Hardware for frame braces

[johnunit]

I have been trying to find the right bolts to put on the frame braces that go from crossmember to right behidn the front wheels. The holes are there, with a bung, but the car never had the braces from the factory (did any Crown Vics?). I've tried every possible bolt and they won't thread in. 3/8 bolts are just slightly too large, 5/16 clearly too small. Same with M10 and M8. I don't THINK that it's just a matter of the holes being too rusted out, but it's possible. Can anyone tell me what will fit? I've spent about a half hour at a friendly parts place trying every reasonable bolt possible.

[1987cp]

I think they were M12 coarse, but I can check sometime. I recall the heads on the originals being 15mm, though that's probably no help. If you've never had anything installed there, get any self-tapping bolt that's big enough (originals were self-tapping, can of course install any bolt once it's tapped) or run a tap through the holes first.

[gadget73]

the original bolts are a thread forming bolt, so I'd expect the holes to seem too small unless you either use the original type bolt to cut the threads, or ran a tap through. Not sure the size, M10 could be correct. If it seems slightly too large, thats probably the right bolt.

[1987cp]

I misread the original post slightly. Yes, if a give bolt is slightly-too-big for the holes when there's never been a bolt in there before, it can probably work correctly once the hole is threaded, whether by a fluted tap or a thread-forming bolt. In that case, I revise my guess to M10.

Check other nearby chassis bolts; chances are you already have a correct-size bolt in thread-forming configuration, and can steal it temporarily to thread the frame-brace holes. Seems I've even seen thread-forming seat bolts, provided they're the right size ....

[86VickyLX]

I have been trying to find the right bolts to put on the frame braces that go from crossmember to right behidn the front wheels. The holes are there, with a bung, but the car never had the braces from the factory (did any Crown Vics?). I've tried every possible bolt and they won't thread in. 3/8 bolts are just slightly too large, 5/16 clearly too small. Same with M10 and M8. I don't THINK that it's just a matter of the holes being too rusted out, but it's possible. Can anyone tell me what will fit? I've spent about a half hour at a friendly parts place trying every reasonable bolt possible.

Yes wagons had them along with fender braces, 88+ vics had them, 88+ grand marquis too. Towncars always had them.

[87gtVIC]

Here are few crappy pics of the hardware..maybe that can help you.







You can sorta see how they are self threading types in the last pic because of the cone shape.

I used a 1/2 ratchet and socked them in place.

[1990LTD]

I bought bolts that looked to be the right size but when I started running them in (started them by hand) the bolts snapped off flush with the fender, now I don't know WTH to do to install em.

[LTDMan83]

Did you happen to look inside the holes and notice that there where no threads? LOL! Thats your problem right there.

The stock bolts that I sent you with the braces are self tapping, you can use them to tap the holes out to teh correct size.

[johnunit]

...crap. There's my problem. I thought I checked for bolts in the package but I guess not lol.

Thanks everyone, that should be enough for me to figure stuff out.


I didn't jack the car up enough to get an angle where I could really see the lack of threads, and there's undercoating in the holes anyway. I just assumed that if there was a bung it would be threaded.

[1987cp]

The stock bolts that I sent you with the braces are self tapping, you can use them to tap the holes out to teh correct size.