Replaced bushings for my ACE bar and started installing the mounting bolts. Nearly every bolt I installed stripped the threads in the aluminum frame. WTH? I installed exactly per torque specs from the manual. I've actually done this bushing replacement before, so this is nothing new. Didn't have a problem before. I plan on doing helicoils to repair the threads. Please tell me I'm not the only one to have done this! I'm super . Car has to sit for a week and I've made more work for myself.

I was advised to not torque up to the full value as per workshop manual for exactly the reason you’ve discovered.

Can’t give you a torque /angle value … the advice I got was to do it by feel / experience  V8 or else ...

Been there - done that...

The cause is Landrover insisting on torque + x degrees tightening, (90Nm + 180 degrees in the case of the m12 bolts and 140Nm + 120 degrees for the m14 bolts holding the stabiliser bar support). With a high tensile bolt into aluminium its inevitable that its the threads in the aluminium that will initially deform and then strip when the bolt has been removed & replaced a (small) number of times - yet there is no mention of this in the workshop manual.

Repair options are either timesert, helicoil or Landrover supply repair inserts which require drilling out and threading, the inserts are then screwed in and secured by thread lock adhesive.

If using the non-Landrover repair methods ensure the repair goes into the hole a sufficient depth (about 2x thread size) to ensure the repair does not pull out.

Thanks for your reply Fifth Horseman. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who's dealt with this. Another poor design on LR's part. I don't understand why they didn't at least put a steel threaded sleeve into the aluminum. Too expensive for bushings that will only need to be replaced outside of warranty I guess.

I'm going with a helicoil installed with Loctite 262 (red Loctite). I was able to find a 36mm helicoil for both the M12 and M14.

Do you happen to know what torque value should be used after the helicoils are in?

Last edited by Jsolorzano on 30th Sep 2024 2:11pm. Edited 1 time in total

fisha wrote:

I was advised to not torque up to the full value as per workshop manual for exactly the reason you’ve discovered.

Can’t give you a torque /angle value … the advice I got was to do it by feel / experience

Jsolorzano wrote:

Do you happen to know what torque value should be used after the helicoils are in?

Fifth Horseman wrote:

Been there - done that...

The cause is Landrover insisting on torque + x degrees tightening, (90Nm + 180 degrees in the case of the m12 bolts and 140Nm + 120 degrees for the m14 bolts holding the stabiliser bar support). With a high tensile bolt into aluminium its inevitable that its the threads in the aluminium that will initially deform and then strip when the bolt has been removed & replaced a (small) number of times - yet there is no mention of this in the workshop manual.

Repair options are either timesert, helicoil or Landrover supply repair inserts which require drilling out and threading, the inserts are then screwed in and secured by thread lock adhesive.

If using the non-Landrover repair methods ensure the repair goes into the hole a sufficient depth (about 2x thread size) to ensure the repair does not pull out.

Fifth Horseman wrote:

Jsolorzano wrote:

Do you happen to know what torque value should be used after the helicoils are in?

Unfortunately not, I'd use the standard torque figures without the additional rotation, maybe a bit of additional rotation depending on feel, the last thing you want to do is pull the insert out again.
ISTR with the Landrover inserts it was all but impossible to do the additional tightening rotation specified.

Be very careful you get the thread for the insert straight and true otherwise you'll be in an even worse position.