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

ToyC4

sorry what is GRP?

MYCoupe

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.

jackdaroofer

I have to think about this one a little

In the meanwhile here's a bump

I am curious, didn't things rattle? didn't chassis feel a little loose over bumps?

seeya

chucks88

I have a two holes stripped out too. Those two bolts are only snug at this point. It is on my "to do" list to helicoil the old threads.

Dale1990

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.

4GTWRK

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 Hobbit

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

Strick

On the rear mounting, try looking in a recycle yard for the standoffs. I'd try a larger self tapping bolt first and then go with R&D Racing's Inserts.

Midnight 85

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.

Dale1990

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.

MYCoupe

They are a press fit. You drill out the hole to the recommended size. Put the nutcert in and use a bot with a spacer to expand it into place. Then, remove the bolt and spacer bolt in your part and you're set. I know that this is what R-D Racing includes with their Cross-Frame so I'm sure Dave has tested them and they are a good solution.

Davemc1963-87conv

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

The Hobbit

Thanks for all of the help, I will go and search for some imperial 'nutserts', If I cant find them I will try get some sourced in the US

Cheers Guys

Barry

Midnight 85

I got mine from Dave at R&D racing. If you can't find them just get hold of him.