RE: TA bolt failures

[Darryl Tinnerstet <darryl@xxxx>]

Les said:
> what I'd really like is first hand
> experiences from those who have had bolt failure. Did they limp home or
> did they have to be flat bedded? What were the control problems when
> the bolt let go and the rear end dropped?
I can't say that I have experienced total failure (although I have seen
scary photos) but I nearly did. Some years ago with an earlier car I made a
quick lane change on the freeway and almost smacked the Jersey barrier at
60+. The car was suddenly so loose in the back it would almost change lanes
by itself. I proceeded slowly home to discover one side had loosened up,
the shims had fallen out, and the bolt was bent into an "L" shape. Now as
you can imagine I tend to maintain my cars pretty well, so this was a real
eye opener. On the current car I regularly make sure they are tight and the
shims are in place, but it has bothered me a lot that they were also frozen
in place. Since I had advance knowledge of the new "Toby Bolts" I was
waiting for them before attempting the task of pressing/cutting out the old
ones. But personally I would do it if they were $100 apiece. And since
they are military/aircraft spec they probably should be twice that.

-- 
Darryl Tinnerstet
THE ORIGINAL Specialty Automotive
McCleary, WA
www.delorean-parts.com