The long stud from the nosedrive that bolts to the tensioner bracket – should I worry about anything if I drive without this stud in for a day or two?

Why I ask:

A couple weeks ago I noticed the nut on the stud was loose...not even close to the bracket.
I knew I had tightened it when I put everything back together after doing all the gaskets. Yesterday before driving home from Bill'* I noticed it was loose again. I tightened it but it would NEVER torque down, it just kept turning.

After driving to and from work today, I popped the hood, and saw that the nut had loosened all the way to the tip of the stud. I started to use a different nut, but when I did it was too tight, and the stud started turning. After removing the stud completely there was some metal within the threads.

I haven't tried putting the stud back in yet, I don't know if the threads are messed up where the stud enters the nosedrive. :? The SC is completely torqued down to the LIM (obviously) so I don't see leaving the stud out causing a problem.

Can anyone confirm?

Mine did the same thing. So I replaced it with a slightly larger diameter bolt.

I figured I'd try putting this one back in. If I have no luck I will try a larger.

Should I drive without the stud installed? At most the tensioner bracket would move a little I'd think, if even that. The SC isn't moving at all.

It'* not for the SC, it'* for the bracket. Additional support I suppose.

I had one stripped on the Nosedrive I just installed in the Zilla. I heli-coiled it back to an M6 (refer to Zilla'* winter rebuild) and installed a BOLT rather than a stud.

You really need to do the same. There'* alot of stress applied to that accessory bracket.

I'd like to suggest we consider tossing up a torque spec on this stud to ensure members aren't over torquing them.

Being steel into aluminum...I realize the corrosion/welding effect probably plays into this as well.

Pete..I have a right angle drill if needed.

Off to work now...I'll try to install the stud before I drive. :?

EDIT: Put the stud in, couldn't get the nut to stay so I kept it off. The stud tightened by hand, but when using a ratchet to try and tighten the nut on, the stud came loose, so I'll have to get it re-threaded.

I looked at your thread Bill....can you explain the importance of the heli-coil? Not too familiar.

It'* a steel thread insert to repair stripped threads. The kit comes with an oversized drill, tap, thread insert, and installation tool.

It was either an M6 or M8. Can't remember now.

Gotta be M8.