I'm replacing the stabilizer bar link pins/bolts/whatever they're called on my '78 Toronado, and I noticed that the ends of the old bolts have been cut off. I looked in the service manual, and, sure enough, it says that, once the nut is properly torqued (and I can make a nut angrier than anyone!), cut it off no more than 1/4" from the end of the nut. That seems rather kludgy. It doesn't say why this needs to be done. Why does this need to be done? What difference does that extra half-inch of bolt sticking down make?

At first I thought it was to prevent the nut, if it loosened, from coming all the way off the bolt. But these usually come with a lock nut, and, second, there is no guarantee that cutting the bolt will damage the threads enough to stop the nut from unscrewing all the way.

Thanks.

 

ground clearance....or to save a mechanics brain bucket when under the car?

 

The center bolt is overly long to help with getting the nut started, since the rubber isolators need to be compressed. Depending on which way you've installed the bolt, the exposed threads can either hit the ground or the other suspension components.

 

OK, these answers make sense. I really didn't pay attention to how much the bottom end of the pin really is the closest thing to the ground other than the tire. Thanks for the replies.

I took a photo of the side I haven't removed yet.

 

I suspect the real concern is if the bolt is installed with the head down (and you KNOW someone will), since it looks like a too-long bolt could hit the steering linkage.