Robin Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 Does anyone know if the door hinges that attach to the A post have nuts behind them ? I tried to tighten the bolts on my passenger door but they keep turning and there's seems no way in to the A post to check. Could I cut an inspection hole to see whats's happening and then re-weld? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 They are a caged plate very thin and strip easy as you have found, they dont take much on off fitting, access is not easy as the apost is full formed , dont think there, s any access from behind the kick board either, you can tap them out to 8mm x 1.25 being coarser you get some bite, on my vit6 it was drillmout hinge and tap 3/8 X 24 UNF BUT what ever dont wraunch the bolts up Book toqure is 16/18 lbft.max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mishmosh Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 Almost impossible to access. Go with Petes advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted August 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 Thanks both - shame Triumph didn't put in some access holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 if sure you can buy access holes on ebay !!!!! look for a hole saw kit my Aldi one works well you could i suppose hole saw the A post and fiddle a nut on the back of the bolt if you can see/locate it. never tried on this location but you could drill the thread out and fit a Rivenut http://rivetnut1.tru-m.com/ available from many places, easy to fit the cage has an open back so the nut should not cause restricted movement and far stronget than the weeny thin tapped plate, in the end we removed and turned it around and tapped new holes, still rubbish design, its got a life of use it once twice with luck third time stripped. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 would a helicoil not work? guess it may need threadlock to fix it in place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 Clive the plate is so thin I dont think a heli would hold in place there's only about 3 to 4 full threads In a really awfull bit of tin but when your backs against the wall all idea, s are worth a try Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted August 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 So if I cut a couple of inspection holes - maybe big enough to get a socket through- would this weaken the A post i.e would it be dangerous? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 I dont think so , obviously it takes some integrity away from the orig design, if your a posts have rotted off under the cill plate you can get inside with the tub upsidedown got that tee shirt if you can get a hole close to the back of the bolts , then a nut will work well to redesign you could possibly thread a bolt through the cage and this acts as a new stud to use a nut to fix the hinge on, never to fail again just a thought oufside the box if the hole has to get big you could fabricate a cover with a decent fixing to replace some strength pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gadgetman Posted August 31, 2015 Report Share Posted August 31, 2015 if sure you can buy access holes on ebay !!!!! look for a hole saw kit my Aldi one works well you could i suppose hole saw the A post and fiddle a nut on the back of the bolt if you can see/locate it. never tried on this location but you could drill the thread out and fit a Rivenut http://rivetnut1.tru-m.com/ available from many places, easy to fit the cage has an open back so the nut should not cause restricted movement and far stronget than the weeny thin tapped plate, in the end we removed and turned it around and tapped new holes, still rubbish design, its got a life of use it once twice with luck third time stripped. Pete Rivnuts are great. We use them all the time on aircraft. Make sure you get the ones with a key on them to stop them spinning, you just file a small slot in the hole for it to grip on http://www.lasaero.com/site/products/article?id=O00DHQGIL http://www.lasaero.com/site/products/article?id=G00Z4ZOET Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted September 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 Pete & Gadgetman Rivnuts look good - so presumably I unbold the hinges, fit the rivnuts and then re-attach the hinges? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted September 1, 2015 Report Share Posted September 1, 2015 you have to drill out a clearance hole first , for a 5/16unf or 8mm bolt its about a 10mm clearance hole all my rivenuts have a spline rolled in to make them grip, a key is maybe even more positive but you wont get to the plate to file one rive nuts have a lot of uses so a kit with the range of nuts and the pliers to compress them is a good thing to have in the tool box. you can compress the 'rivet' by fit a bolt , fit a washer over the end face , then add a nut , screw the nut down the bolt till the unit rivets in place pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted April 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2016 Sorry for the really late response but I'm just starting to think about how to do this.... Pete - your idea of threading a bolt through the cage (assuming I cut access holes) could work but how would you stop the bolt from turning when you attach the nut? Would you need to spot weld the bolt in place? Thanks for all the feedback Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD Posted April 5, 2016 Report Share Posted April 5, 2016 I did as Pete advises, drill out to slightly under next size, thread and use bigger bolt. aAFAICR there are nuts welded to that captive p!ate, so there can be some meat on the bone. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 6, 2016 Report Share Posted April 6, 2016 there were no nuts on my 64 tub, just a flat thin plate tapped if a big hole saw is not a way in why not three smaller to just take a socket, to get a position just pilot through the tapped holes to pierce the inner skin why not try the tapping out to a bigger dia or pitch I have many taps if you want to try some one evening leave the major butchery till youve tried the easy first Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Hi All Thanks for the advice so far I've had a closer look a the bolts holding the brackets to the A post on the passenger door and here's what I've found.. Top Hinge: The top bolt takes a 5/8 spanner and looks to have a 10mm shank diameter and doesn't tighten (maybe a stripped thread?). The middle bolt is the same and doesn't tighten. The bottom bolt takes a 9/16 spanner - don't know the shank diameter but this tightens so is OK. Bottom Hinge: Top bolt takes 1/2 spanner and tightens - so OK. Middle bolt takes is also 1/2 but doesn't tighten and when I try and undo it it just turns without coming out. The bottoms bolt takes a 9/16 spanner and is tight so I haven't tried to take this one out. So my thinking is to replace the 5/8 bolts with new ones just to see if the new thread tightens but of it doesn't can these be tapped any larger? With regards to the 1/2 bolt that just turns - do I have to drill this out or is there a better way? Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Sorry - one more question is there a way of relating the spanner size to the bolt i.e. If a 1/2 spanner fits the bolt head how does that relate to the bolt diameter? Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 yes 1/2 af spanner is 5/16" unf dia 9/16 is 3/8dia 5/8 is 7/16 dia looks like someones had a good try before you begin to think hole saw longer bolt and nut on the inside just tighten it over the cage plate but you need extra pair of hands one inside one outside and a third to hold the blasted door Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Hi Pete Think the 5/16 unf must be the originals Will try new 3/8 bolts and see if that works - if not may think about the nut idea but I'm a bit nervous about cutting large enough holes in the A post without weakening it. I'm planning to fit a new door at some point so need the hinges to be adjustable. More fun! Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted August 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 Pete - meant new 5/8 (7/16) bolts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted August 2, 2016 Report Share Posted August 2, 2016 You need clearance holes in the hinge apart from the big un already fitted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted August 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2016 Fitted some new 7/16 bolts which seems to have done the trick - closer inspection of the old bolts revealed stripped thread at the head end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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