Next mission was to install the RB front sway bar bushing blocks, and troubleshoot the cruise control some more. I looked at the cruise first. Figured I'd take a look at the vacuum hoses to make sure I had no issues. As it turned out I did have an issue, and a big one. I was an imbecile. PSA, a vacuum motor (what the cruise actuator is) works a lot better when it is connect to a vacuum source. Way back when I was getting frustrated with this I removed the connection to the actuator so I didn't have any leak issues. Had to make a run to Ace for a tee (I am also running this line to the boost gauge), then made the actuator connection. Got back from a test drive, and I had cruise control again! Note, the problem was down to that clutch switch I replaced. I haven't heard of anyone else having this problem, it is usually the pad on the clutch pedal missing but it makes sense. How many times is that switch cycled during a normal drive?
While I was at Ace I looked at M8 X 1.25 bolts again. Ended up buying some that were 50mm in length. After the vacuum hose connection (but before the test drive) I hoisted her into the air and pulled the engine belly tray. Removed one of the bolts from a sway bar bushing bracket and checked it against the tap I bought the day before. It matched up so I knew I had the correct size. I then proceeded to check the tap against the new bolts. Again they were fine. Next was looking at the longer bolts I had bought previously. What I found REALLY pissed me off. Three of the bolts were the correct size/thread pitch, the other one was M8 X 1.0. Some fidiot had put it back into the wrong package. What is ironic is I had just had a conversation with an employee at the very store a few days ago about how people can't put **** back in the right place. I had checked the bolts against each other but totally missed that one was off.
With that mystery solved I proceeded. Removed all the stock bushing bolts and chased the threads with the tap. I then ran one of the longer (60mm) bolts in to check for clearance. It was bottoming out so I decided to remove a little length. Here's a tip, if you are cutting a bolt down put a nut on first prior to removing material. Once you get the length you want file the end of the threads to put a bevel on them (I used a thread file I have) and then remove the nut. It will clean up the threads for you so you will be able to get the bolt started. I cut them down to about 55mm. Then I put everything together. I found the blocks I have weren't drilled correctly so it was tough getting them on both bolts. After some trial and error I ended up starting the bolt enough to get the locknut on and have about 5mm of thread showing, then putting the block in place. After that what worked best was to run the bolt all the way up while backing off the locknut slightly so as not to jam it up. If you do it correctly you will end up with the bolt tight and the block close to where it needs to be so you minimize the amount you have to tighten the locknuts (and trust me, you want to do this because of the tight quarters you are working in). I was thinking about putting some blue LocTite on the threads for the locknuts but couldn't really get in there. Since I was short one longer bolt I ended up using one of the new 50mm bolts in the front position on the driver's side. Thanks to interference with the lower radiator support on that side that is what I needed to do anyway. Even then it was tight, if you look at the four o'clock position from the bolt head in this picture you can see the shiny spot where the bolt head rubbed on the bracket while being tightened (couldn't get the camera to focus on that spot):
Here is how they look, notice how they match the color of my front sway:
When you tighten up the locknuts be sure to go back and forth, front to rear and retighten the nuts. I had to do this many times on each side to be sure they were all tight enough. This may have had something to do with how mine didn't want to slide easily over the bolts, but it's good practice in any case.
