re drilling bolt spacings on struts

[xcore]

Is it really that dangerious to redrill bolt spacings?

I.e. if my bolt spaceing was 54mm but i had a 58mm strut or coilover would it be really dangerious to drill the lower bolt up afew mm so its 54mm?

None of this "i heard my mates mates mates dad say it was" please

cheers

 

[edde]

I woulnd't ever recomend it to any. I'd discuss it with people who I knew were competant etc but the only people I'd trust would know what to do anyway so I wouldn't need to.

 

[d4ve86]

My LEDA coilovers were originally for my 1.4, when i got my 182 I asked mark fish if the bottom hole could be filed out for the larger bolt and the extra 2mm bolt spacing. (1.4 = 58mm - 182 = 60mm).

The hole was originally a slotted hole to allow for the camber bolts, Mark checked my dampers and confirmed it could easily be done. When I booked the car in the front dampers were filed out and fitted to the car in about an hour!

So just make one of the holes slotted - file out the bottom holes an extra 4mm and then bolt it to the car!

 

[xcore]

thats what i ment
make it into a slot, but edde was saying its unsafe?

 

[d4ve86]

to be fair I dont think Mark Fish would have done it if it wasnt save. Iv done trackdays etc and not had a problem.

but then it depends on the brackets, with the LEDA's they were pretty strong and thick and had a lot of material left after the hole was filed out.

 

[xcore]

yea well i duno surely if the bolts were going higher it would still support the strut so would still be safe??

 

[d4ve86]

yeah it should be safe and support it, cant see why not as your filing upwards.

are you doing it yourself? What damper/coilover is it?

 

[xcore]

Im just wondering for like if i pick up some bargin second hand coilovers if they are the wrong bolt spacing i can change it etc.
Me n my dad will probly try if i ever have to do it

 

[d4ve86]

what car have u got 1.2?

I wouldnt worry about it untill you need to. Just do it with an air file/grinder and not by hand!

 

[xcore]

yea a little 1.2, what about if i clamped it and used a pillar drill?

 

[edde]

thats what i ment
make it into a slot, but edde was saying its unsafe?

You need to think about loss of edge land it does depends on the coilover etc and design heence why I'd only discuss doing it with people who knew what they should need etc.

 

[d4ve86]

yea a little 1.2, what about if i clamped it and used a pillar drill?

Theres no point drilling it to remove 4mm, I can see drilling going wrong, best to file / grind it out

 

[pinky]

I heard it was really dodgy.

 

[mattjk]

Im sure it would be finebut its one of those things really a little hit n miss

 

[ben_p]

^its not pinky.

 

[edde]

Don't forget chnaging from rs hubs etc around that rs have bigger bolts in them 14mm vs 13 from memory diameter.