Bolts for Aux guard under wheel.

[tekz]

Anyone know the size and type of bolts that hold the guard on behind the front drivers side wheel that protect the Aux belt?

My bolts are cooked in/rusted and worn off and I'm going to be getting them removed by a mechanic but want to purchase replacement bolts first.

 

[ScubaSteve]

8mm

 

[tekz]

Cheers ScubaSteve

 

[JonB]

I have M6 allen cap heads in mine but I did not put them in, think they were an 8mm socket on my other Puma, but certainly not 8mm thread.

 

[ScubaSteve]

yeah 8mm socket

 

[tekz]

I'm not sure how imperative it is to have the guard attached, if it's not that important I might leave the guard off once the bolts are removed, drive it home, change the aux belt then bring the old bolts to a hardware store and compare them with other bolts to get the exact one, I know it's a 8mm torx bolt now, thats the diameter I'm guessing? But what about the length?
Is the guard just to protect it from spray from the wheel thus if it's a dry day it will be ok? I don't think a tiny bit of water on the Aux belt will do any damage if there's any puddles about?...
Lend me your thoughts,
Thanks,
Will

 

[JonB]

I think the guard is more to stop anything getting under the belt and making it jump off the pulleys rather than keep it dry, also my power steering pipes are held up by it too.
Surely if a mechanic is going to remove the old bolts he will have new ones available, most mechanics have a box of metric bolts about.

 

[tekz]

Probably yeah, hope this guy does would solve me a hassle.
You make a valid point there, probably more to stop anything interfering physically with the belt and pulleys, so should be ok unless I drive across a field or something (no fields in South London so should be ok lol). I'm sure spray water gets into that general area anyway.

Thanks again.

 

[bunch1980]

I would for sure use the guard. From reading about anything with belts, motorbikes with a rear drive belt instead of chain and radio control models etc. What usually happens is a small stone will wedge in the pulley and slowly where at that belt meaning it will eventually snap.
I would imagine for an engine aux belt its not so likely as it spins quite fast and not in direct path so much.
But for sure never really been keen on buying a motorbike with a rear drive belt for obvious reasons!