Billetflow IRS Brace Issues

[BreBar21]

Today was the third day of my IRS work and I got my differential back from the gear guy and decided to install the IRS Brace. None of the bolts were binding, but some how 3, yes 3, Grade 8 bolts broke on 24 ft/lbs!!! 2 of them are still stuck inside the differential. Also, the powdercoat is flaking off of the brace. Needless to say, this has become quite a headache and I hope like hell we can get the bolts out tomorrow with an easy out and then we will tap the holes and hopefully install again without issues. Obviously I am a little apprehensive to torque them down again to a mind blowing 24ft/lbs, is it entirely necessary or can I just tighten them with the rachet and call it a day? This is the only thing that is holding up putting the car back together.

 

[BreBar21]

Update: We were able to get all the broke bolts out today. We tapped all the holes and got everything back together. Torqued it down to 24 ft/lbs with no more breaking. So all is well. The powdercoat is still flaking though.

 

[Rwick7]

Good to hear you got the bolts out. Did you let Doug know your problem?

 

[badboy]

Are these the bolts you got from Doug? I have some sitting on my bench I am about to install. Would you recommend using bolts from some other source?

 

[JB]

I know for a fact that Doug sources his bolts from major suppliers here in Detroit and he always buys first-class hardware

as MJ/BF brace owners know, there is a bottoming tap included, along with instructions to use as required in holes that were not fully tapped at factory....the vast majority have not had to use it though

regardless of whether or not your holes were tapped deep enough, there's no way they should break at 24 ft-lbs

Doug will probably be online later.....if not, PM him your phone # and he'll call you

 

[mjchip]

No damned way 5/16-18 Grade 8 bolts broke at 24lb-ft. Something wasn't right. In fact, I guarantee that you would've stripped the threads out of the diff housing before breaking grade 8 bolts. So, what did the heads on those bolts say?

MJ

 

[bassin247]

No damned way 5/16-18 Grade 8 bolts broke at 24lb-ft. Something wasn't right. In fact, I guarantee that you would've stripped the threads out of the diff housing before breaking grade 8 bolts. So, what did the heads on those bolts say?

MJ

I agree 100%. I bet you could torque a 5/16 grade 8 bolt over 80ft/lbs

 

[CobrABoZ]

why would he say they broke if they didnt? please tell me ur not doubting the fact, did you see the pictures i saw the bolts on FRIDAY,there grade 8 bolts just believe it ,hate to sound rude but why sit there and doubt what he just said maybe try and help the problem.!

 

[blown01cobra]

I was there the bolts are Grade 8 and they say that on them we broke a couple of bolts from Billetflow, and also broke one from lowes.

 

[BreBar21]

I know for a fact that Doug sources his bolts from major suppliers here in Detroit and he always buys first-class hardware

as MJ/BF brace owners know, there is a bottoming tap included, along with instructions to use as required in holes that were not fully tapped at factory....the vast majority have not had to use it though

regardless of whether or not your holes were tapped deep enough, there's no way they should break at 24 ft-lbs

Doug will probably be online later.....if not, PM him your phone # and he'll call you

We broke 3 grade 8's. Blown01cobra and like 4 other people were sitting there. The bolts supplied are the exact same grade 8 bolts you can buy from Lowe's. The only reason I know this is because I had to go buy new ones and they are the exact same. They shouldn't break on 24ft/lbs, but 3 of them did. I think we decided that the first one was a defective bolt and the other 2 just broke. Either way, the brace is on now, but a good bit of the powdercoat is flaking off which is kind of annoying on a $165 piece.

 

[BreBar21]

No damned way 5/16-18 Grade 8 bolts broke at 24lb-ft. Something wasn't right. In fact, I guarantee that you would've stripped the threads out of the diff housing before breaking grade 8 bolts. So, what did the heads on those bolts say?

MJ

I can get you detailed pictures of every single bolt that broke. They are all grade 8's. All the bolts looked the same. 2 of them were bolts that were included in the package from Billetflow.

 

[BreBar21]

Are these the bolts you got from Doug? I have some sitting on my bench I am about to install. Would you recommend using bolts from some other source?

If I were going to do it all over again, I would go ahead and tap all the holes whether it's binding or not. Mine wasn't binding and they still broke. Once we tapped all the holes again and made sure everything was perfect, it went on without any issues.

 

[mjchip]

why would he say they broke if they didnt? please tell me ur not doubting the fact, did you see the pictures i saw the bolts on FRIDAY,there grade 8 bolts just believe it ,hate to sound rude but why sit there and doubt what he just said maybe try and help the problem.!

Relax hot shot, I'm not calling him a liar. I'm just saying that a 5/16-18 Grade 8 bolt should not snap at 24lb-ft. If they did, and apparently they did, then either the installer didn't follow the directions and use the bottoming tap to clear the threaded hole of debris OR there is something wrong with the heat treating or the bolts are mismarked, or the guy's torque wrench is off.

As far as the powdercoating, if he called Doug before installing, I'm sure Doug would've sent him a new one.

MJ

 

[dougwg]

This is wierd...

several points...

1) Nice of you to bring this to a public forum before calling me for help, it's much appricated.

2)You broke3 grade 8 bolts from me AND 2 grade 8 blots that you bought at Lowes, sounds like your torque wench is way off (maybe, maybe not)

3)If you don't like the powder coating, you should have informed me and I would have taken care of it.

4)Now that you have the brace installed what would you like me to do?

Doug
BilletFlow
313-388-8228

P.S. Posting something like this on Sunday is not the best way to recieve help from me.

 

[Jpjr]

This is wierd...


2)You broke3 grade 8 bolts from me AND 2 grade 8 blots that you bought at Lowes, sounds like your torque wench is way off (maybe, maybe not)

QUOTE]

Finally something in this thread that makes sense. If your breaking Doug's bolts, AND Loews bolts, then the torque wrench is f'd, or the bolts snapped due to binding from bad taps. Sounds like the latter but it could be a combo of both.

 

[dougwg]

it has nothing to do with the threads

@24ftlbs they should not break, piriod

 

[Rwick7]

P.S. Posting something like this on Sunday is not the best way to recieve help from me.

NICE...everybody you can only ask questions to your fellow enthusiasts during normal business hours...thank you

 

[dougwg]

thats not it at all, and you know it

Was he looking for help from me, you or just bitching to the world?

 

[mblgjr]

Other than the fact that the original post was just generally asking for help, how about everyone calm the hell down.

If your torque wrench is miscalibrated, you will break them. I doubt that it is, as 24lb/ft is merely "hand tight" for all intents and purposes.

If you are pulling down crooked on the bolt heads while laying under the car, or with it on the rack, you will snap the heads. A crooked pull is never good. You will get an inaccurate reading if you are using a beam type wrench.

Not picking, but if you are using a breakaway head, that doesn't "click" I've seen guys that miss the fact that the head has bumped over, and you are in fact done.

Then again, I have seen bolts that just are of bad quality, or just overhardened. If they are over hardened, they usually pop and just break quick and clean with no mush.

I'm sure that Doug will resolve the finish issues. He always stands behind his product.

 

[HISSMAN]

I know I this is a stupid questions, but what brand and type of Torque wrench were you using? Or were you using and impact wrench?