a book
Barry
How do these 'nutserts' work? are they like helicoils or are they press fit ?
Thanks for all of the help guys, This is the sort of thing you can't find in a book
Barry
Last edited by Admiral94; Jan 25, 2005 at 05:07 PM.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 386
Likes: 0
From: Lancaster Lancashire
Barry.
'Nutserts' are I believe known as 'Clinchnuts' over here. I know RS components used to sell a kit in the smaller metric sizes and as has been stated, they are installed with a tool resembling a pop rivit gun. I don't know about imperial sizes though. Possibly a tool company such as Buck and Hickman/Roebuck or Kennedy tools may be able to supply something. I am not too familiar with the cross brace, so don't know how it fits or if a metric equivalent will work. Metric kits are probably easier to source over here than unc/unf fasteners.
Dave
'Nutserts' are I believe known as 'Clinchnuts' over here. I know RS components used to sell a kit in the smaller metric sizes and as has been stated, they are installed with a tool resembling a pop rivit gun. I don't know about imperial sizes though. Possibly a tool company such as Buck and Hickman/Roebuck or Kennedy tools may be able to supply something. I am not too familiar with the cross brace, so don't know how it fits or if a metric equivalent will work. Metric kits are probably easier to source over here than unc/unf fasteners.
Dave
