21 replies to this topic

[Camel]

A few months ago I had a garage do some work on my car(never again) and today whilst trying to change the rubber cones I was unable to remove the subframe tower bolt, it just would not budge even with a heavy duty 1.5foot wrench, it just sheered the extension bar in half.

 

Before it was worked on by the garage the turret bolts were in fine working order, could undo them without too much effort. The washer underneath the bolt also spins around freely so the bolt isn't even in properly?

 

What are my options. I don't need to keep the old cones so if it involves in damaging the bolt and cone that's fine.

[Archived4]

I had similar and used a massive breaker bar, but surely some heat might persaude it a bit more? Mine was siezed, but it seamed to work for me

[Tamworthbay]

The problem is that you can't get the heat where you need it. It's a scaffold pole job I'm afraid. Some penetrating oil might help but if the bozos have cross threaded it its going to be a bugger whatever, and worse to get back in right.

[greenwheels]

Sounds like someone has crossed the thread!

Try soaking in WD40, if the washer spins it will probably soak down into the thread.

If you have to resort to heat maybe best to heat the subframe from underneath where the bolt thread is in the subframe, which means somehow getting the rubber cone out.

 

Tricky, very tricky. Someone else must have had this problem before?

[greenwheels]

What about trying an air impact wrench.

[Camel]

What about trying an air impact wrench.

 

Not able to move the car at the moment.

 

I thought it might be cross threaded. Would I be able to drill the bolt out?

 

Having a walk to the garage that did the work and if they refuse to do anything I'll be going to the local trading standards office as the work they did was sub par and dangerous.

[Fast Ivan]

Looks like the threads have bound up last time they were installed. Whatever way you get them out the subframe will need to be replaced or take the risk on re tapping the threads, so my suggestion is plan for subframe removal and chizel the heads off.

[Tupers]

What did the garage do to it last time involving the tower bolts?

[Camel]

Put in hilos and new cones. The latter of which they didn't actually do. Only went there as they were recommended to me and I didn't have the tools to do it at the time.

 

Would I not be able to take the upper suspension arm off to remove the knuckle joints and hilo? I'll be taking all the other suspension parts off and replacing them anyway so one more won't do any harm. Then with the hilos removed I should be able to take the cone out with part of the bolt sill attached if I can break the top of it off I hope.

[colinu]

Same happened to me. When those tower bolts are seized then 1/2" drive sockets/bars will just shear. I invested in a 3/4" drive breaker bar (18" long) and 1 5/16" socket to match. The tower bolt came out effortlessly :)

[Captain Mainwaring]

If you need a 3/4" bar to get that out....it's wrecked. At the worst I can see you might need to give it a bit of mortgage to get it first shifted, but I reckon your trained monkeys have groused it all the way as far as they could.

 

If that's the case, I wouldn't mess around, take it somewhere who has a decent sized drill, and drill a 5/8" hole smack in the center of the head of the bolt for about 20mm and snap the head off.....you are going to end up dropping the subframe anyhow, so may as well bite the bullet now, rather than later.

 

At least with the subframe out, you can put some 3' pipe grips on the thing and try and wind it out. You may get away with reclaiming the thread with a 3/4" UNF tap, other than that, you could Helicoil it.

[Camel]

Doesn't the bolt just thread into the cone and nothing else?

 

If so I'll just try to break the bolt head off or drill it. I have new cones and can get new bolts so don't care if they're ruined in the process or not.

[Captain Mainwaring]

No, it threads into the subframe - the cone is below that.

You remove it to get to a cone compressor in.

Potentially this charlie has mumfiated one subframe turret threaded hole. 

You won't break the head off of that bolt unless you're Geoff Capes (in saying that he always ended up with his  giblets in a twist) - it's around 3/4" in dia - 

 

You'll have to take the bonnet off and get a man sized  drill down there if you can't shift it with a 3/4" bar. 

Hopefully though as above, you can, but the hole it goes into will be well trousered - you could try and reclaim it in situ with a 3/4" unf tap on an extension, the proper way however would be to bore it and then drop a helicoil in it - but with the crossmember in the way, that could be a challenge with the subframe in place.

Edited by Captain Mainwaring, 03 June 2013 - 01:18 AM.

[Camel]

Well they're both stuck. 6foot long bar on the end of my torque wrench couldn't even shift it. But it was making my torque wrench bend which I didn't think would be possible as it's quite big and heavy.

 

Better get looking for a new subframe then as I don't fancy getting another place to work on fixing the threads as they'll probably just screw it up too.

[Tamworthbay]

Have you tried tightening it up a fraction before loosening it? This often makes the difference needed. If not, I suggest you eat at least three shredded wheat for breakfast tomorrow!