Matthew Willoughby Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 I was just giving my car (2009 Sigma Supersport) a spanner check and one of the lower damper bolts sheared almost as soon as I touched it. What is the solution to this? Will I need to get a new wishbone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 It only takes a light torque setting. Sounds like it was overtightened. The answer to your question depends on whether you can remove the broken bit of bolt. You may be able to redrill and tap it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7 wonders of the world Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 Have you got the damper out and left with just the threaded portion in the wishboneHas the bolt sheared cleanly and is any left protruding....?You might be able to MIG weld a nut on and undo the remains of the bolt, used this process many times, usually end up welding in the centre of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 The bolt head looks old and corroded. The car is new to me so I was giving it a quick check. It snapped as soon as I tried to loosen it. I know they can be awkward so I thought I would loosen and re-tighten it so make sure it didn't seize but it looks like it was too late. The damper is still on the car and I can't see how I can get it off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 Lashings of PlusGas before future attempts and let it soak in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark w Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 If you can get the old bolt out i can offer a replacement . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7 wonders of the world Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 You will probalby end up sawing either side of the damper thro the bolt and will need to replace the damper meal inner part of the bush and the ally sleeve too.You ideally need to leave some of the shank proud in the wishbone so you can weld a nut on.How much of the bolt came out when it broke?You might get easier access buy taking the wishbone and damper off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 Thanks for everybody's help. The bolt is all still in there. I think I may give this one to a professional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SM25T Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 Just the head came off ? Drill a hole in the centre of the shank and hammer a torX bit into it. PlusGas the threaded end. Try and unscrew it. Suspect it was way over torqued which fractured head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7 wonders of the world Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 Worth looking at the brand on the cap head there are some duff brands around, I had one fail on my pressure plate resulting in a piggy back home....Look to get some Unbrako brand versions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7 wonders of the world Posted May 25, 2020 Share Posted May 25, 2020 If you have a tame engineering company near take the damper and lower wishbone to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted May 25, 2020 Author Share Posted May 25, 2020 I'm not sure where it broke as the whole thing is still in there, including the head. It now just spins but nothing comes out. I have a tame brother-in-law who may be able to help :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueyedbiker Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 When you come to replace the bolt, with a standard bolt the relationship between the shank and threaded section is such that there will be a lot of thread inside the bottom bush of the damper. Bearing in mind that all the forces of that corner of the suspension will be taken on the bolt a better option in my opinion is to source a longer bolt with a correspondingly longer shank and crop the end threads off so that most of the shank will support the bottom bush. There are schools of thought that suggest cropping a bolt reduces its strength but I feel happier with the shank doing the work rather than the thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aerobod - near CYYC Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 As with any bolt that is properly tightened, if the installation is properly engineered there should not be any radial load acting directly on the bolt shank. When the bolt is correctly torqued the axial load will clamp the surfaces together and friction should prevent the bolt and the components it is clamping from moving radially.You can tell if there has been an incorrect radial load due to fretting between the bolt and the edges of the hole and typically the hole will become oval due to wear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR400D Posted May 27, 2020 Share Posted May 27, 2020 Aerobod is right. All of the bolts on the wishbones of a 7 do exactly that, clamp the bushes in the bones and damper and the bushes allow the movement. They’re not pivots. Problems begin if they loosen or are incorrectly installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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