What's actually holding the suspension together when you use an OEM crash bolt?
 

So i had crash bolts installed during my coilover install. I was wondering, what exactly is holding together the strut to the wheel bearing piece? If the hole in both the strut and the wheel bearing is 16mm, but the crash bolt is 14mm, what is holding the two in place? I get the clamping force is holding the bolt to the strut, but how is the strut being held to the wheel bearing piece if the bolt is smaller than both holes?

Magic.

The friction from the clamping force. That's how any bolted connection actually works. Even with the 16mm bolt in 16mm hole, try loosening them both and wiggling things around- there's a good amount of play there.

Dude.....that's some good shit your smoking.
But seriously dude, pass that stuff over this way.

Magnets?

Just don't suggest that's how wheels stay on the car. All hell will break loose.

So the two flanges of the strut are basically squeezing together the spindle and the friction keeps them in place? That makes more sense to me. So really the diameter of the bolt doesn't matter as long as it's thick enough that the bolt doesn't stretch right?

Why are you seeking logical answers?
Your high as fuck now.

Bolts stretch when you tighten them. The important thing is having enough clamping force before the bolt starts to permanently deform or breaks (although some fasteners are designed to yield permanently at torque spec).

The OEM "16 mm" bolts are still M14 bolts, just with an enlarged shank. The threaded section is the same size and so are the torque spec and resultant clamping force. The larger bolt will stretch slightly less.

Yep, bolts are actually springs. When you torque them down they stretch, preloading the spring/joint.

Oh yeah true, I guess bolts wouldn't work as fasteners if they didn't have an elastic deformation range and the axial deformation is where the clamping force comes from.

Bolt use magic.

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