Broke My Fabtech Lift Already!

stlavsa · March 10, 2009

Anyone else snapped any bolts??? I have had my lift on for about 5 days, and I found the head of a Giant bolt sheared off in my driveway.. I walked the rest of the driveway and sure enuff found the other end of the bolt out near the end of the driveway.

It was the big bolt that goes on the end of the sway bar the bolts on the bar extender piece.

Anyone else snapped these bolts or any others??

Matt_ · March 10, 2009

take a close up pick of the broken bolt, specifically the broken end from the side and from straight on.

stlavsa · March 10, 2009

take a close up pick of the broken bolt, specifically the broken end from the side and from straight on.

I just left town for the rest of the week for work, so I cant take a pic for a while..

The bolt is busted off right at the head.. If u look at the bottem of the head, its actually concave where the stud of the bolt went in... kinda like if u pulled the stem out of a mushroom, but not that that extreme only a couple mm.

sgrah230 · March 10, 2009

I would definitely give them a call and complain. not sure what Fabtech could do for you, but I would make them do something. Either send out new bolts, or a partial refund or something. That is kind of scary that you actually broke a bolt and you were not even off roading. I would tell them that you are ready to send it back.

Or you could always take it off and send it over to me to give it a try.

But seriously that is a scary thing to have happen already.

Best of luck.

Zembonez · March 10, 2009

This sounds like a sway bar end link bolt that was tightened WAY beyond what it was designed for. Did you guy use an impact on all of the bolts? We've installed over 500 Fabtech kits and never seen one failure.

sgrah230 · March 10, 2009

good point on the impact gun. I guess that could have been it or there was a flaw in the bolt. I could see how the impact could put so much strain on the bolt that the head would come apart from the bolt.

Zembonez · March 10, 2009

good point on the impact gun. I guess that could have been it or there was a flaw in the bolt. I could see how the impact could put so much strain on the bolt that the head would come apart from the bolt.

Good impact and a strong compressor and you can snap bolts all day long. I do agree that it is possible it was a bad bolt too.

stlavsa · March 10, 2009

good point on the impact gun. I guess that could have been it or there was a flaw in the bolt. I could see how the impact could put so much strain on the bolt that the head would come apart from the bolt.

Good impact and a strong compressor and you can snap bolts all day long. I do agree that it is possible it was a bad bolt too.

Yah we used an impact, probably for that too if I can remember correctly... It shouldn't have been enough to snap that gigantic grade 8 bolt. Not saying that it couldnt, but I believe that it may have been a combination of a flaw in the bolt and using an impact..

Zembonez · March 10, 2009

good point on the impact gun. I guess that could have been it or there was a flaw in the bolt. I could see how the impact could put so much strain on the bolt that the head would come apart from the bolt.

Good impact and a strong compressor and you can snap bolts all day long. I do agree that it is possible it was a bad bolt too.

Yah we used an impact, probably for that too if I can remember correctly... It shouldn't have been enough to snap that gigantic grade 8 bolt. Not saying that it couldnt, but I believe that it may have been a combination of a flaw in the bolt and using an impact..

Those end links bolts aren't made for high torque. I'd bet that Fabtech will send you a replacement no questions asked though. I've always had good luck with them and they make good stuff.

stlavsa · March 10, 2009

good point on the impact gun. I guess that could have been it or there was a flaw in the bolt. I could see how the impact could put so much strain on the bolt that the head would come apart from the bolt.

Good impact and a strong compressor and you can snap bolts all day long. I do agree that it is possible it was a bad bolt too.

Yah we used an impact, probably for that too if I can remember correctly... It shouldn't have been enough to snap that gigantic grade 8 bolt. Not saying that it couldnt, but I believe that it may have been a combination of a flaw in the bolt and using an impact..

Those end links bolts aren't made for high torque. I'd bet that Fabtech will send you a replacement no questions asked though. I've always had good luck with them and they make good stuff.

I dont doubt that the fabtech is a good product.. just a matter of snapping a bolt.. Now if the bolt snaps again I will contact fabtech on this issue.

Zembonez · March 10, 2009

I dont doubt that the fabtech is a good product.. just a matter of snapping a bolt.. Now if the bolt snaps again I will contact fabtech on this issue.

Oh hell yeah. Once I can deal with. If it happens again, I'd want answers. Good luck man.

AllBlkdOut07 · March 10, 2009

Damn..scary!

Matt_ · March 10, 2009

Hey Jim that's exactly way I was thinking. A half decent impact is capable of at least 300 ft-lb which is more than enough to damage a sway bar bolt, even grade 8.

I'd suspect that's probably the cause, though defective bolts do happen too since this is not a perfect world.

To the OP. I would recommend getting a torque wrench and checking all of the bolts from your install for propper torque. Although some bolts may be over torqued, others may be under torqued; impacts are strong but also inconsistent.

MarkD · March 10, 2009

Well the good news is it sounds as if the bolt was stressed lengthwise instead of sheared off.

Personally, I would buy a new bolt from a local hardware for 75 cents and try it much sooner than waiting on Fabtech. I would still contact them though, register the problem on their radar, and accept any help they offered.

stlavsa · March 11, 2009

Well the good news is it sounds as if the bolt was stressed lengthwise instead of sheared off.

Personally, I would buy a new bolt from a local hardware for 75 cents and try it much sooner than waiting on Fabtech. I would still contact them though, register the problem on their radar, and accept any help they offered.

Yah I agree that is exactly what i plan on doing as soon as I get back to the truck...