Missing Hardware front differential

[Dunph]

I was under the truck the other day checking for play in steering components and found this on the front differential. (Shadow area. Couldn't get a good pic) I can't imagine that they would use an actual bolt as a guide pin. Also, I don't see a ton of anchor points for the front differential. Am I Wrong to think there should be a washer and nut on this?

Edited December 18, 2020 by Dunph

[davester]

There's not many threads sticking out, for a washer/nut on there (as normally, they would spec the bolt to be long enough for the threads to go all the way through the nut).

 

There's a decent chance the housing the bolt is sticking out of, is what the bolt is screwed into (so the housing is threaded there).

[Dunph]

Thanks for the reply. I know it's a bad picture. I will try to get another when I do my pitman arm. The housing doesn't seem to be threaded. There's quite a bit of gap between the threads and the hole. If you zoom in you can see that there's enough threads for a nut.

[davester]

Find out for sure.  Get a wrench on the bolt and try tightening it.

[Dunph]

Just did the idler arm. While I was under there I checked all the bolts that are in place. They're all tight so I'm assuming that it's just a guide Bolt

[davester]

So your saying you put a wrench on it and it rotates freely?

[Dunph]

No the bolt that is sticking out in the picture is solid. All the other bolts that hold the front differential in are tight. I forgot to get a better picture of it when I was under there

[davester]

If it's tight, then the housing is threaded, and it's screwed into the housing, to clamp the housing together or bolt something to the housing.