Disco-Skipper

Disco-Skipper

Active Member
I'm attempting to take both of the cross members out as I need to drop the sump and the hardware for the rear one wants replacing since half of the bolts are missing / snapped

Hoping to knock off the captive nuts with a cold chisel and just put on new nuts and bolts

I've had an absolute war all round with getting the bolts off, the impact only got one moving and just rounded the rest since they're only 10mm. Plus I can't get in there with a grinder and I've trashed a set of drill bits and not even made it through 1 bolt.

Anyone done it in the past and found any tricks I should know about?
 
When I dropped the front one so I could drop the sump I wire brushed the bolts and kept squirting penetrating oil over them and the exposed threads. Before attacking them I pointed a heat gun at the captive nuts for about 10-15 mins. Half of them came off using sealey wall drive sockets, the others were awkward.cut slits in the heads to try and chisel them around but gave another attempt with a socket and they unscrewed.
 
Ditto re the penetrating substances, so dropped my front x member no probs.
I prefer a mix of ATF and acetone.
You could always try welding bigger nuts onto the bolts, I suppose.
Hitting the object you are trying to unscrew from with a hammer or better still an air-chisel with a blunt tool inside it tends to break the rust seal. Hit it from both sides at the same time if you can, is even better.
All you need to do is to distort it a tiny bit to allow the bolt to turn in its 'ole.
Best of luck cos all this sh!t is, well, sh!t!
I wouldn't go with riv nuts cos if they go wrong and start just going round and round you is well buggred.
Tried using them when building kit cars, soon gave up on them.
But others swear by them.
I just swore at them!!
;)
 
Best way i found was grind it all out cutting up the crossmember in the process. I then bought a used one for £12 and put in new hardware. Why spend ages on rounded nuts when you can just cut it out in half the time.
 
I drilled the heads off, then used a hammer and cold chisel to snap off the welded in nuts. Then replaced them all with stainless steel allen bolts and nuts.
 
I'm too far along the journey of destruction to give the ATF Acetone concoction a go but it definitely sounds better than WD40! I'll try it next time I'm in this situation and hopefully save myself the pain

I'll most likely give the local breakers a ring and see how much they'd want for a pair of crossmembers and go to town with the grinder, I've already wasted a load of money on what were meant to be good drill bits and cutting it up will be way more satisfying having spent most of a day swearing at it

By the sounds of things I'll go with stainless nuts and bolts too

Thanks for the guidance guys!
 
I have been meaning to get a proper gas torch, would that do the just almost as well or would it not be localised enough?
 
Disco-Skipper said:
I have been meaning to get a proper gas torch, would that do the just almost as well or would it not be localised enough?
Click to expand...
All of the above are good ideas, said without modesty! ;);)
And heat is certainly a very good one. I have seen a mini gas torch used very effectively.
Personally I try very hard to not use a gas torch preferring to use a hot air gun but they can only be used with hitting the object with the goal of freeing off the rust that is holding the whole feckin thing together.
Also don't forget to try and turn it clockwise as well as anti to free it off.
But putting rotational force on it at the same time as hitting the nut with a hammer will go a long way to freeing it off. At the end of the day this is all an impact driver does. Except that it puts all this action on the thing it is trying to undo rather than on the thing that is holding it, which is not at all the same thing.
So this may well take two people. One to apply the turning moment and another to hit the feck out of the nut holding it.
 
For me Qxy acetylene torch is the best I have a full rig new torch, hoses, and gauges, but you do need to get the cylinders and that can be expensive, I get my Mig gas from a company for a one off payment plus the gas unlike BOC who want an annual rental for the cylinder, but having said that it must be used with care as its so easy to set fire to your pride and joy, as for me a Map gas torch does well but I have bought hand held Induction coil heater, for use on the next bit that decides to be very stubborn
 
I ended up cutting the braces with a grinder to then cut the heads off of the bolts

The captive nuts knocked off the rear nice and easily but the front ones were more of a faff - there was very little clearance between the bolt thread and the chassis so it took some drilling as well

Found a pair of cross members I can pick up to replace for good money too so all in all not too bad
 
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