Rear caliper bolts
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Good morning,
I am fitting my rear calipers and the new fixing bolts supplied by one of the major lotus parts suppliers are hitting the disks. The bolts (drilled for the locking wire) are 1 1/4" long. Should there be a washer? There is no mention of one in workshop manual and unfortunately I don't have the braking section of the elan parts list. I could fit spring washers, but they should not be needed if the bolts are wired.
Thanks in advance,
Cheers.
I am fitting my rear calipers and the new fixing bolts supplied by one of the major lotus parts suppliers are hitting the disks. The bolts (drilled for the locking wire) are 1 1/4" long. Should there be a washer? There is no mention of one in workshop manual and unfortunately I don't have the braking section of the elan parts list. I could fit spring washers, but they should not be needed if the bolts are wired.
Thanks in advance,
Cheers.
- davidj
- Third Gear
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It's actually been scientifically proven that spring washers mostly cause bolt looseness rather than prevent it! They may be of some help where there is something compressable being clamped (eg. a soft gasket) but not needed elsewhere. Key thing is to get the clamping load correct by tightening to the correct torque
Usually modern cars do not use spring washers anywhere!
Usually modern cars do not use spring washers anywhere!
1970 Ford Escort Twin Cam
1972 Ford Escort GT1600 Twin Cam
1980 Ford Escort 2.0 Ghia
Peugeot 505 GTI Wagons (5spdx1) (Autox1)
2022 Ford Fiesta ST.
1972 Ford Escort GT1600 Twin Cam
1980 Ford Escort 2.0 Ghia
Peugeot 505 GTI Wagons (5spdx1) (Autox1)
2022 Ford Fiesta ST.
- 2cams70
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That parts diagram is the front caliper which does have lock washers, no washers shown on the rear caliper parts list. Front caliper mount is steel and rear is alloy, that may be why one has lock washers and the other is wired.
Roger
S4 DHC
S4 DHC
- oldelanman
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oldelanman wrote:That parts diagram is the front caliper which does have lock washers, no washers shown on the rear caliper parts list. Front caliper mount is steel and rear is alloy, that may be why one has lock washers and the other is wired.
Indeed! Sorry, I was not paying close attention when grabbing the picture.
Henry
69 Elan S4
65 Seven S2
69 Elan S4
65 Seven S2
- SENC
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If the bolts will fit with a plain washer, then use those, tighten to the correct torque and lockwire.
If the bolts are too long, grind them down far enough.
It's all part of the 'nothing new fits' Lotus experience.
If the bolts are too long, grind them down far enough.
It's all part of the 'nothing new fits' Lotus experience.
Graeme
S4 SE
S2 GTS
Caterham 420R
Sold - Peterson JPS Exige
S4 SE
S2 GTS
Caterham 420R
Sold - Peterson JPS Exige
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661 - Coveted Fifth Gear
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Lock washers or plain washers in this application is good engineering practice. You are fastening a relatively high torque loaded bolt head against a relatively soft aluminium surface. A washer will prevent the bolt head digging into the aluminium.
Elan +2
Elise mk 1
Elise mk 1
- Donels
- Fourth Gear
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"A washer will prevent the bolt head digging into the aluminium."
Only if the washers used are hardened washers. Standard hardware store or AN washers are too soft.
Only if the washers used are hardened washers. Standard hardware store or AN washers are too soft.
Charlie Warner
Fatto Gatto Racing
Fatto Gatto Racing
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fattogatto - Third Gear
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Donels wrote:Lock washers or plain washers in this application is good engineering practice. You are fastening a relatively high torque loaded bolt head against a relatively soft aluminium surface. A washer will prevent the bolt head digging into the aluminium.
Like the head bolts.
Meg
26/4088 1965 S1½ Old and scruffy but in perfect working order; the car too.
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26/4088 1965 S1½ Old and scruffy but in perfect working order; the car too.
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Quart Meg Miles - Coveted Fifth Gear
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I used to often see hung up in workshops a cartoon which depicted a masculine bolt chasing a feminine nut that was shouting "not without a washer!". I used a lock washer on the caliper not for it's locking but because its smaller diameter fit the space; a standard washer being too large.
We are supposed to be having fun, are we not?
- USA64
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Hi,
I use a thick flat washer on my car – as already stated you don’t want to damage the aluminium mounting face also with a washer you should get a higher clamp force.
Despite being the best / correct method I wouldn’t use any thread lock as it can bugger up threads especially in aluminium – our casting are expensive and rear calipers particularly so.
In the past I have always wire locked but whenever I have checked the torque they have always been good - don’t bother anymore, but I do check regularly.
@Donels have you got the right bolts on the lower arm to strut? – the heads look very big.
Regards
Steve
I use a thick flat washer on my car – as already stated you don’t want to damage the aluminium mounting face also with a washer you should get a higher clamp force.
Despite being the best / correct method I wouldn’t use any thread lock as it can bugger up threads especially in aluminium – our casting are expensive and rear calipers particularly so.
In the past I have always wire locked but whenever I have checked the torque they have always been good - don’t bother anymore, but I do check regularly.
@Donels have you got the right bolts on the lower arm to strut? – the heads look very big.
Regards
Steve
- patrics
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