strut top bolts

[belize1334]

I'm attempting to put a spacer on the strut top to lift my strut tower bar up and give a little more clearance over the intake manifold. The problem is that the inside most bolt on the strut top is too short so after installing the spacer there aren't enough threads left to get a good secure hold with the nut. Does anyone know how those bolts are attached and whether or not they can be pounded out and replaced with something a little longer?

 

[iceman69510]

They are basically studs, like wheel studs but smaller diameter. You would have to find something with knurled press fit shaft sized to fit in there.

 

[atc250r]

You could probably slam out the stock one with a hammer like you would with a lug nut stud. Then you could find a bolt that has the same thread but is a little longer, put it in the strut plate, and tack weld it to the plate.

John

 

[belize1334]

Do you think there would be safety concerns if I didn't tack it in place but just used a washer top and bottom and tightened it down? I'm runn 2.5" coil springs so I'm not concerned about the spring hat interfering with the head of the bolt.

 

[14u2nV]

I don't see how there could be a problem, just use a lock washer and call it good. It's not like that bolt will really have too much pressure on it, it's basically held together with gravity. You still have the other two, so go for it.

 

[jepherz]

Tacking it in place wouldn't have anything to do with the structural integrity of the bolt, John just suggested that because then it functions as a stud and you only have to worry about tightening the nut on top.

 

[atc250r]

Yup. There's not much load on that bolt as far as I could guess.

John

 

[rgeier11]

Eh, to me, I would ditch that strut tower bar and find yourself a new one. I wouldn't mess with the integrity of the car.

 

[14u2nV]

your not messing with integrity by switching a stud to a bolt.

 

^ +1
As stated above; as long as the car is on the ground, the strut is held in by gravity and located by the control arm. I wouldn't be suprized if a car could run w/ 0 of 3 nuts on the strut tower as long as the roads are quasi smooth.

 

[GreenGSX]

The biggest job the strut tower has is to keep the strut from going through the hood. Beyond that the side to side forces are there but they are not big enough to overcome a nut and bolt. Early on with my Eclipse I sloted the strut top mounting holes to gain negative camber. I autocrossed and road raced with them like that and they never moved. I also have cut the top of the strut tower to fit RRE's castor/camber plates and never had them move and that's autocrossing and road racing on r-comps. Here is what I did to our One Lap of America car. We're going to take that car down to Florida and back so just replacing a strut mount stud with a nut and bolt isn't going to be an issue for you. I don't event think you need to tack weld it in place.

 

[iceman69510]

I think John suggested the tack weld so it doesn't spin when trying to put a nut on it. With standard strut tops, you will not get a wrench in there to hold the bolt held while you tighten the nut...

 

[belize1334]

Well I think I'm decided that this is a totally viable procedure if it comes to it. For now I'm trying to relocate the Washer Fluid Reservoir as that seems like a less invasive fix and would allow me to turn the bar around. If that doesn't work then I'll get serious with the strut top.

 

[belize1334]

Success! That is, I didn't end up having to knock that bolt out. Sorry about the crappy cell-phone pics.

 

[gtluke]

i tried to get those studs out once and ending up bending the strut hat fwiw

 

[14u2nV]

Clean that engine bay son. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[turbowop]

Couldn't you have just moved the bar to the front half of the strut towers to clear everything?

 

[belize1334]

It was on the front half. That caused issues with the Buscher AFPR. Moving the Washer Reservoir allowed me to move the bar to the back to fix the issue.

And yes, she is a very dirty girl right now. Still, baby steps.