74Weld Bronco Portals now available!

[ScLeCo]

All my "replacement" bolts were 1.5" I finally gave up and bought my own bolts. Metric grade 12.9, M10-1.5 x 45m
I bet the bolts they sent were 10.9 grade and I didn't want to have to deal with asking for the correct size bolts let alone stronger bolts.

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[SierraBronco]

All my "replacement" bolts were 1.5" I finally gave up and bought my own bolts. Metric grade 12.9, 45mm length.

Okay. So it's not just me. I'm quite confident that the bolts used to initially hold the brackets on were all 1.5" but - I threw them away when 74Weld brought more bolts to Sand Hollow. Those new bolts were all 1.5" for sure. The latest ones they overnighted to me (after they got back from sand hollow. And missing the overnight deadline. Not talking shit, just stating facts. Credit to 74Weld for paying for overnight even though they missed overnight dropoff deadline) with the new but still wrong brackets are 1.75" inches for the bottom two holes. We were watching Down Periscope when randomly, I was hit with the need to verify thread engagement. Must've been some subliminal messaging in the movie. Maybe it was the bolts shooting out of the hull when they were hiding from sonar in the cavitation of the tanker. Can't be certain.

Their bracket is .6615" wide
The spacer is .255" wide
Split ring and washer .166" wide (as best I could tell. Didn't run them between two nuts or anything, just measured opposite the split)
Nordlocks are .0970" wide

The counterbore bolt isn't an issue when it comes to thread engagement as the counterbore is something like .534" deep.

But for the other two bolts, we get:
1.5" bolt
- .6615" bracket
- .166" split ring and washer (.0970 Nordlock
- .255" spacer/shim
= .4175" thread engagement into aluminum threads with a .375" diameter bolt 1.5" long with split rings, or .4865" of thread engagement with nordlocks.

This last time around they did supply me with longer bolts, as stated above.
1.75" bolt
- .6615" bracket
- .166" split ring and washer (.0970 Nordlock
- .255" spacer/shim
=.6675" of thread engagement with split rings. Or .7365" with nordlocks.

Can any of our smart guys please confirm this very complicated math and how much thread engagement one would want with aluminum threads and .375" bolts?

 

[5GENIDN]

All my "replacement" bolts were 1.5" I finally gave up and bought my own bolts. Metric grade 12.9, M10-1.5 x 45m
I bet the bolts they sent were 10.9 grade and I didn't want to have to deal with asking for the correct size bolts let alone stronger bolts.

Careful with going to a higher grade bolt.... A higher grade has a higher rigidity (or tensile strength) but a lower toughness.... They tend to be more brittle.

 

[SierraBronco]

Careful with going to a higher grade bolt.... A higher grade has a higher rigidity (or tensile strength) but a lower toughness.... They tend to be more brittle.

When it came to replacing the bolt that fell out on me, I just got the same stuff that they supplied. Figured there was a reason they didn't go with a higher grade like the 10.9 used by the OEM caliper bolts. Aluminum threads and all that. *shrugs*

 

[ScLeCo]

That's smart. I didn't think of that at all. Stronger = more gooder, grunt grunt.

 

[SierraBronco]

That's smart. I didn't think of that at all. Stronger = more gooder, grunt grunt.

Usually my goto solution. But in this case I thought "should probably do what they did. There must be a reason."

So naive.

 

[ScLeCo]

Usually my goto solution. But in this case I thought "should probably do what they did. There must be a reason."

So naive.

Well I got some new bolts to order. No big deal I guess since I will be pulling everything apart once their new and improved brackets arrive. No fancy custom machined brackets for me, but I'm sure theirs will be fine, right?

 

[5GENIDN]

Well I got some new bolts to order. No big deal I guess since I will be pulling everything apart once their new and improved brackets arrive. No fancy custom machined brackets for me, but I'm sure theirs will be fine, right?

I think they will be fine... The first set was "F"ed up.... I do not think they will make the same mistake twice. They actually have more to lose in this than any of us.

 

[Razorback]

Chad had said new brackets should be mailed in about 3 weeks (a week ago). Does this sound about like y'alls time frame?

 

[SierraBronco]

Well I got some new bolts to order. No big deal I guess since I will be pulling everything apart once their new and improved brackets arrive. No fancy custom machined brackets for me, but I'm sure theirs will be fine, right?

I would think they'll be supplying new bolts and washers with the brackets, especially with what the old bolts have been subjected to, but I couldn't tell you for certain. The only thing I "know" is based on an email from them saying the brackets are being redesigned to accommodate the dowels. No clue what the final design will be.

But now with what was discovered over the weekend, I would be even more curious about the threads inside the portals. According to the internet, minimum thread engagement with aluminum threads is 2x the diameter. The 1.5" bolts that were installed by 74W into my boxes are 35% short of that minimum. Even the 1.75" bolts are 11% short with the split washers and flat washers they originally used. It is better when using the nordlocks, but still falls roughly 2% short of minimum engagement requirements as per "the internet" specifications. And how does the shear forces and fatigue they've experienced affect all that?

 

[SierraBronco]

I think they will be fine... The first set was "F"ed up.... I do not think they will make the same mistake twice. They actually have more to lose in this than any of us.

I would like to not lose my life. It's important to me for...living...

 

[SierraBronco]

Chad had said new brackets should be mailed in about 3 weeks (a week ago). Does this sound about like y'alls time frame?

They told me on 11/7 that the new brackets were finished and being anodized. I think they told me on 10/28 that they were redesigning the brackets and expect them to ship in about three weeks.

So like I said with the portals originally - I am not at all upset that they are months later than expected. I want them built correctly, not quickly. Perhaps they are doing that this time and found an issue that needed to be fixed. All we can do is speculate seems how we aren't being given any updates.

 

[Razorback]

They told me on 11/7 that the new brackets were finished and being anodized. I think they told me on 10/28 that they were redesigning the brackets and expect them to ship in about three weeks.

So like I said with the portals originally - I am not at all upset that they are months later than expected. I want them built correctly, not quickly. Perhaps they are doing that this time and found an issue that needed to be fixed. All we can do is speculate seems how we aren't being given any updates.

Got tell ya, I'm eeeeasy on the brakes when driving. lol Start coasting about 2 blocks away to a stop light....

 

[Razorback]

I do like the inset o-ring on the new fill plugs though. No more popping out like a blister.

 

[SierraBronco]

Got tell ya, I'm eeeeasy on the brakes when driving. lol Start coasting about 2 blocks away to a stop light....

But of course! I'm very chill on the road. But Mrs. Sierra is going to use the brakes as needed while traversing the side of a cliff on Cliffhanger and/or Moab Rim. Both trails we have done while our frickin brake calipers were at risk for falling off. That's a fun thought.

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