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How are bolts made?
Daf - 29/12/17 at 08:42 PM

Strange question, but I'm about to make kyself a set of camber adjusters as per



And the insert bit could be made from a quality bolt if I turned the middle oub, put a thread into it and turned thr thread off the outside.

Question is when a bolt is made does it have a weak spot between the thread and head anywhere - meaning if i drilled the centre out of it woukd I end up with a weak component?

A bolt seems like a prefect object to modify but is there something I've overloooked!?

[Edited on 29/12/17 by Daf]

CosKev3 - 29/12/17 at 08:52 PM

I would think by the time you've done all that the wall thickness will be too thin?

Daf - 29/12/17 at 08:54 PM

quote:
Originally posted by CosKev3
I would think by the time you've done all that the wall thickness will be too thin?


Depends hiw big a bolt you start with

CosKev3 - 29/12/17 at 08:58 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Daf
quote:
Originally posted by CosKev3
I would think by the time you've done all that the wall thickness will be too thin?


Depends hiw big a bolt you start with


So you will then have to machine the head of the bolt too?

As to get one with enough meat on the shank the head will be way too big to fit in the angle between wishbone?

CosKev3 - 29/12/17 at 08:58 PM

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F181434268739

I used some off him when made my wishbones,spot on

Daf - 29/12/17 at 09:04 PM

Perhaps you're right about the head size, issue is i have no means of making the hex head.

I have seen those on the bay, but cant help thinking i have a lathe and if i coukd make one from a few quids worth of bolt i coukd save a few bob eith the added satisfaction of having done it myself.

CosKev3 - 29/12/17 at 09:06 PM

How much would solid bar cost you to start off with compared to bolts?

Daf - 29/12/17 at 09:09 PM

quote:
Originally posted by CosKev3
How much would solid bar cost you to start off with compared to bolts?


Free as i have some, it's just maaking the hex head I'm going to have the issue with. I suppose i could make it round and get it milled into a hex elsewhere.

loggyboy - 29/12/17 at 09:12 PM

Are you planning to incorporate a LHD thread at one end?

Daf - 29/12/17 at 09:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Are you planning to incorporate a LHD thread at one end?


My planning thus far is limited to the thought of turning down a bolt! What would be the reason for a LHD thread?

loggyboy - 29/12/17 at 10:20 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Daf
quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Are you planning to incorporate a LHD thread at one end?


My planning thus far is limited to the thought of turning down a bolt! What would be the reason for a LHD thread?


Are these not effectively a turnbuckle?

Daf - 29/12/17 at 10:29 PM

quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
quote:
Originally posted by Daf
quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Are you planning to incorporate a LHD thread at one end?


My planning thus far is limited to the thought of turning down a bolt! What would be the reason for a LHD thread?


Are these not effectively a turnbuckle?


I think may have mislead you - if you look at the pic in my first post I'm on about making the gold coloured bit from a bolt because it will have the hex head already

907 - 30/12/17 at 08:23 AM

Why not make from hexagon bar ?

Daf - 30/12/17 at 08:43 AM

quote:
Originally posted by 907
Why not make from hexagon bar ?


For the very simple reason I had no idea it was so readily available until you suggested it and I did a quick search!

AntonUK - 30/12/17 at 10:01 AM

I’ve never had much success with machining bolts and nuts. The metal always seems gummy

steve m - 30/12/17 at 10:11 AM

It doesn't have to have nuts attached at either end
make the bar out of solid tube threaded on the inside smooth on the outside
two locknuts one loose, and the other end araldited to the bar and c pinned through the flats and bar

Pesonally I didn't bother, just set it up as close as I could at the top, and did the adjusting at the bottom swivel

steve

SPYDER - 30/12/17 at 03:32 PM

Are you proposing to make new wishbones to accommodate the adjuster?

Have you read the thread about "camber adjuster failure"?

READ THIS CLICK HERE

I know they were alloy and I'm not necessarily trying to put you off but it might help you refine your design before you start.

Bolts aren't easy to machine at the best of times. Maybe start with hex bar as suggested. EN8 or higher.

Or use the material you have at hand if it is of suitable grade. You only need get two flats machined on and you can do that

on your lathe. Put a milling cutter in the chuck and the workpiece in the tool post. Easy.

Then keep an eye on them going rusty.

Pay very close attention to the internal radius beneath the head and the corresponding rad on the wishbone tube.

Daf - 30/12/17 at 06:12 PM

quote:
Originally posted by SPYDER
Are you proposing to make new wishbones to accommodate the adjuster?

Have you read the thread about "camber adjuster failure"?

READ THIS CLICK HERE

I know they were alloy and I'm not necessarily trying to put you off but it might help you refine your design before you start.

Bolts aren't easy to machine at the best of times. Maybe start with hex bar as suggested. EN8 or higher.

Or use the material you have at hand if it is of suitable grade. You only need get two flats machined on and you can do that

on your lathe. Put a milling cutter in the chuck and the workpiece in the tool post. Easy.

Then keep an eye on them going rusty.

Pay very close attention to the internal radius beneath the head and the corresponding rad on the wishbone tube.


Some cracking advice there, I wish I'd thought of the pair of flats instead of a hex head! I've even done something similar for another project but didn't even think about if for this

I did read the camber adjuster failure thread, but there doesn't appear to be any evidence of a steel one failing anywhere unless someone can tell me otherwise?

Furyous - 30/12/17 at 09:15 PM

Grade 8.8 bolts are made from 4140 grade steel, with a tensile strength of 850-1000 MPa.

Most standard mild steel is G250, rated at 250 MPa, or sometimes G350.

Something to consider when making a part from the scrap bin.

hughpinder - 10/1/18 at 01:51 PM

I think you should install them as in this sketch (also mentioned in the linked thread).



The tension is then between the nut and the long internal thread of the adjuster. There is no load on the head of the adjuster at all, and you would have to pull the whole length of the internal thread out to have a failure.

Regards
Hugh

Camber Dave - 10/1/18 at 05:57 PM

^ ^ ^

What Hugh said

Also has the advantage of being able to use a smaller "bolt head" in the vee of the top arm