3 replies to this topic

[Lewis_d54]

Just dropped the subframes off my van. I found that my van doesn't have bolt heads coming into the rear of the van. (All manuals say 4 bolts in the boot) but obviously the van is different to a saloon.
Anyway, I assumed that estate variants of the mini must have fixed studs rather than bolts. Is that correct?
Mine had sadly being bodged with various bolts and threaded bits of bar which were spinning. This meant I had to cut into the rear floor which had been previously patched up, peel it back a little to reveal the heads of the offending bolts so I could remove them.
My question is what should it be replacing these four bolts which attach to the subframe with? Is there a special part I can get for the van or am I going to have to weld my own bolts in?
Cheers,
Lewis

[tiger99]

There should be captive nuts in the stiffner under the floor. and bolts, with lockwashers, inserted upwards through the mounts. At least, that is what my old van had in about 197o, when I had to change the subframe. I cut tow pieces out of the floor to gain access, welded new nuts in, and welded up the floor afterwards.

 

If yours has studs, it should be fairly similar, but beware of what material has been used, as normal threaded rod is mild steel, and you want grade 8.8.

 

I will be back later, hopefully with more info, must dash now.

[Lewis_d54]

That's cleared it up for me cheers.
I was thinking of captive nuts. It's unbelievable what bodges you can find on an old car though!
I think I'm going to order the subframe bolt kit since people recommend replacing all the mounting hardware. I'll then make a plate up, loosely fit the subframe then weld the nuts in place.

[tiger99]

That sounds like a good plan. None of the suppliers seem to list the proper fixings for vans etc, only saloons, and the bolts would seem to have different part numbers to those at the heelboard. For some daft reason the vertical ones are bolts, not fully threaded, while at the heelboard they are set screws, i.e. threaded right up to the head. It was so on all my Minis. The normal saloon bolts should do for your van, and the same nuts, welded to spreader plates as you intend. The lockwashers go under the bolt heads, against the trunnions, obviously, as the nuts are fixed.

 

All are 5/16" UNF grade 8.8, although all M8 would be structurally ok, but can introduce potential confusion and stripped heads due to using the wrong tools later, so I prefer to stick with UNF always. But check that the captive nuts in your heelboard are UNF, as I have heard that some replacement heelboards, or heelboard ends, have M8 threads, which is a bit naughty.

 

The shorter vertical bolts go towards the rear, and at the botton on the heelboard, questions which are quite often asked. In more than a few cases the rear trunnions were fitted the other way round in the factory, and it seems to be of no structural importance, however it probably does matter at the front heelboard trunnnions.