I pushed a little too hard into a corner :(
- Thread starter michaelluscher
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Years ago we had 3 cylinder engine tuggers at the Airport that would break the alternator mounting bolts and adjusting brackets. After replacing the parts once, then breaking again in a few months I called to rental department manager for approval to replace the bolts with grade 8 bolts and reinforce the brackets. they didn't break for the remainder of the 5 year lease period,
I would be cautious about beefing up the bracket, it could cause the member it is fastened against to be the next part to break and it could be expensive. I once saw a $150 bracket not break and cause over $220,000 in damage.
YMMV
Smoky
Well, parts have arrived
This is looking more like 50% my fault, because in cramming the wrong substitute bushings in because they don't sell them separately, it makes it hard to put one top bolt back in, it stripped out when I was working on it as a snowstorm rolled in, leaving that crucial cross bolt missing
I'm looking to import the correct bushings from Australia
Because Toyota is weird and the bushings are circular, not D shaped like most universal bushings
The TRD bar is a different diameter than the stock bar, and they don't sell replacement bushings separately
I'm not spending $160+ for a new bar/bushings that'll be shot in 6 months again
Top left bolt (shiny) is the area of where it cracked
Top right was the bolt I couldn't get back in
That bolts presence is how I've been getting away with it for the past 4+ years that the bar has been in
I found a post on a forum where someone had a welding shop reinforce these brackets to make them a little stouter
This is looking more like 50% my fault, because in cramming the wrong substitute bushings in because they don't sell them separately, it makes it hard to put one top bolt back in, it stripped out when I was working on it as a snowstorm rolled in, leaving that crucial cross bolt missing
I'm looking to import the correct bushings from Australia
Because Toyota is weird and the bushings are circular, not D shaped like most universal bushings
The TRD bar is a different diameter than the stock bar, and they don't sell replacement bushings separately
I'm not spending $160+ for a new bar/bushings that'll be shot in 6 months again
Top left bolt (shiny) is the area of where it cracked
Top right was the bolt I couldn't get back in
That bolts presence is how I've been getting away with it for the past 4+ years that the bar has been in
I found a post on a forum where someone had a welding shop reinforce these brackets to make them a little stouter
Slammed it back together (GM Chrysler it's cold out today)
All bolts new, present, and torqued to spec
Took it around the block, seems good as new
Should hold me over till the spring, where I can have welding done at my leisure, most places I've tried are closed for a week or two into the new year
Hopefully by then I'll have the correct bushings
Money shot of the failure
Only other damage I can see is some slight chafing against a coated brake hardline in the vicinity, I don't see any metal loss, a scuff and spray with stone chip in the spring should cover that oopsie
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My mom had TWO sway bar links rust in half on her old Tracer wagon, in addition to having both rear coil springs rust in half due to Ford's idiotic plastic coating on them, so rust is a cruel mistress! Be sure and paint the new one with some rust resistant paint.
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