Purpose Of The Pinch Bolt

[2manyfords]

Hi All

As the title states, I'm wondering what is the purpose of the pinch bolt found on the dana 35 front axle pumpkin?

 

[adsm08]

Uh, it probably pinches something.


No seriously, which one? The only pinch bolts I can think of on that axle are out at the upper ball joints, and are used to close the upper ear in to grab onto the camber/caster sleeve better. If you could be more descriptive about the exact location of the bolt in question that would be helpful.

 

[Curious Hound]

I seem to remember a long bolt that goes vertically through the top and bottom flanges of the axle beam and a groove on the driver side of the pumpkin. It just kind of sandwiches all that together. If you drop that in place first during assembly, you can almost use it as a hinge to pivot the differential into place and aligned while you start all the mounting bolts from the front side.

Maybe that's the bolt he's asking about. I have no idea why it's there. But it must be important.

Eric B

 

[lvwill]

The only pinch bolt I actually only of, like asdm stated is for the upper ball joint to hold the caster/ camber bushings in place . If there is something new I would really love to know.

 

[adsm08]

The only pinch bolt I actually only of, like asdm stated is for the upper ball joint to hold the caster/ camber bushings in place . If there is something new I would really love to know.

I would be very interested in anything new being discovered on the TTB D-35, since they have now been out of production several times longer than they were in production.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

TTB Axle beams - A few cases of cracked beams have been reported right at the end of the welds on the backside of the passengerside beam with prolonged hard offroad use. If you use your truck hard (such as rockcrawling), some reinforcement in this area (I.E., boxing up the open backside of the beam) can improve it's durability here. Also, NEVER run with a missing pinch bolt behind the radius arm on the driverside axle beam. Cracking of the beam around the lower radius arm bolt hole can result if you do.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/dana_28_35.shtml

I always took it as the long bolt that runs vertically thru the beam and differential housing.

 

[2manyfords]

I seem to remember a long bolt that goes vertically through the top and bottom flanges of the axle beam and a groove on the driver side of the pumpkin. It just kind of sandwiches all that together. If you drop that in place first during assembly, you can almost use it as a hinge to pivot the differential into place and aligned while you start all the mounting bolts from the front side.

Maybe that's the bolt he's asking about. I have no idea why it's there. But it must be important.

Eric B

Yes this is the bolt I'm referring to.

Kind of forgot this front end has been out of production since 1997...lol

 

[2manyfords]

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/dana_28_35.shtml

I always took it as the long bolt that runs vertically thru the beam and differential housing.

Thank You...this answers my question...I looked at this article but didn't scan it close enough.

 

[4x4junkie]

Yeah, it supports the beam between the pumpkin and where the radius arm attaches so it doesn't flex (and subsequently cracks).

If you're asking about it because you're having difficulty getting it in or out past the radius arm (a common scenario), grind one side of the bolt head down so that it is "D"-shaped, you should then be able to finagle it in past the radius arm.

 

[2manyfords]

Yeah, it supports the beam between the pumpkin and where the radius arm attaches so it doesn't flex (and subsequently cracks).

If you're asking about it because you're having difficulty getting it in or out past the radius arm (a common scenario), grind one side of the bolt head down so that it is "D"-shaped, you should then be able to finagle it in past the radius arm.

Thanks

It has Skyjacker radius arms and it looks like the bolt would "almost" clear.

A bit of grinding as you suggest should do the trick.

If my memory is correct I seem to remember grinding the edge of the pumpkin where the pinch bolt goes through so the radius arm could be positioned properly. (Lift has been on the truck for 12 years)