'88 E30
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KaiserRolls said:
Only thing I'm nervous about is I have an aftermarket core support (my original one was kinda twisted and rusty) the aftermarket China ones work well enough, they are just quite thin and bendy. I think it should work because the red46 plate includes some hardware (drilling required) which includes a plate to sandwich the core support. Should be fine unless I go bounce off some rocks out in moab
You could always cut the core support open and stick a piece of square tube in there.
Wait, e30's aren't supposed to go to Moab? I better cancel my trip.....
We will see if the square tube is needed. For my uses, I doubt it - other end attaches to steering rack bolts. I guess if I hit something hard enough I'd rather tweak the core support vs the subframe/steering rack components
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you could copy/get the hoop from the 'severe duty skid plates' from the guy on e30tech. i hit some big shit and no frame/steering rack damage with it.
Dan
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I'm not going crazy low or anything. This is just more of a precaution. The red46 plates are surprisingly beefy
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Steering rack back together with new lemforder shizzzz. Got the "alignment" (outer length) as close as I could. But my first stop is going to be to the alignment rack
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Got tired and went inside. This is all the farther I made it. Bought new axle nuts. Promptly lost new axle nuts. Going to re use the old ones because there's nothing wrong with them, stupid shit like that frustrates me
"Hey my new parts showed up" "hey I already misplaced them" they didn't even make it out of the bag they were shipped in
I hate my brain sometimes
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Oh I also broke the cv boot clamp, so I'll need a new one of those as well
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That's the old one
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What tool did you use for the dust boot clamps?
For the steering rack? My hands. When I take it to get it aligned I'll have them tighten up those clamps
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Zip ties ftw!!!
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So the lock plates I have are not the right ones, even tho the PN is for an 88 e30.
New on left, old on right.
The new ones only slide like halfway into the bore.
After talking with Blunttech for a bit - I'm going to make garbage art with the lock plates & put the nuts on with some loctite and torque them
Lock plates not fitting + losing my nuts made for an annoying night working on this junk
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looks like you have the right ones. the lock plates go on AFTER the nut. clean out the bore best you can, then tap/pound them into the into the bore over top of the nut until they deform around the nut. (hex nut into a circle hole) should be tight, that's the point! they are destroyed when you remove them as you have to pry them out, so make sure everything is torqued down and good to go before tapping them into place.
Dan
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I have read 50/50 that they go on before and after. If they went on before, it would make sense to bend the tabs around the nut. If they go on after I'm literally going to take a socket and beat the shit out of them, kind of defeating the locking purpose?
When I originally removed my axle nuts the lock plates were on the back side of the nut
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I have read 50/50 that they go on before and after. If they went on before, it would make sense to bend the tabs around the nut. If they go on after I'm literally going to take a socket and beat the shit out of them, kind of defeating the locking purpose?
When I originally removed my axle nuts the lock plates were on the back side of the nut
no, beating them into place is what is locking them. the three tabs on the outside of the plate hold the plate from spinning in the hub, the center part which you deform around the hex nut hold the nut from spinning. the pressure from beating them in holds them in their place.
they aren't a lock washer/crush washer like you are thinking that goes under the nut. there is are no ridges or pressure that would help hold the axle nut in place. it would be like a regular old washer.
when you removed the original ones, they were either corroded/fell apart to where it looked like they were behind or someone installed them wrong. from your picture it looks like they had fallen apart.
Dan
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How would they lock if they were behind the nut?
The three outer notches hold the lock plate in place, then you push (beat) the flat surface of the "washer" to conform it to the out profile of the hex. That provides a lock so the nut cannot move.
If it was behind the nut it is just a washer that cannot spin. -
Whoever did mine did them wrong then. Because the lock plate was definitely behind the nut.
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I will gladly beat the shit out of them from pure frustration tonight
Makes sense to put them on after to bend them to the shape of the hex though
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I have always done them under the axle nut like shown in the picture.
As you tighten the axle nut the lock plate crushes down and prevents the corners of the axle nut from rotating past them until you pry them openyou are smoking crack that picture clearly shows the lock plate on top of the nut. how does a flat plate crush down? the back of the axle nut is round, not hex.
I will gladly beat the shit out of them from pure frustration tonight
Makes sense to put them on after to bend them to the shape of the hex though
you shouldnt be torquing your axle nuts down without the subframe installed and the weight of the car on the wheels/hub IIRC. i don't know if it would even be possible, they get torqued to 180ft/lbs or something, you will have to hold the axle somehow...
Dan
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