Replacing the rear rebound straps

[DANIEL E]

Hello to all,

I first tried to inocently replace the rebound straps, I soon find out probably as many of you have that is not quite as easy! I begined by breaking some regular screwdriver bits, then hiting with an impact wrench, in the end after almost finished desasembling one side I find out what will work best for the other side! first I wont touch the screws until I cut with a sharp razor or blade the webbing exiting the sides of the curved base, then with a drill the size of the webbing thicknes start drilling one hole next to the other until I destroy all of the sanwiched webbing ( careful with the screws), with a small screwdriver push all the remains of destroyed webbing , that leaves lose the curved base and the screws and their fine treads exposed, now lots of penetrating oil, then the big screwdriver bit of the impact wrench used with a ratchet , the slots of the screws will be in good shape and with careful torque should start turning, at least this is working for me,

Regards

[pathung]

Good work! A rusted screw is my worst nightmare. Lucky for me, mine came out quite easily, with a big screwdriver.

[Gordon Raymond]

That is always the worst part of this job. Often the screw breaks off flush with the frame member. That is cause for colorful language!. I've considered making up stainless steel screws, but the threaded section in the frame member will still rust. Best idea I've come up with is stainless steel screws, in a cleaned with a tap hole, sprayed with Brakeclean, and the screw thread coated in Permetex Ultra Grey before tightening up. That way moisture cant get to the threaded steel in the frame member, and hopefully, the screw can be removed at a later date for another set of limit straps. Just a thought.

[pathung]

Yeah, these straps last so long that by the time they need changing, you're already dead! But we're thinking of future generations, of course.

[DANIEL E]

Thanks for your replys, I supose that every case must be diferent ,depending on where and how the car has pass so many years, maybe for future generations another kind of bolt could be adapted? maybe with a small conical washer/spacer.

Daniel

[davisfamily]

I read in one of my dad's Mechanical Engineering magazines that stainless will rust if used with chromoly or otherwise coated tools. The only way to make sure that it will not rust ever is to use stainless tools. I think this may be overkill for a car, but necessary for factories and plants. Wold the same thing happen when a stainless screw combines with regular steel on the frame? Just thinking about the "future generations," ie. my four boys!

[Gordon Raymond]

To some degree, yes. Stainless steel is a generic term for many different alloys, all with differing characteristics. Some are made for easy machinability, others for serious anti corrosion characteristics. Generally though it may change color, the stainless used in fasteners (and exhaust systems) is not brittle, not too hard, but may "discolor". This is true with it's electrolytic character as well. I an NOT a engineer, and only know a little about application, but stainless steel screws, protected with an insulator, like Permetex Ultra Grey, do not show electrolytic corrosion when screwed into mild steel in my experience.