7 replies to this topic

[Uncle Bobby B]

Hi all,

I have been reading up on stainless bolts and everywhere I read they say not to use them in suspension parts, but what about using them to mount the engine mounts to the subframe?
My gut is saying no but seeing that Minispares and Mini Sport are now selling 5/16 stainless bolts or stainless bolt mount kits it got me wondering what you lot think?

[GraemeC]

What advantage do you think you will have?

 

Pros:

Shiny

Bolt itself won't corrode

Cons:

Everytning else around it will corrode faster 

Potentially weaker

 

Standard bolts with a good application of coppaslip (or other anti-seize) would be far better.

[Spider]

From a strength viewpoint you could, however with issues of galling and causing the adjacent plain steel to rust, in short time, I would suggest against stainless here.Quality zinc plated fasteners will last a long time before they rust to the point of seizure.

[DeadSquare]

If you are concerned enough to check the engine mounting bolts, please forgive me, but I infer that you might be likely to consider removing your engine more than once in 20 years, and as someone who has been extracting Mini engines since the early 1960s, I have only twice, no 3 times, had to cut the nut off a set-screw, way back in the 80's when we had snowy winters and salt on the roads.

 

I'd say, go ahead, use stainless, they only cost pennies more and your much loved Mini might be on the road on 50 years time.

 

P.S.  I always weld a short length of 1/4" round steel bar across the head of the set-screw.  This enables me to slot it into a bit of tube, and having already lined up the holes, offer it up and ease the set-screw through the mounting and subframe and start the nut.  I pulled the tube off the set-screw before fully tightening the nut.

 

P.P.S  On the racing Mini, I welded 2 angled lugs to the subframe, so that the engine mountings that I was installing, nestled into the correct position.  I also welded nuts to the engine mounting and inserted the set-screws through the subframe.

[nicklouse]

Long story short.

there is a bolt on some GM cars that is a service item as it it attached to a stainless steel part. But in its self can not be stainless as it fastens other steel parts to the stainless part.

 

Can’t remember what the service interval is.

[Steve220]

Yeh, i use stainless bolts for the engine mounts, but use duralac where it touches the sunframes.

[Ethel]

As it's a nut & bolt (ok, setscrew) you can  use readily available metric, M8. A flange head will sit in a ring spanner for easier insertion. If needs be you can also grind off a flange nut more easily, without taking a chunk out of the subframe.

 

I'd stick with BZP steel, they'll be more easy to undo if they want to undo. It's not that much of a drama if they don't.

[Spider]

, please forgive me, but I infer that you might be likely to consider removing your engine more than once in 20 years,

 

 

I remove mine after every trip away, only to clean the engine bay. There's just so many nooks I can't get in to otherwise.