Advice needed on bolt please

[andyborris]

I have one of these as the lower joint in my cars steering shaft, it's from an Escort. It mates to a Triumph rack.



2 questions really, what size bolt is used to lock this onto the steering shaft in an Escort? 13mm or 10mm (or imperial versions?)?

And if it's 13mm, any reason I can't use a 10mm bolt?

It's just applying a clamping force onto a spline, it's not under any tension other then what's provided by the “wings” where the bolt passes through and I can bend them with pliers or a screwdriver. I ask because the 13mm nut rubs ever so slightly, giving an odd feel to the steering!

Thanks

[ChasR]

A half Nyloc might be your answer here . Dolomites suffer from the same issue as you are (in that a full sized nyloc catches things), although being a UNC sized nyloc, finding a half nyloc equivalent can be tricky .

[MrSpeedy]

If you haven't clearance to fit a nyloc, you can make your own locking nuts.
Simply put a hacksaw cut along a couple of the flats through about 1/3 of the diameter of the nut.
Squash in the vice, and hey presto, a self locking standard depth nut

Kinda like these;



*edit for pic

[93fxdl]

If by a 13mm nut you mean an 8mm thread you have a few options, use a standard nylock and thin it down with a file or use a thin nylock or if feeling more adventurous use a plain nut and lockwire it and if space is really tight use a nut from a kawasaki as they use nuts and bolts with a 12 mm head, it used to be if you ever needed 13 mm spanner on a kwack, someone had fitted a non standard bolt or nut
Ttfn Glenn

[steveg]

As far as I can remember the bolts diameter is the thing that stops the joint sliding off the spline. I've forgotten to take the bolt right out and wondered why the joint wouldn't come off a couple of times.
Another option would be to use something like a K nut. These have washers built in, have slightly smaller then normal hexes and are locking.

[stealthstylz]

The Japanese tend not to use 13mm head nuts/bolts on anything, not 100% sure why iirc it's not one of their own superstitions.

[RobinJI]

Could you just use an allen headed M8 bolt? Either cap or dome head depending on whether it's height or thickness that's the issue.

Ignore me, obviously it'd still catch the nut on the other half of the rotation . So yeah, half-nut it is then I guess.

[chairchild]

weld it!


Or failing that, what's it catching on?? Could it not be "massaged" out of the way with a big hammer?

[andyborris]

Thanks everyone.

Temp fix is to take a center punch to lock the nut in place, then I think I'll get the joint welded into place as well.

It's steering, belts and braces are good!