Spare wheel cover bolts

[sam.cath]

Have a quick question as we have only recently purchased our first Pajero & was having a good look around it & as such undid the 2 big bolts that hold the cover over the spare wheel closed.
When I went to put it back together after having a good look, I noticed that the bolts weren't going all of the way in & as such the spare wheel holder had a bit of play as it wasn't being pulled in tight enough.
I solved this with putting a few washers on the bolts which meant that it now pulled the spare wheel cover in fully.

Is this normal??

Is it possible for these bolts or the threads they go into, to become threaded & therefore not screw in fully to the spare wheel cover?

Has anyone else struck this before on their Pajero??

I wondered about getting a thread making tool & trying to redo the threads in the wheel cover.

It is doing the job at the moment, but I'm just curious as to whether this is how it's meant to be, or if mine has had some damage to either the bolts or threads they go into, which is stopping them going fully in.

Hope that this makes sense??

Thanks,
Sam

[KiwiNTPajero]

i have never noticed any thing odd with those bolts,but i think they are different lengths??

[Rovingman]

One of my MM monkeys must have rattle gunned it as i took it back as it was rattling, they re threaded it.
So if you have had a service recently? rotations maybe who ever took it of, take it back they will have the tools to do it.

[sam.cath]

Sounds like the likely cause Rovingman.
Hadn't thought of this, but it makes complete sense.

I haven't had it serviced recently, so no recourse sadly.

Will have to live with it, or maybe buy some new bolts.


Thanks,
Sam

[spot01]

Common problem - these nuts are easily stripped.

Important not to over-tighten these bolts (refer handbook).

They are not wheel nuts - they only hold the cover closed - gently tighten with light pressure only on a hand wrench - tell the tyre guys/mechanics NO RATTLE GUNS!

If you look inside the cover, you will see the ordinary nuts tacked in there.

[geopaj]

Common problem - these nuts are easily stripped.

Important not to over-tighten these bolts (refer handbook).

They are not wheel nuts - they only hold the cover closed - gently tighten with light pressure only on a hand wrench - tell the tyre guys/mechanics NO RATTLE GUNS!

If you look inside the cover, you will see the ordinary nuts tacked in there.

Yep, mine had the same issue when I bought it. I ended up buying two good second hand bolts from the wreckers (you need genuine MM bolts so the head is the same size as the wheel brace), cut off the old 'nuts' and welded on new high tensile nuts on.

[sam.cath]

Thanks geopaj.
Great idea!!