ktm Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I installed a set of ST sway bars on my car. In the front I drilled through the rails and ran longer bolts to the top of the rail. I used some large fender washers up top to help distribute the load....apparently it was not enough. As I was tightening the nut, I kept thinking, "Damn, why is it not reaching 18 ft-lbs (the right torque spec IIRC). There is an awful lot of thread showing." When I reached up to the bolt top, I could feel that I had slightly deformed the top of the rail. I did not make the same mistake on the other side. I contacted John at Bad Dog Parts and asked if he could custom fabricate one of his sway bar plates for me. Instead of just an angle iron, the piece now slips over both the top and bottom of the rail. I intead to have these welded over the rails. My question to the denizens of Hybridz: Is the squashed rail ok (enough) to have the plates welded over it? Or will I have to have the rail fixed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 If you've only collapsed the top and bottom (bowed them inward) of the frame rails, then these weld-on plates may get you back on your feet. If you've collapsed the sides, then you'll lose some tension and compression rigidity. It appears that this "weld-on plates" method has been successful, but I don't like it. If I were to do this myself, I would also weld some bolt tubes onto one of the plates that would extend through the entire height of the frame rail to the opposite plate. These tubes would then prevent any collapsing of the rail as well as distribute all forces on the assembly to both plates (and hence the top and bottom of the frame rail). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted November 21, 2006 Share Posted November 21, 2006 I would be really concerned with why the frame rail could distort with less than 18 ft-lbs of turning pressure exerted on a bolt going through it. Shouldn't a stock frame rail be more than capable of handling that type of pressure? How much rust is on the car? Could the frame rails be rusting from the inside out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktm Posted November 21, 2006 Author Share Posted November 21, 2006 There is very little rust on the car. I have looked long and hard. Case in point. Following is a picture on my driver side T/C cup, rail, and wheel well. You can see the factory and aftermarket Ziebart coatings which I have been removed in these areas. The picture is taken before the final cleaning with mineral spirits to remove the undercoating residue. Terry, the bottom and sides are fine, it is only the top. Thankfully I stopped in time. I have thought about tapping the old captive nut and screwing the bolt from the top through the captive nut (and then attaching a nut on the other side of the bracket), but my concern is making sure the tap is perfectly straight. I reused the stock elliptical plate on the bottom along with the ST brackets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 I would be really concerned with why the frame rail could distort with less than 18 ft-lbs of turning pressure exerted on a bolt going through it. Shouldn't a stock frame rail be more than capable of handling that type of pressure? This does not surprise me in the least. The frame rails are simple boxed sheet metal structures NOT designed to resist being crushed under a bolt going through the middle of the rail. Even 1/8" steel box of this dimension would have deformed some amount (albeit a small amount). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 If you run an 8mm bolt all the way through the frame rail and out through the captured nut then you can weld the bolt head to the top side of the rail, and now the rail is supported vertically like Terry wanted. Then you use the part of the bolt that hangs out the bottom like a stud and fasten the bushing saddle with nuts and lockwashers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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