Damaged sway bar bracket and skid plate bolts
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: San Francisco Bay area
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Damaged sway bar bracket and skid plate bolts
Need help. While putting back the front sway bar, the threads of the bolts holding the driver side bracket got damaged, and the bolts refuse to go more than half way in. This is in a 2003 4runner.
Will new bolts solve the problem, or is the nut inside the frame also worn out. How does one replace the nut?
I have the same problem with one of the skid plate bolts.
Will new bolts solve the problem, or is the nut inside the frame also worn out. How does one replace the nut?
I have the same problem with one of the skid plate bolts.
#2
Are you sure it's lining up correctly? When you say they were damaged, can you give more detail on how and/or what the damage looks like? And you tried to get them back on the rest of the way with hand tools or ... ??
#3
Take one of the bolts holding the passenger side bracket on and try them in the driver's side, that will at least tell you whether it is an issue with the bolts or something more. That said, I think it would be pretty difficult to hurt what you refer to as "the nut inside the frame" ... so probably new bolts would solve the problem. But do the test I just mentioned to be sure.
Good luck!
As for the skid plate, well, those are a little more difficult since oftentimes things bend and shift around so it is more difficult to get everything back in place again. I have trouble everytime I take the skid plate off and try to put it back on. It takes a lot of struggling and a lot of work, but eventually I'm able to get all the bolts lined up with the holes and get them back in.
Good luck!
As for the skid plate, well, those are a little more difficult since oftentimes things bend and shift around so it is more difficult to get everything back in place again. I have trouble everytime I take the skid plate off and try to put it back on. It takes a lot of struggling and a lot of work, but eventually I'm able to get all the bolts lined up with the holes and get them back in.
#5
Contributing Member
iTrader: (3)
Best bet on the nuts inside the frame is to get ahold of a metric threading tap, probably M8-1.25mm. Oil the tap and run it into the nuts, go in about 1/2 turn then back out and repeat slowly until it goes in and out easily. This will restore the threads inside the nut. Then use a new bolt with some anti-sieze and it they should work fine.
#6
yeah .... but how could he have damaged the nuts inside the frame? i figured maybe he was having problems lining things up, or if anything, somehow damaged the bolts as that would seem easier to do ...
wish he'd elaborate for us.
wish he'd elaborate for us.
#7
Contributing Member
iTrader: (3)
Yes, if only the bolt threads are damaged, then indeed new bolts may be all that is needed. But if the bolts were cross threaded or some debris got into the nuts while the bolts were out, it is hard to tell if the threads in the nuts are in good shape or not. I always prefer to run a tap into the nut to clean it out since the tap is good at doing that job with the fluting on its sides (gives the junk a place to go). Also, it is much less likely to jam inside the nut. If that happens it is easy to break the nut free of the weld that holds it inside the frame.
Trending Topics
#10
Contributing Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Columbia, MD
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by 4Crawler
Best bet on the nuts inside the frame is to get ahold of a metric threading tap, probably M8-1.25mm. Oil the tap and run it into the nuts, go in about 1/2 turn then back out and repeat slowly until it goes in and out easily. This will restore the threads inside the nut. Then use a new bolt with some anti-sieze and it they should work fine.
I bought a complete metric tap an die set from Sears. Cleaned everything up. I'm sure I'll use it again.
If the nut is too damaged, can it be tapped to the next size? Granted a larger bolt will fit the application. Just wondering.
Last edited by Bluto; 08-10-2005 at 08:53 AM.
#11
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: San Francisco Bay area
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The sway bar bracket bolt was damaged by an impact wrench. Didn't know a cheap cordless one could do such damage ! However, the dealer fixed it.
The skid plate bolts were damaged due to poor fit of the skid plates (due to off road dents).
The skid plate bolts were damaged due to poor fit of the skid plates (due to off road dents).
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
RedRunner_87
95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners (Build-Up Section)
84
06-01-2021 01:51 PM
BeMiceElf
Misc Stuff (Vehicle Related)
7
10-10-2015 09:40 PM
FS[GreatLakes]: Toyota collection part out
88sasturbotoy
Axles - Suspensions - Tires - Wheels
2
08-11-2015 01:56 AM
coffey50
Offroad Tech
17
07-28-2015 10:55 AM