When the DIY calls for Locktight, USE IT!
 

I just rebuilt my entire front end over the course of about a months worth of weekends (and a few late weeknights)

Well.... as the title states: USE LOC TIGHT! I skipped that step because I didn't have any, planned on coming back to it later.. Never tightened everything up after driving a few miles. FORGOT.

Now I have a car that turns right when I press the brakes. The bolt that threads into the sway bar, and the bushing it holds in place on the UCA are gone...

best pic I have right now. I'd offer to post better ones, but I will surely forget.

Holy crap! yeah if that pic isn't a warning I don't know what is..

I'm ashamed to say I drove it about 29 miles in that condition... On the expressway.

THat could have been bad. Glad it all worked out.

Props for fessing up to the world on this one. Good idea to stay systematic and make sure everything checks out before driving.

The other day I had my wheels off and later, when riding around, I got an urge to make sure I'd remembered to tighten the lugs :eek:

They were OK but it didn't hurt to check.

I hate that feeling. :cool:

The first signs of OCD......

I'd rather have a little OCD than my wheel rolling past me on the freeway. When I'm openeing and closing doors 3 times, then we can talk OCD. ;)

I am already doing that... I think it can be fixed by putting a new rubber damper in.. There are threads in the archives on how to do that... also keeps reduces wear on the door hinges.... LOL

I think working on my ACCII has driven me insane...

Glad things turned out to be only a lost bolt.

As I recall, there isn't lock-tite on that bolt, just properly torqued, that seems to be the issue.

In here is the pdf from the service manual.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=298207

I often retorque lugs after I've completed a rotation or brake job.
I've never had a wheel come off, but I've seen plenty of cars that it's happened to.

So some of my friends may remember this thread... As it turned out, my nightmare wasn't over. Once I got the car pieced back together, I drove it for about a week with a strange "clunk" that I just couldn't track down... well I finally found the source of the clunk.

A bolt vibrated out on the expressway... I slowed down, pulled off, checked out everything I could... Couldn't find the bolt on the side of the road and couldn't find it's source. Still had the clunk at this time, any time I hit a bump OR pressed my brakes. I figure maybe I ran over something and kicked it up....

I get home and try to back into my driveway, and the front tires seem to lock up... forward, fine.. reverse.. locks up. I am able to get my face all the way under the car and behind the wheel, and see that one of the bolts from the brake caliper is gone and it's rocking back and forth on the single bolt... FML!

So I let the registration lapse, parked it in my back yard, took it off my insurance. I finally have enough down time to work on it, and I can't find the stinking bolt anywhere... Not even Fastenal!

Those bolts do have loc-tite on 'em, click on the Buy Parts above.

Get me a pic of the bolt/location and I will find one on my parts car and mail it to you!

Good save, Jonbob.... I was getting ready to buy it online and pay for expedited shipping, but maybe I could take the drive up to Ocala tomorrow or early in the week?!

front or back? I'll happily drop a set or just a single bolt to ya... I've got several drive trains stacked in my shop...

front of the car, higher of the two bolts on the caliper.. The lower one is a different length I think.

According to the W123 FSM, the caliper mounting bolts are classified as "one time use." Your experience serves to illustrate the wisdom of that notion.

I've never used loctite on the sway bar bushing bolts....and have never had any issues so long as they are snug when installed. Caliper bolts do need loctite.

Don't have the FSM, but that's good to know TangoFox...
I would guess it's because from the looks of the bolts they come with some sort of loc-tite compound on them.

Pawo, I pretty much torqued every thing down as tight as I could... I've since invested in a torque wrench :/

I decided awhile back that due to some of my metal issues (mostly focus and memory) I wasn't going to work on anything until I managed to get in to a doctor and get a little more stable. The only thing I will do lately is change my own oil and work on things that I can complete in once sitting.. or at least in the same day.