underdrive pullies-to grind or replace bolt?

[bigcat]

i know the steeda pullies come with a new bolt to replace the stud near the waterpump pulley for extra clearance. i have roush pullies, and the instructions call for grinding the stud for clearance. i would rather change to a bolt than to grind on the stud.

to those with steeda pullies, what size is the replacement bolt?

 

[bigcat]

i guess ill have to call steeda tommorrow.

 

[MBDiagMan]

Do NOT use a bolt! It is very bad practice to thread a bolt into an aluminum block. That's why they used a stud in the first place.

You could put a bolt there with no problems FOR NOW, but it is a roll of the dice as to whether that bolt will come out and go back in next time that you have to take things apart without any thread problems.

When threading something into aluminum USE A STUD!

 

[Lito]

Talking about pullies, I had a set on my old 92 5.0L, they came with the alternator pulley too. On those cars alt output on idle was very poor. Being that these cars are more power hungry than those but also carrying bigger alternators, this kit does not come with alt pulley but with a bigger crank pulley all accessories will spin slower than without it, my question is:

How does it feel the power output of the alt on idle with the pulleys installed, this a very car crowded city and even I don't use the car too much I would want to keep the car with its A/C, shaker 500, lights and wipers on running well while stuck in a rainy night in traffic. (something than can happen very frequently down here)

Thanks for you input in advance.

 

[YardSpecial]

How is a stud diffrent from a bolt ??

Both have threads and are steel.

Use anti seeze and forgetaboutit

 

[MBDiagMan]

How is a stud diffrent from a bolt ??

Both have threads and are steel.

Use anti seeze and forgetaboutit

Instead of forgetaboutit, you need to thinkaboutit! I believe that this guy has an 05 or 06 car which has an aluminum engine block. By using a stud at the factory, they screw it into nice clean, fresh threads. When it needs to come apart, if the nut will come loose from the stud instead of backing the stud out, which it usually will, you preserve the threads in the aluminum casting. If a bolt were used, you would have to unscrew the bolt from the aluminum part. Due to bi-metallic corrosion, you will have a good chance of spoiling the threads when removing the bolt.

Now to compound this guys potential problem, you ARE ADVOCATING using thread locker on a BOLT that is threaded into an aluminum casting, meaning that the chances of ruining the threads the next time the bolt is removed go up even more.

So do you REALLY want to give this guy poor advice?!?!?!?!?!

NOW.... all that said, if he does NOT have an aluminum engine car, then yes a bolt will be fine.

 

[YardSpecial]

You are STILL wrong, but thats ok.

Due to bi-metallic corrosion, um ok. thats what ANTI-SEEZE is for !!

FYI Genuis, the heads are ALUMINUM !!!

SO you think about it !

 

[bigcat]

wow, what a debate. i did call steeda, and they told me the bolt specs.

8mm bolt, 1.25 pitch, and 50mm long.

 

[timeless2]

Whoa, gents...let's roll back the heat in the discussion and get to the facts. The meat is what matters; not the fat.

 

[YardSpecial]

Sorry...........

 

[MBDiagMan]

You are STILL wrong, but thats ok.

Due to bi-metallic corrosion, um ok. thats what ANTI-SEEZE is for !!

FYI Genuis, the heads are ALUMINUM !!!

SO you think about it !

I'm not sure exactly how you are trying to pose your insult, but both the block AND the heads are aluminum. It is ALWAYS a BAD idea to use a bolt in aluminum threads. It is ALWAYS MUCH better to use a stud in aluminum threads.

Yes, of course, the anti-sieze will help solve some of the problems, but the fact remains that you are asking for more thread problems in the future when threading a bolt into aluminum than when you thread a stud into aluminum.

You can ignore the facts, work around the facts or whatever you wish, but facts are still facts.

So I will wait to see what your next insult looks like.

 

[nbk13nw]

I ground my down a hair and it worked out fine....

 

[8850]

Instead of forgetaboutit, you need to thinkaboutit! I believe that this guy has an 05 or 06 car which has an aluminum engine block. By using a stud at the factory, they screw it into nice clean, fresh threads. When it needs to come apart, if the nut will come loose from the stud instead of backing the stud out, which it usually will, you preserve the threads in the aluminum casting. If a bolt were used, you would have to unscrew the bolt from the aluminum part. Due to bi-metallic corrosion, you will have a good chance of spoiling the threads when removing the bolt.

Now to compound this guys potential problem, you ARE ADVOCATING using thread locker on a BOLT that is threaded into an aluminum casting, meaning that the chances of ruining the threads the next time the bolt is removed go up even more.

So do you REALLY want to give this guy poor advice?!?!?!?!?!

NOW.... all that said, if he does NOT have an aluminum engine car, then yes a bolt will be fine.

I've used bolts in aluminum for years without a problem. I do use anti-seeze on the threads and make sure I have a bolt at least 2D in thread engagement and torqued properly. Nothing wrong with using bolts in aluminum if done right.

 

[YardSpecial]

Thanks 8850.

Fact is this:

Guess you should NEVER change a steel spark plug in aluminum heads..................

Or install headers on aluminum heads..........

 

[SVTdriver]

Thanks 8850.

Fact is this:

Guess you should NEVER change a steel spark plug in aluminum heads..................

Or install headers on aluminum heads..........

You mean the sparkplugs aren't studs?

 

[MBDiagMan]

Okay, so instead of acknowledging conventional wisdom on the subject, we take it to the ridiculous by justifying the inferior attachment method of a bolt by saying that the necessity of spark plug changing makes it okay.

Sure, you can use anti-sieze on a bolt and with proper care, you can crank that bolt in and out many times with no problems. Studs are more commonly used because not everyone is going to be careful. Overall, studs are much more robust and trouble free in attachment to aluminum than bolts.

I am impressed though. No more direct insults were thrown.

 

[SVTdriver]

While you are correct that screwing threads into aluminum can be asking for trouble. If You are not careful screwing bolts into steel or any other metal. Can be just as much potential trouble.

 

[MBDiagMan]

Yes indeed, inexperienced or careless handling of bolts or nuts with ANY material can lead to problems, BUT think about it. Threading a hard material into a soft one is more critical.

 

[SVTdriver]

Yes it is more critical. But I would bet that it is just as critical if the engine block were iron. Since generally speaking most bolts are hardened steel. Which make them harder than the iron block is. Meaning you still have to be careful with what you are doing.

 

[MBDiagMan]

I certainly hope that you are kidding! Cast Iron is KRYPTONITE compared to threads in aluminum which would be peanut butter by comparison.

Go look at ANY aluminum casting on an aircraft and see if you can find any bolts threaded into it anywhere. If bolts were as good as studs in aluminum, you can bet that this would be the attachment method in aircraft. That should tell you something.