Shoulder Bolts for Penthouse Lift System

[admbvi]

Hello, what size and length Shoulder bolts should I be ordering for replacements on the lift system? 1/4 x 20- LENGTH?

[MountainBikeRoamer]

Check out forum member boywonder's build-thread postings on these two pages in particular, where he has a great set of photos and write-up for upgrading the hardware on the penthouse mechanism. You'll have to scroll down a bit on each page to see the specific postings that speak to and picture the penthouse hardware.

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...p-10808-3.html
and
http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...p-10808-6.html

Looks like he calls out a length of 2 1/2".

**OF NOTE:
When he replaced his bolts, he decided to increase their thickness slightly.
(Originals were 1/4 - 20.....but he ended up drilling out his holes a bit bigger and going with a shoulder bolt of spec 5/16" x 2 1/2" long.)


PS: I see you have a Dodge SMB, I'm assuming the bolts are the same specs for your penthouse hardware as they would be in a Ford-based rig...but someone else should probably confirm this.

[admbvi]

Thanks, I see the cross member one is 2 1/2 and the sliding bar bolt is 1 1/4 now what is left is the Fixed section bolt length?

[MountainBikeRoamer]

Originally Posted by admbvi

Thanks, I see the cross member one is 2 1/2 and the sliding bar bolt is 1 1/4 now what is left is the Fixed section bolt length?

Good question.
Unless another forum member chimes in, I think you're going to have to do some more reading of other archived posts on that process to find the answer to that question. (Or....you could peel back the upholstered trim that covers those bolts, and measure their length while they're still installed.)

As far as posts on this topic go, I heartily suggest this one:
This particular post (and how-to video) on penthouse hardware replacement by forum member larrie is fantastic (and his video is absolutely worth watching, for what you're doing).

Penthouse Bolt Replacement - video
http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...ideo-9838.html