Thread: Steering stop bolts

I wouldn't have thought bolt head size would make any difference. If the bolts are bending then the force is being applied outside of the radius of the bolt shank I would imagine. If adjusting for either more or less steering angle places the pressure point outside the bolt shank radius, you could alter the angle of the swivel ball flange at the pressure point with a die grinder.
Bill

uninformed -
I've been musing over this same issue with our 110 300 TDI from '95 - it also likes to bend the stops. Our first landie was a 110 built in RSA during sanctions, and IIRC its stops were big lumps of steel with a bolt head at the lumpy end and a short threaded end that screwed through the swivle housing and out the other side for locking with a lock nut at the other end. These never bent.

My plan (if I evr get around to it...) is to buy some fresh, straight bolts and try to source (or maybe get turned on a lathe) a sleeve the thickeness of the bolt head. I'd cut these to the correct length once I'd set the stops up with the front on axle stands so that I could be sure that they stop the wheel before the tyres rub, then slide them onto the bolts, screw the bolts in and screw the lock nut on.

Maybe you could do something similar?

Originally Posted by wagoo

I wouldn't have thought bolt head size would make any difference. If the bolts are bending then the force is being applied outside of the radius of the bolt shank I would imagine. If adjusting for either more or less steering angle places the pressure point outside the bolt shank radius, you could alter the angle of the swivel ball flange at the pressure point with a die grinder.
Bill

Problem is bill its not hitting the face or corner of the flange, its sliding across thout OD of it and the axle flange.

See attached pics:

first is a standard 60mm M12 8.8 bolt. Nice and straight, adjusted to 55mm including the casting. Note that there is only 10mm max of exposed thread on the back side for the lock nut.....if I was using a 50mm bolt there would be none.



second pic is at turn with bolt almost touching...at this point there was only 50mm between the opposing tyre and RA. Manual says min of 20mm gap... so 30mm at the OD of tyre isnt going to be much more wind in of bolt at stop. So even winding it in a few more mm, it still would not hit the corner or face of flange.

It would only take a degree or two off in the machining of the lock stop bolt hole in the swivel, or the swivel somewhere else, or the axle tube flange to have these bolts miss and skid like yours.

Here's mine.

!! Actually, get some 19mm headed bolts and have the hex oriented as mine are and see how it goes.
Notice you have the flat on yours is in the same plane as the flange ? (two flats are parallel to the ground)
Have the point of the hex pointed at the axle flange.
This gives more area to hit the flange.
I think I twigged to this really early on when trying to maximise lock.

I think its going to be one of those things where the bolt shop looks at me like im a goose and tells me the dia/thread determins the hex and that M12 is 18mm and thats that!.....

I notice your bolt is threaded all the way, Im guessing its only 50mm long. And going by your pic it looks you have it in a good 10mm more than mine....I think that along with the touch bigger hex may allow it to land where it should.

One of my thoughts were good old LR machining skills.......

when I googled the other day, I found a topic on LR4x4 and they mentioned a stepped bolt that is bigger in dia than the thread going through the casting...no pic though. I took this as being OEM

Two alternatives.

An OE stop bolt (mightn't be as dear as we all think ?)

Get a larger bolt with a larger head (22mm ?) and turn it down to an M12 thread.

So how come Serg's swivel ball flanges are chamfered and Ricks are not?
Does your truck have Railko bushes Serg? If so maybe they are worn oval ?
Bill.

well spotted Bill. I have no idea. AFAIK my front assembly is all original and im sure Ricks is as well....both are 98 defenders.

What are railko bushes Bill? are these the king pin bushes vs a bearing?