15 replies to this topic

[Pepys]

Removing the front subframe. Engine out, everything disconnected, subframe mounts front and rear off. Driver side tower bolt out, easily. Passenger side tower bolt will not budge. I've managed to get some Plus gas in there, but probably need to leave it for a few days. It's not easy to get to the thread.

 

Any ideas anyone? Bit of heat? 

 

[RooBoonix]

Are you using a breaker bar? I couldn't undo mine at first, but a 2ft breaker bar helped. Just be careful when it does break free, the end of my breaker bar came very close to the front wing when mine did break loose....

[Ben_O]

Long bar and brace yourself for when it gives

[nicklouse]

Put the other side back in tight.

Or Jack the subframe back up so that you are not hanging the the frame of the threads.

[tiger99]

As a last resort you could drill out the bolt. You will need a proper electric drill, not cordless, run on low speed. Drill maybe 5mm first followed by one just larger than the thread diameter of the bolt. That needs great care to align the drill, and a longer than normal drill bit.

Alternatively drill maybe 5mm to just below the head and follow it with a drill of slightly greater than bolt shank diameter, which is HUGE. You may need to get a "blachsmiths" drill from Screwfix or Toolstation, with reduced shank to fit the drill chuck. May need an intermediate size to make it easier. Take great care to avoid chewing the top face of the crossmember as the drill breaks through. You have the thickness of the rubber to provide some leeway.

That will get the bolt head off so you can use a long drift to drive it out of the rubber bush.

But I hope that less aggressive methods prevail and you get it out without all that drilling.

[Pepys]

Thanks Nick, I've got jacks under the subframe and the other bolt in. I've been using a big bar Ben, and a friend built like a brick s house to pull on it... but I recon we could give it a load more, so we'll try again. And Tiger, the blacksmith bits scare the proverbial out of me, it read like a script for 'Land of the Giants'... but it's nice to know if it comes to that. 

[Dusky]

Id only use penetrating oil and pure strenght. When you're too 'weak' Just use a longer bar/ extension over the bar ( I ve used an exhaust pipe to loosen the Crank pulley on a ford 302 before that was stuck there for 50 years..!)
Its something that should come loose unless someone used loads of loctite on it..

[GraemeC]

Is the frame stripped of suspension? If so get your penetrating fluid straight into the threads by applying it inside the subframe tower, where the end of the bolt is.

[spraybeater]

Try and borrow?? a 3/4 drive socket set! appropriate size socket T/bar and a length of scaffy bar

(make sure car is supported well), thats a good sized bolt so worst case scenario you'll shear the

threaded part of!!! at least you'll be able to drill that out when the subframes removed easer than

faffing about on the car with a drill.

[Ben_O]

I'm sure it will go with enough force. I've had some that feel like they are seized solid but a scaffold bar on a breaker bar does the trick every time. As i said, just brace yourself for when it goes as you might fall over. They go from very tight to finger tight in a split second.

[tiger99]

Also remember the usual trick of trying to tighten even more initially to help break the corrosion or whatever is holding it. If it moves, then reverse immediately!

[Pepys]

I did it! Well, the Brick S House, if the truth be known. The Plusgas must have got down there over the last twenty four hours, because when the Brick S House had a go, it came loose on the second time of asking. Yep, Tiger, did the tighten trick, nice one. 

 

Don't you love those tower bolts... just like really really big Meccano. 

 

Cheers and tables everyone.

[tiger99]

Well done! Glad that is all over. Maybe some copper grease next time? And a torque wrench, which some previous owner may have been lacking!

 

Seized bolts are always a pain, and often there is no magic tool to help, just improvisation and brute strength. But it is satisfying to beat something like that.

[Pepys]

Cheers everyone, thanks for the help. 

[malynch27]

Long bar and brace yourself for when it gives

I did this and when it gave, it went with a bang and I nearly flew across the garage!