Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: steve6367 on 17 January 2015, 09:45:32

Title: Wishbone bolts
Post by: steve6367 on 17 January 2015, 09:45:32
They don't come with the ATP kit, but should they be replaced when changing wishbones?

Many thanks

Steve
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: TheBoy on 17 January 2015, 10:39:28
Technically yes, as they are angle tightened. But you are fine to reuse - virtually everyone does  :-X


There are some stretch bolts that *must* be replaced, others than are fine to reuse. This fits the latter.
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: steve6367 on 17 January 2015, 15:54:42
Fantastic  :y

I can't free the rear track arms though so looks like I shall have to replace those too.

Any recommendations? ATP again? Or am I just being a girl not freeing them?

Many thanks

Steve
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: 05omegav6 on 17 January 2015, 17:02:20
Atp or Allgerman should have them in stock... :y
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 18 January 2015, 14:12:11
Fantastic  :y

I can't free the rear track arms though so looks like I shall have to replace those too.

Any recommendations? ATP again? Or am I just being a girl not freeing them?

Many thanks

Steve

I'm not comfortable re using the pinch bolts on the ball joints

The others, fine to reuse

I've seen your pm :y
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: terry paget on 18 January 2015, 15:04:25
Fantastic  :y

I can't free the rear track arms though so looks like I shall have to replace those too.

Any recommendations? ATP again? Or am I just being a girl not freeing them?

Many thanks

Steve

I'm not comfortable re using the pinch bolts on the ball joints

The others, fine to reuse

I've seen your pm :y
Do members apply new loctite to the brake caliper bolts? I must admit I find them so hard to remove first time I remove them that I clean up the threads and pop them back in with a lick of copper ease. This is on my own car, not somebody else's. I have been doing it for years, and have never had one come loose yet.
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: TheBoy on 18 January 2015, 15:26:08
Caliper mounting to hub, or caliper to mounting hub?

The former I do, latter I tend to use new bolts that already have it applied (as they come with the pads)
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: terry paget on 18 January 2015, 19:35:53
Caliper mounting bracket to steering knuckle. 95Nm plus angle tightening, also rear caliper mounting bolts 80Nm. I know it's bad form, but I have never had one come loose in 15 years.
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: steve6367 on 18 January 2015, 20:57:57
Fantastic  :y

I can't free the rear track arms though so looks like I shall have to replace those too.

Any recommendations? ATP again? Or am I just being a girl not freeing them?

Many thanks

Steve

I'm not comfortable re using the pinch bolts on the ball joints

The others, fine to reuse

I've seen your pm :y

Thanks - I'll pick those up and change then.

Thank you  :y
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: 05omegav6 on 18 January 2015, 21:05:46
I reuse them unless they're completely knackered, but have the advantage of having a half decent pair as spares just in case
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 19 January 2015, 08:51:58
Bottom ball joint bolts are fine to re-use, they have pretty much bugger all load given the arrangement.
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: 05omegav6 on 19 January 2015, 08:54:53
Bottom ball joint bolts are fine to re-use, they have pretty much bugger all load given the arrangement.
The only two reasons for needing to replace are excessive corrosion and a boogered thread from removing the nut fully prior to drifting the bolt out...
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: Diamond Black Geezer on 19 January 2015, 14:23:43
Bottom ball joint bolts are fine to re-use, they have pretty much bugger all load given the arrangement.

Wot 'e said  :)

It's not actually holding anything on, in the same way as, say, the front wishbone bolt does - it's 'only' pinching around the vertical balljoint. The balljoint is held in by gravity/the weight of the car and if you were to run without the pinchbolt, you'd have to do some serious Pentii Airikkala action in order to relieve any unsprung weight on the balljoint, and in theory allow it to fall out - and even then don't forget that balljoint is the one that you have to often belt with a mallet in order to pop it out when replacing the wishbone, as it's tapered and a bit jammed in, through weight/age. Also, the recess in the balljoint shaft is there to accommodate the pinchbolt - so running with a loose pinbolt isn't unsafe per se until the pinchbolt actually rattled free - then returning us to the Pentii scenario. It's a system developed over literally decade of design, and like so many systems, has a sort of in-built backup/safety margin. A bar with a split ring in both ends would do the same job.

Personally never replaced one, other than in cases of extreme corrosion, where my socket is starting to not grip as well. 

EDIT:

Bottom ball joint bolts are fine to re-use, they have pretty much bugger all load given the arrangement.
The only two reasons for needing to replace are excessive corrosion and a boogered thread from removing the nut fully prior to drifting the bolt out...


Damn, must type faster!! Yep, precisely!  :y
Title: Re: Wishbone bolts
Post by: Nick W on 19 January 2015, 15:12:34
Recovered far too many cars where the balljoint has pulled past the pinch bolt not to examine it carefully before reusing it. Which I always have on my own stuff, but there are lots of them that have knackered threads, worn shoulders(which is the bit that retains the groove in the balljoint stub) or are bent. It's not uncommon to find a normal bolt without the shoulder, which is very dangerous.


This bolt is especially important if your car is lowered, as they seem to be the worst culprits for this.


On Escorts or Fiestas the bolt often snaps when undone, and replacements are readily and cheaply available. I'd buy new just to save the hassle of sourcing new when the car is in pieces.