Here is a picture of the interesting "locking" mechanism for the rear hub bolt. I am sorry the picture is not 100% in focus, but Sandwich is working faster than I can take pictures and post them on the web!
Anyway, this it the infamous locking tab the English were so enamored with. At first glance it looks like a good answer to the question of keeping the bolt in place...in practice it is incredibly stupid. But, as they say, "Hind sight is 20/20" and who knows what people will be posting about me on the web 20 years from now!
This is how the locking tab is "supposed" to work. First you place the locking tab into the two little drilled holes in the drive flange. Then you tighten up the bolt to the required torque (we use 225 foot pounds BTW) and then bend over the tabs against the flats of the bolts to prevent the bolt from loosening up. Very BAD idea.
In order for the tab to even be able to be bent, they have to be made out of a SOFT steel. Soft steel will pound out as you drive down the road. The rear suspension takes an incredible abuse. If you have ever driven with a professional driver, you know what I mean. If the steel yields (which it will surely do) YOU WILL LOSE ALL PRELOAD ON THE BOLT! ONCE YOU LOSE THE PRELOAD ON THE BOLT YOU LOSE THE PRELOAD ON THE BEARINGS!!! This means your hub bolt is about to play "Free Willy" and exit the premises. This means your hub is now loose and is about to fall off--which will loosen the preload on your sphincter as you face Turn 1 going 150 mph with a Miller Motorsports instructor showing you things you didn't know cars could do.
Talk about a YOU TUBE moment! "Original Cobra into the wall at over 100 mph!!!" I bet there would be 1,000,000 hits the first day alone.
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