Body bolt torque

[Jonathan]

Just seeking clarification on something I read in James' Buyers Guide book.

It is regarding the body bolts.

First question is how many are there and where are they?

The book mentions there being ten (page 53) and also twelve (page 67). Two of them are under the trunk carpet (what I have sometimes seen referred to as the shock tower bolts which is where the aftermarket reinforcing/stability bar gets bolted to). Four of them are mentioned as being in the rear cradle, one each inside the corner pontoons (charcoal canister area and air intake area) and the other two towards the front of the engine bay area (securing the rear stabilizer bar).

Where are the others? Are the seatbelt anchors considered part of these body bolts? (The inside ones that is, securing the seatbelt metal tab receptacles on either side). Are there two more in addition to these or four more?

It mentions checking the torque annually (page 53), periodically (page 67) and it mentions checking them every four years as part of the 30,000 mile service (page 91). Torque suggestion is consistent at 23 ft lb.

Just wondering which is the way to go as I'd like to add a few things like this to my maintenance routine I hadn't previously thought about. Thanks.

[PJ Grady Inc.]

Just seeking clarification on something I read in James' Buyers Guide book.

It is regarding the body bolts.

First question is how many are there and where are they?

The book mentions there being ten (page 53) and also twelve (page 67). Two of them are under the trunk carpet (what I have sometimes seen referred to as the shock tower bolts which is where the aftermarket reinforcing/stability bar gets bolted to). Four of them are mentioned as being in the rear cradle, one each inside the corner pontoons (charcoal canister area and air intake area) and the other two towards the front of the engine bay area (securing the rear stabilizer bar).

Where are the others? Are the seatbelt anchors considered part of these body bolts? (The inside ones that is, securing the seatbelt metal tab receptacles on either side). Are there two more in addition to these or four more?

It mentions checking the torque annually (page 53), periodically (page 67) and it mentions checking them every four years as part of the 30,000 mile service (page 91). Torque suggestion is consistent at 23 ft lb.

Just wondering which is the way to go as I'd like to add a few things like this to my maintenance routine I hadn't previously thought about. Thanks.

The other 4 mtg bolts are ahead of and behind the seats near where the chassis starts to open up around the fuel tank (forward bolts) and the transaxle (towards the rear) in the double Y configuration. Ten mtg bolts and two seat belt bolts bring the total to twelve if you count them. I guess authors of the book couldn't make up thier minds!
Rob Grady

[Gfrank]

32246

you can see the the inside bolt location in this photo.

[David T]

32246

you can see the the inside bolt location in this photo.

It can't hurt to check them often but IMHO all you need to do is check it once when you get the car and as long as they all torque up (or are torqued) you should not have to touch them again. You don't check and retorque the bolts inside the motor do you? They are under a LOT more stress and do just fine. As a new owner it is good that you want to go over the whole car and make sure everything is as it should be. Among the biggest jobs is to undo the damage caused by previous owners and their mechanics. You usually see it in the wiring and the wrong types of fasteners. You should get the Service Bulletins and the recalls and go over the car one-by-one to make sure they have all been applied. You should change ALL of the fluids and filters so you know you have the right amount and type and when it was last done. If you don't have a good service history now is the time to start one.

[Jonathan]

Nice one Gary. Picture says a thousand words, right?

That makes more sense seeing the seatbelt bolt location next to the two inside body bolts.

So if that is 5 body bolts per side, or 6 if you include the seatbelt bolts, can you help show me on this picture where the rear stabilizer bar body bolts go? And did I get it right about the front body bolts being separate from the shock towers (as shown)? I don't think I realized that before now.

3225932258

(The rolling chassis in the photos is at DMCFL).

[opethmike]

It can't hurt to check them often but IMHO all you need to do is check it once when you get the car and as long as they all torque up (or are torqued) you should not have to touch them again. You don't check and retorque the bolts inside the motor do you? They are under a LOT more stress and do just fine. As a new owner it is good that you want to go over the whole car and make sure everything is as it should be. Among the biggest jobs is to undo the damage caused by previous owners and their mechanics. You usually see it in the wiring and the wrong types of fasteners. You should get the Service Bulletins and the recalls and go over the car one-by-one to make sure they have all been applied. You should change ALL of the fluids and filters so you know you have the right amount and type and when it was last done. If you don't have a good service history now is the time to start one.

Dave, Jon is not a new owner... He's had the car for years.

[opethmike]

Can you help show me on this picture where the rear stabilizer bar body bolts go?

I don't have a picture handy, but you know that big, fat black bar that goes from one side of the engine bay, to the other? That's the bar you're looking for; the two big bolts holding it in place are the body bolts.

[Gfrank]

32261

Affriad I don't have a better pic on my phone, can take one tomorrow if need be. But if you can zoom in on this photo you can pick up the location of the passenger side bolts. Look for the two shinny washers, one being below the bulk head, and the other below the large round hole for the air intake

[Gfrank]

32262

God dam iPhone uploading photos upside down

[ccurzio]

God dam iPhone uploading photos upside down

It's not the iPhone making your photos appear upside-down, it's the forum stripping the Exif from the file. The iPhone includes rotation information inside of the Exif data, but DMCTalk is removing it.

[DMC5180]

Nice one Gary. Picture says a thousand words, right?

That makes more sense seeing the seatbelt bolt location next to the two inside body bolts.

So if that is 5 body bolts per side, or 6 if you include the seatbelt bolts, can you help show me on this picture where the rear stabilizer bar body bolts go? And did I get it right about the front body bolts being separate from the shock towers (as shown)? I don't think I realized that before now.

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=32259&stc=1http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=32258&stc=1

(The rolling chassis in the photos is at DMCFL).

On the rear shock tower where you see 2 holes next to the upper shock isolators, it's the inboard hole on each side.

[Jonathan]

I don't have a picture handy, but you know that big, fat black bar that goes from one side of the engine bay, to the other? That's the bar you're looking for; the two big bolts holding it in place are the body bolts.


On your car, look straight down below the jump start lug. you will see the big steel bar held down with the M10 (17 mm head bolt) one on each side of the bay.

Hey, thanks to you both. I can see where the bar is you speak of in my engine bay.

I was curious though if the places it was secured to on the frame could be seen in my photos? Meaning, as the bolt goes from the bar, through the body and into the frame, is the hole it enters to be tightened within visible on those frame shots?

Thanks for the newb defense Mike, lol. I will say that I really only know the things about our cars that I've had to deal with personally on my own car... and while that isn't everything, it's a waaaaaay longer list than I would have liked!! hahaha