All
have been reassembling my pan and bits and doing the bolts up to the required torque as per the factory specs.
Where I have hit a problem is when putting on my spring plates (rear suspension) and doing up the bolts for the retaining plates, it feels like I am about to strip the thread from two or three of them on one side (I haven't done the other side yet). I say feels like it as the bolts are beginning to spin a wee bit softer than they were when I was doing them up.
Any suggestions? I was thinking I might have to go one mm larger bolt, or possibly an imperial bolt to get that slightly larger size, with loctite as well to try and hold them in.

Any suggestions? anyone been there before?

[Edited on 8-12-2004 by penguin]

If you have the correct torque and they strip, that's good.
It's better now than latter.

Get a 10x1.5 tap and run the threads through. $10 plus a 4 inch shifter.

I use two long bolts diagonaly to pull the retainer plate up to enable to start the shorter bolts. Once in I swap the long bolts for the shorter ones.

Brendan

Yeah

Already run a 10 x 1.5 tap through. It cleaned out a bit of crap, but when I went and put 10 x 1.5 bolts back in and do them up is when they are striping. I think I will have to resort to the threaded insert replacement for two of them.

Already have the sping plates reloaded (?) back on their rests, bushing back in and covers within normal bolt range. I did use two longer bolts (diagonally) to get them to that stage. Its when I actually put the real length bolts (40mm I think from memory) back in and do them up that the problem starts.

Good thing (if there is one) is that on one side I have two back on and up to right torque, just have to repair two holes this time. Unsire what the other side will reveal.

Cheers

I don't know it will help you or not, but most of the off road car that I know of drill them out because standard is not strong enough. You use a 7/16"drill to drill the holes then use longer bolts with nylon lock nuts. This is only done for off road as I said, but maybe you can do something like that

Thanks Moose
will stop off at my friendly hardware shop at geebung tomorrow afternoon and pick up a few things. there is a kit that after you drill out the hole, has a tap to use that runs a thread in for a treaded inset. the threaded insert (I think) is loctited into the sleeve, then you can put the original sized bolt back in. I have been told by a couple of people that it works and can go tighter than the pressure I need.
I looked at longer bolts and nyloc (or similar) nuts. Without drilling out/off bits of the bracket that they bolts currently screw into, I wouldn't be able to get the nuts on and done up tight enough. I may use that technique if the other fails, that way I am at least satisfied that I have tried everything before I get to the last step.
Cheers