[mitsenoj]

Tried to remove my after market front bash plate today - front suspension has been making weird clicking noises - turned out to be stones caught between the cross member and the plate - easy fix.

Here is the issue though couldnt get the plate completely off - 4 of the 8 bolts are totally stripped. Got 2 of the stripped ones out - the other 2 are going nowhere! Only 2 "people" have touched those bolts - me when I put the bash plate in (with new bolts) and the dealer. Last service I reported the noise which was minor at that point - I noted on the workshop sheet that they just tightened the bash plate bolts - obliviously done by a moron with the results. My previous Pajero had same issues so I guess its a common thing with them anyway.

Going to make it their problem to sort out - although they likely going to pull the - thats not OEM argument

Here is one of the bolts - who does this ? :

bolt

[KurtG]

It might be better to get someone to Tap the holes with an M8 tap and then to buy new bolts. It shouldn't be too difficult to sort out.

[mitsenoj]

Agreed except I cant get the plate off - two of the bolts just spin in place. Tried the usual method of putting pressure on bolt but still no give - thats when I decided to make it dealers problem.

[peterpot]

Are you sure these are the same bolts that you fitted when you fitted the bashplate? Why I ask is that the thread is damaged from the tip all the way up to the washer. Are they all damaged in exactly the same way?
The most likely to have happened is a) that when the mechanic tightened the bolts he over tightened and stripped the thread. Note thread from middle towards head seems less than from middle to point (this could also be influenced by a lower quality / tensile bolt), or b) (less likely) that a bolt with an incorrect /non matching thread was used. It normally happens when a bolt /s is /are mislaid and an incorrect thread is then used as a replacement. This is difficult to determine though without seeing them all.
What also happens is that when the bolt is too long and on exiting the other side of the thread fowls something and gets damaged. The "mechanic" then removes the bolt and on exiting, the damaged bolt damages the thread. On replacing / fitting the part again, the "mechanic" then swops the bolts around and now you have two damaged bolts and two damaged threads.
Unfortunately these days the quality of workmanship, skill, training and pride in workmanship is sadly lacking.

[mitsenoj]

Thanks for all replies - agreed baffling how they got so damaged.

Spend an hour at the dealer and managed to be part of the repair to make sure it wasnt stuffed up further - 2 stuck bolts we got out with tyre leaver and air gun (socket rotation speed was too slow)

We then cleaned up the thread and did visual inspection - I am satisfied that the tread is mostly intact so damage was fortunately concentrated on the bolts - I am wondering if the plate wasn't skew so when the last guy put them in, the tread was rubbing against the bash plate before entering the hole - thus destroying the thread along its length before it entered the captive nut - all I can think of.

Bolts were correct length and correct thread - they definitely the Mitsu ones I bought with captive washers.

So all good until next appy comes along I guess.

Postscript anyone with a Stofpad front bash plate - easy for small stones to get between the plate and the back cross member - makes horrible noises sounds like the suspension has failed.

[Manana]

A word of caution here.....!

Whilst fitting my new bash plate (very heavy and difficult to fit as man alone with a humble trolley jack), I finally got it in place with all 6 x bolts loosely in their holes. I might not be the best technical person around, but I am certainly no novice....., I was tightening the bolts sequentially; diagonally etc when there was a loud bang.

It turns out the laser cut hole centers are a fraction out to the Mitsubishi bolt holes and the bang was one of the captive nuts breaking loose INSIDE A STRUCTURAL MEMBER WITH NO ACCESS. Now the nut was just turning with no way of loosening or tightening it.

Long story cut short - some very tactical cutting with a grinder and Dremel and some careful welding got it all sorted. The result is that there is no way I will let anyone else remove or replace the plate. It takes me 15 minutes before and after a service to remove and replace the plate. Half an hour of sweat and discomfort is well worth the peace of mind that it is all in place.

[7Pajeros]

I share your frustration at rubbish workmanship like this, no cure for it I'm afraid. Other than servicing your vehicle yourself. I once had them forget to put the bash plate back completely on a Nissan years ago. Another common one is forcing coarse thread Bolts into fine thread holes and vice versa. Freaks me out that the standard of training, pride in workmanship, quality control is so low. Everywhere...

[LowRange]

It turns out the laser cut hole centers are a fraction out to the Mitsubishi bolt holes and the bang was one of the captive nuts breaking loose INSIDE A STRUCTURAL MEMBER WITH NO ACCESS. Now the nut was just turning with no way of loosening or tightening it.

I have 3 off these at the moment!

Anybody tried Rivnuts to repair these? Do they last! Keep in mind that I will be removing and refitting the bashplates myself for services going forward!

RivNuts 1.jpg (9.98 KiB) Viewed 2020 times

[Mantovani]

I used a rivnut on the only hole that the nut broke off. It is working fine. I'm the only one who removes my bash plate as I service my car self.

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