Bolts and bushes on bonnet and headlamps

[Markymark21]

Hi All,
On Friday I was driving my ‘84 350i in the dark when one of the headlamp pods dropped and jammed. A bolt had come out which was easy enough to rectify, but it raised another question - do I have the right bolts, washers, bushes etc?
On inspection the bonnet hinge bolts and the headlight hinge bolts are just plain bolts. There is no bush between the bonnet or the headlamp and the body. No shoulder to the bolt where the pivot action is. I’m guessing this isn’t right?



Any advice is welcomed. I feel I need to do something as they’ll just keep working loose...
Thanks,
Mark

[BlueWedgy]

Whilst working on my pods the bolts and nuts were drilled and wired. That stops them undoing.

[Markymark21]

Thanks. Are they just plain bolts though? Any bushes and washers? I just want to see if what I have is as the factory intended. The car was painted a few years ago so wondering whether bits were lost....

[KKson]

As above, I have drilled and wired all bolts on the bonnet and headlamp pods.

[BlueWedgy]

The honest answer is I can't really remember, but I think fully threaded. I added washers as well as replacing the nut and wire.
Wedge parts manual page about page 271 shows them.

[Adrian@]

Each side of the pod requires a M8 set bolt washer and spring washer (I used S/S longer than required and worked out if the bolt will limit out on the shell bobbin and cut accordingly to give the lightest of sprung pressure onto the inside of the pod bobbin, then blue loctite on the shell bobbin thread) with 3mm rubber spacer/shim between the pod and shell. Top and bottom limit stops evolved from water hoses bolted to elbow brackets to mushroom bobbins on later cars (these will need refreshing or changing to stop the pod from bouncing. DO NOT work on the pod whilst the car is powered in any way...use the knurled knob on the headlamp motor to rotate it through it's operation.



A@

[Markymark21]

Thanks all. I’m going to obtain some nylon or rubber washers to go between the body and pod/bonnet. Then I’ll lock tight and lock wire the bolts with suitable washers….

[Steve_D]

Markymark21 said:

Thanks all. I’m going to obtain some nylon or rubber washers to go between the body and pod/bonnet. Then I’ll lock tight and lock wire the bolts with suitable washers….

To get the covers aligned in their holes you will need spacers of different size. A collection of washers will be a pain to instal and remember how many go each side whereas a length of fuel hose cut to size will be easier to handle.

Steve

[Markymark21]

That’s a good idea. Thanks!

[Grady]

Markymark21 said:

Then I’ll lock tight and lock wire the bolts with suitable washers….

Just curious, wouldn't nylock nuts work as well as locking wire plus be easier to remove if needed? Grady

[Markymark21]

Hi - the bolts go into captive nuts bonded into the body. So to stop them coming loose the bolts need to be lock wired.