Need specs quickly for pinch bolts just to haul Festy parts car I'm buying

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

I've agreed to buy this parts car:

https://seattle.craigslist.org/kit/cto/d/1993-festiva/6724271976.html

In order to put it on a U-Haul car dolly, I'm going to temporarily replace the front suspension (w/o drive shafts) to roll the car onto the dolly. The seller has lost most of the suspension fasteners in the six years since he disassembled the front end.

So, does anyone have specs on the pinch bolts (primarily diameter and length of the non-threaded shank) so I can quickly pick up some at my local metric hardware store? I'm not particularly concerned about strength due to the short travel distance and nobody will be occupying the car.

I'd rather not hassle with trying to remove a pinch bolt from another car just to bring the parts car home.

The move is planned for this Saturday Oct 20.

[Dragonhealer]

Stock bolt is 10 x 1.25mm x 55mm with 25mm unthreaded, grade 10.9
You will probably have better luck finding 10 x 1.5mm which is OK with matching nuts. Anything 50mm long or longer is fine, 20 to 30mm shank (unthreaded),
But for just a tow home, fully threaded, or even 3/8" bolts will get the job done.

[Dragonhealer]

HEY !!!
Without the axles the hubs will come out of the bearings!!!!
Put the axles in (and fluid in the trans) or get bolts, large washers and lock nuts to hold the hubs in the bearings.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Dragonhealer,

Thanks for specs.

Can't install drive shafts since the (automatic) gearbox (which is broken anyway, hence was removed six years ago by seller) is being abandoned at seller location. It's just a parts car to me for my fleet of manuals -- includes nice set of 12" better-than-steelie wheels, a/c compressor (hopefully "factory" flavor) and maybe even cottered spindles (it's a 93), etc.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Couldn't I just use the outer halves of the outer CV joints of a pair of driveshafts (either automatic or manual) to secure the bearings?

After removing the boot from an outer CV joint, the joint will just separate into outer and inner halves (with the ball bearings falling onto the floor), right?

[ricko1966]

Knock the outter joints off some junk axles and just install the outters. For really short movements I have installed axles and hung them in position with ratchet straps/ I have also used big hardware store nots and bolts to hold them together I think they were 3/4 x 5 inch.

[Dragonhealer]

Ricko 1966, that's perfect, the splined joints from old axles!

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

I could even use the seller's automatic drive shafts which are sitting next to the car. Since the gearbox isn't in the car, there's plenty of space to ratchet-strap them to something.'

BTW, I hold a Masters Degree in Ratchet Strap Engineering -- here's an example of my work!

2015 09 24 -- crane with bellhop device used by crane to lift itself up onto pile cap.jpg

The yellow structure is used by the crane to lift itself into position.

[Dragonhealer]

Lol!
Many years of experience and study to get that degree!
Don't forget those axles have to turn to roll it on to the dolly...

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

I decided to "borrow" all of the parts I might need to get the new member of my fleet home from my 91GL with AC+PS which is badly in need of front end overhaul anyway. Amazingly, everything, including the pinch bolts, came off with ease -- no WD40, no hammering, no cheater bars, nothing. The front axle nuts are 28mm, which I couldn't find, but 1-1/8" (aka about 28.5mm) did the job.

I did find evidence of attempts to "stake" the big nuts -- hardly necessary when properly tightened!

[nonamekid]

I use a 29mm impact socket for the front axle nuts. Always seem to work perfect except on some aftermarket nuts which are 32mm.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

"Borrowed" parts successfully used to re-install front suspension on newly-acquired Festy, which I brought home using a U-Haul pickup and tow dolly.

I left the broken automatic transmission with seller, who said he would offer it as "free" on CL Seattle.

[ricko1966]

Do you have a 1989 automatic car? Something chewed up my Underhood wiring and 1989 automatics are different than everything else, so the Haynes manual schematic isn't right.Im just trying to find 1989 automatic car owners I can ask to look at some wires here and there as I try to fix this mess. Thanks

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

Ricko,

Is your question above to me? If so, the answer is Yes -- I bought the car primarily for its allow wheels and general spare parts. Every Festy that I drive is a manual.

But I see that you're in Kansas ...