Pelican parts diagram for reference
http://www.pelicanparts.com/PartsLookup/HT...2-00-Frame3.htm

I severely slammed my finger last week when a janky bolt holding my early strut/ball joint BROKE during the take-apart process. The other side was different and came apart fine. I have one janky broke bolt and one M10 x 55 with a smooth shank and treads on the end. I was lookin for 2 of those then saw the parts diagram and some photos around this site and now I want to make sure my plans are correct...

Is it just a M10 x 30 bolt with a lock washer that holds the ball joint to the strut for the early 914, like my 1972???

I see no nut on the opposite end in some photos and on the Pelican diagram, but both my struts had bolts+nuts through them previously (which I think was a misktake). I can post photos later, but I hope this is an easy answer that will give me the confidence to do this right.

I think parts 20 and 21 are what you need, but you need to check the ball joint itself. If the notch in the ball joint is semi-circular the M10x30 bolt works. If it is V shaped you need the taper pin for 72- cars. Oh, I just remembered the cars that use the taper pin have a smaller diameter hole where the thread exits the strut for the nut.

Make sure you dont have a mix of parts in your setup, it could explain the different parts you removed.

Jim

Jim- I've got struts with the split at the bottom = EARLY. New balljoints with part #00 and round indent on mating surface (not V) = EARLY. The PO threw whatever bolts in there and used nuts on the end of my old struts...the ones I am using now are for sure matched with the rest of the parts.

I have parts 20 and 21 form Pelican

I am 90% sure they go in w/o a nut on the end, 99% sure after your reply, and am hoping to get to 110% sure with some more replies.

Chris,

you're good, I just did the research also: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=86294

I suspect these are hardened bolts and the one that broke was not or the nut was overtightened

my later strut 911 btw was not tapered, both openings were the same size...

Thanks Felix

Interesting thought - are some of the "problems" associated with the early ball joint hole wallowing out due to the OEM threaded bolt rubbing the mating surface of the ball joint??? Perhaps that is why in my case the PO had a longer bolt in there that had a flat, unthreaded shank....I can image how this might be an improvement. The fit and finish are not as clean....I'm gonna stick to the OEM method for now and just screw that M10 x 30 bolt in with it's new lock washer and call it done. It should last another 30 yrs