Balljoint Bolts to Wishbones, what specs?

[Rystar]

Hi All,

I seem to have a problem where the outer most bolt that secures the balljoint to the wishbones keeps loosening off. The actual balljoint is fine with no abnormal play, the end bolts just require a tweak up now and then.

Reading around a bit on the forums, it seems the original Renault bolts are a finer thread or something to most aftermarket ones available and sometimes it causes this? Its quite probable the bolts have been changed for the new ones in a pack of aftermarket parts in its 16 years of age. Tried to order new from Renault and they're marked NLA.

Does anyone have the specs for these bolts? I know they're M12, guessing around 10.9 tensile? But as far as length and pitch i'm not too sure. I'm hesitant to measure the existing ones as they're causing me problems.

Any other advice regarding them loosening is greatly appreciated

Cheers

 

[Krarl]

Renault don't make nuts and bolts mate

Try looking for Lemforder or TRW ones mate

 

[JamesBryan]

Are you on about the 2 bolts into the wishbone or the pinch bolt in the hub?

 

[Rystar]

Renault don't make nuts and bolts mate

Try looking for Lemforder or TRW ones mate

I'd ordered just bolts from Renault about 6 weeks previous for the pinch bolt and gearbox mounts so it surprised me to be fair...

Are you on about the 2 bolts into the wishbone or the pinch bolt in the hub?

The 2 M12's into the wishbone, not the single pinch into the hub that ones nice and tight!

 

[JamesBryan]

Shouldn't be coming loose tbh.

New ones come with Lemforder ball joints.

Bang them on at 62Nm.

 

[Rystar]

Shouldn't be coming loose tbh.

New ones come with Lemforder ball joints.

Bang them on at 62Nm.

It is worrying why they keep coming loose.

So the only solution to sourcing new bolts is to buy a whole new balljoint? That's a bit of an annoyance as the actual joints themselves are sound. I'll wait for a euros/GSF discount weekend or something and have to pick some up! Cheers

 

[JamesBryan]

It is worrying why they keep coming loose.

So the only solution to sourcing new bolts is to buy a whole new balljoint? That's a bit of an annoyance as the actual joints themselves are sound. I'll wait for a euros/GSF discount weekend or something and have to pick some up! Cheers

Changed a mates ball joints on the weekend and the 2 bolts didn't look anything special in terms of thread.

Just either 8.8 or 10.9 grade M12 bolts with nyloc nuts.

 

[Rystar]

Changed a mates ball joints on the weekend and the 2 bolts didn't look anything special in terms of thread.

Just either 8.8 or 10.9 grade M12 bolts with nyloc nuts.

Thanks for the update mate, to be fair my original post was probably a bit pointless, any thread is better than one that loosens in hindsight 😂

 

[JamesBryan]

Thanks for the update mate, to be fair my original post was probably a bit pointless, any thread is better than one that loosens in hindsight 😂

What are you tightening them to?

As really you could tighten them a lot more than the 62Nm quoted tbh, they're big bolts.

 

[Krarl]

If you're re-using the nylock then it will come loose unless you give it a good wang or a few ugga duggas

 

[Rystar]

What are you tightening them to?

As really you could tighten them a lot more than the 62Nm quoted tbh, they're big bolts.

As they've been coming loose mate, as tight as I can personally get them with a 1/2 inch ratchet with a 1ft-ish bar on the end. So far they've stayed tight a week or so but i'm still not happy with it.

If you're re-using the nylock then it will come loose unless you give it a good wang or a few ugga duggas

They're not nylocs on there. I don't know the proper name for these type of nuts, I've had them before with car parts though. Best way to explain is they look like they've been squashed ever so slightly oval from new. I guess they 'lock' from always trying to pull back to that oval shape?

I've had them with lemforder etc on previous vehicles before but like I say no idea on the name

 

[Krarl]

As they've been coming loose mate, as tight as I can personally get them with a 1/2 inch ratchet with a 1ft-ish bar on the end. So far they've stayed tight a week or so but i'm still not happy with it.



They're not nylocs on there. I don't know the proper name for these type of nuts, I've had them before with car parts though. Best way to explain is they look like they've been squashed ever so slightly oval from new. I guess they 'lock' from always trying to pull back to that oval shape?

I've had them with lemforder etc on previous vehicles before but like I say no idea on the name

You'll have to get a pic cos I have no idea what you're on about😂

 

[JamesBryan]

K Nuts?

 

[Rystar]

You'll have to get a pic cos I have no idea what you're on about😂

Shameless theft from google, but they look like that. It looks like a bad picture because the threaded hole isn't round but that's actually how they are.
Definitely had them with lemforder and the like before, Internet reckons they're 'torque prevailing' style lock nuts 🤷‍♂️

 

[Krarl]

Ah right okay, built-in washer type. That's just so you don't forget the washer and have it pull into the metal, it's just for pressure spreading across a surface.

Yeah get a dab of Loctite on em and it'll be reet

 

[PhillipM]

No, it's a deformed nut - that's why there's two flats on the thread - the nut actually distorts to give a locking effect, like K-nuts.

 

[Krarl]

Ah I didnt see that, yeah i dont ever use new hardware. I just root through a box of old bolts I've got from cars I've broken😂😂😂

 

[Louis]

I shove about 80Nm on those bolts

 

[Martin.]

What are you doing them up to?

Should be 76NM from memory.

If they're coming loose then I'd take them off to try and establish why.

I've just got Lemforder botls and nyloc nuts on mine, with generic heavy durty washers top and bottom.

 

[04-182]

Hi, thought id add to this one rather than start a new one. Just got a pair of Lemforder ball joints to fit from Euros. Comes with the new nuts/bolts/washers etc but also comes with a white plastic template like thing. Can anyone tell me what this bit is for please? Thanks

 

[Jekyll]

@04-182 it sits on the "joint" of the ball joint and goes under the hub, where the ball joint goes in (where the pinch bolt is)

The slot goes into the slot in the hub.

 

[04-182]

@04-182 it sits on the "joint" of the ball joint and goes under the hub, where the ball joint goes in (where the pinch bolt is)

The slot goes into the slot in the hub.

View attachment 1474559

Spot on. Thankyou.

 

[04-182]

They're down at £7.79 with the discount code at mo so figured i'd change them while i have car in bits

 

[04-182]

Hi, thought id add to this one rather than start a new one. Just got a pair of Lemforder ball joints to fit from Euros. Comes with the new nuts/bolts/washers etc but also comes with a white plastic template like thing. Can anyone tell me what this bit is for please? Thanks
View attachment 1474555

Does anyone know if you can buy these separately? Got new wishbones but they haven't come with any and i didn't have any on my car to start with.

Thanks in advance