Robin Posted April 20, 2021 Report Share Posted April 20, 2021 Does anyone know how the door hinges bolts are attached to the A frame on a Vitesse (or Herald)? Is there a captive nut within the A frame itself? If there is and the thread is stripped how do you get access other than cutting away the A frame metal from inside the car? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Flinn Posted April 20, 2021 Report Share Posted April 20, 2021 There is a shaped Threaded Captive Plate, if striped you can tap up the next size or go metric. The original threads are 5/16" UNF (1/2" AF spanner) you can re-tap 3/8" UNF (9/16" AF Spanner) but you may have to drill out the hinge holes slightly M10 might be the Best Metric size but not 100% sure on this? Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted April 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2021 19 minutes ago, Gary Flinn said: There is a shaped Threaded Captive Plate, if striped you can tap up the next size or go metric. The original threads are 5/16" UNF (1/2" AF spanner) you can re-tap 3/8" UNF (9/16" AF Spanner) but you may have to drill out the hinge holes slightly M10 might be the Best Metric size but not 100% sure on this? Regards Thanks Gary - so if you tap up can you still make adjustments or is it fixed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 20, 2021 Report Share Posted April 20, 2021 if you drill out the hinge holes to suit the oversize this wont affect the plate which will still move about for some adjustment the plate is not as thick as a nut so they strip easy if overtightened torqure is reduced to 16/18 lbft where as a std nut would be more 19/21 lbft so hand tight , thats a nip and a short turn Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted April 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2021 2 hours ago, Pete Lewis said: if you drill out the hinge holes to suit the oversize this wont affect the plate which will still move about for some adjustment the plate is not as thick as a nut so they strip easy if overtightened torqure is reduced to 16/18 lbft where as a std nut would be more 19/21 lbft so hand tight , thats a nip and a short turn Pete Hi Pete - so do the bolts just go through the threaded plate i.e the bolts don’t have a nut on the end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted April 20, 2021 Report Share Posted April 20, 2021 33 minutes ago, Robin said: Hi Pete - so do the bolts just go through the threaded plate i.e the bolts don’t have a nut on the end? Yes, they screw into tapped threads in the plate; no nut - you couldn't get access in behind anyway without drilling holes through the bodywork. (Colin, not Pete.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 20, 2021 Report Share Posted April 20, 2021 yes agree with colin access is not easy , i have also suggested a hole saw to align and poke a socket with a nut inside through to fit the end of the bolt access to the caged plate is not easy Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted May 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2021 On 20/04/2021 at 21:21, Pete Lewis said: yes agree with colin access is not easy , i have also suggested a hole saw to align and poke a socket with a nut inside through to fit the end of the bolt access to the caged plate is not easy Pete Quick update... As Pete mentioned - It looks like someone has has cut a small access hole in the A frame at the bottom which was hidden by the footwell side carpet. They've also drilled through the inner casing at the bottom and attached nuts to the oversized bolts. So, three questions.. 1. I'm assuming that by attaching bolts to the nuts it removes the ability to adjust the bottom door hinge? 2. If the captive plate has been tapped to take a bigger bolt, does it still need a nut on the end or can I remove them and retain some adjustment? 3. Is it possible to replace the captive plate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted May 5, 2021 Report Share Posted May 5, 2021 There's a small hole in all of the A-posts, just off centre towards the bottom - put there by the factory. The captive plates are fitted to the rear of the outer panel before it's all welded together, so can't be accessed without cutting more holes or splitting the welds! Not easy... so replacement is a major job. If someone has already cut holes then that's a big bonus. If you can manage to get a nut onto the bolt it will grip the bolt, same as the captive plate did, and so still allow the same range of movement. The entire plate moves, not just the bolts as if they were in slotted holes. If you tap out the plate to take a (slightly) larger bolt eg metric, the plate should now still grip the bolt as it would have originally so no need for a nut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted May 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2021 27 minutes ago, Colin Lindsay said: There's a small hole in all of the A-posts, just off centre towards the bottom - put there by the factory. The captive plates are fitted to the rear of the outer panel before it's all welded together, so can't be accessed without cutting more holes or splitting the welds! Not easy... so replacement is a major job. If someone has already cut holes then that's a big bonus. If you can manage to get a nut onto the bolt it will grip the bolt, same as the captive plate did, and so still allow the same range of movement. The entire plate moves, not just the bolts as if they were in slotted holes. If you tap out the plate to take a (slightly) larger bolt eg metric, the plate should now still grip the bolt as it would have originally so no need for a nut. Thanks Colin - that's really good to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t-stag Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 Continuing saga of my body off chassis Vitesse restoration. 2 bolts hold each hinge to the door, but the door doesn't come off so there must be something else holding the hinge on. So remove the 3 bolts holding the hinge to the A Post. A bit concerned that the plate inside the A Post might move downwards. Is this plate retained somehow? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 there is a countersunk set screw hinge to door you have not found yet and the plate in the A post is held in a cage Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 I have refurbished a stripped thread by running weld into the failed thread and drilling and re-tapping 3/8" UNF. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger K Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 I would try a helicoil to keep the thread size original. You might not be able to tap the helicoil tang out but that probably doesn't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted May 10, 2021 Report Share Posted May 10, 2021 You can get different length Helicoil/Recol's I've used the shortest to refurb a couple of the bolt holes in the hinges on my Vitesse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted May 11, 2021 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 8 hours ago, Roger K said: I would try a helicoil to keep the thread size original. You might not be able to tap the helicoil tang out but that probably doesn't matter. So does the helicoil go into the captive plate thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger K Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 I have placed helicoils into captive plates with success. They're not really designed for them, but if placed carefully will give a stronger thread than the original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted May 11, 2021 Report Share Posted May 11, 2021 10 hours ago, Robin said: So does the helicoil go into the captive plate thread? The helicoil kit comes with a Tap, which is the same thread form and pitch but a larger dia. the "coil" is inserted which restores the original thread size. Plenty of info:- https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=Fitting+hellicoils The Captive plate is only (I estimate) 3/16" (5mm) thick. Which even with a fine thread does mean that care is required when fastening the bolts. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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