Wishbones - what the hell do I do now?

[slimtim 0]

While removing one of my wishbones, the front mounting bolt has decided to shear and my bolt now has no head but the fricken wishbone ain't budging :( . Suggestions?

[stevemac 0]

Only option that I can suggest ie to drill a hole down the centre of the headless bolt & hammer a spline key into it. Hammering the bolt should loosen the threads enough for it to then unscrew. Chances are that the bolt will have rusted into the captive thread - hammering should free it off.

[h100vw 0]

Beauty idea Steve.

 

Also might be worth trying to do it up first. I got told that a while ago by a VW tech somewhere.

 

Always worked for me. At least it hasn't ripped the captive out..

 

Gavin

[slimtim 0]

What's the betting that the sump is in the way for that drill..... :x

 

The bolts have a good 30mm of thread on them, does anyone know hoe deep that captive nut is?

 

Some photies:

[24V Renshaw 0]

If you can I would hacksaw down either side of the wishbone through the bolt. Then hopefully that would leave enough of the bolt sticking out at the back to get it turning with a chisel.

 

Jay

[2cc 0]

You have my sympathy slimtim, the pass side bolt on my valver sheared but I was lucky that it broke at the thread end and I managed to get the wishbone out. Dunno if you can get a hacksaw in the gap, I've a feeling that the bush is too tight a fit for that. But as Steve says, the only way is to drill it out; you can't get at the 'back' of the bolt as it is completely enclosed in the subframe. You might be lucky and get it to shift with a spline key, if not you're in for a long drilling job, get a few good quality, different size, long bits of in case you have to go all the way through the thing. Even on a ramp its a long, tiring job. Can't recall how far in the nut is, but a new bolt will show you. And I reckon you will need to lift the engine to get the sump out the way. It's a good idea to run a tap through the nut before fitting new bolt, can't remember the size - I borrowed one from one of the dealer techies (good man). Take it easy, no point trying to rush this, cos if you trash the nut it's new subframe time!

Luck

[Rpmayne 0]

This happened to me recently and I tried drilling it out with limited success. Mine's a VR and it was a nightmare to try and jack the engine/box out of the way to get the drill in straight. I eventually gave up trying to do it on the car and took the subframe out.

 

Once the subframe is out, drill the part through the wishbone clear then remove the wishbone. Obviously you can't go right the way through like that because you'll remove the thread.

 

To keep the drilling of the remaining part straight, a toolmaker used a piece of bar with the tap core diameter (think this was 10.75mm if its a M12x1.25 thread, NOT sure of this so hopefully someone will confirm)through it. The drill therefore went through the clearance hole, through the bar then into the remaining part in the thread. Well easy for the drill to wonder otherwise.

 

Then tap to clean the thread up. Right b%$tard for that to happen but it is possible to save it. Just be careful not to drill the clearance hole into an oval shape (i had to get a washer turned up and welded over to repair that), that's why unless you are very good with a drill I'd take the subframe out. Good luck.

[slimtim 0]

Here's the latest. I took to the wishbone with a hacksaw improving access somewhat.

 

I then drilled a small "pilot" hole and lamped a torx-head bit into it. I got some purchase right upto when the bit snapped and left it's business end in the hole!

 

What's involved in removing the subframe - is it "just" a matter of removing the 14 or so bolts I've just counted? Doesn't it support the engine?

[Chris VR6nos 0]

yeah it all supports the engine/box and i think the rack too etc.

Not the nicest of jobe so you have my sympathy also!

A similar thing happened to my drivers side one and ended up getting it out with help from Corrado VR6n.o.s, thanks James.

Lots of WD40 and plenty of heat from oxy/acetaline lit glowing orange hot.

Got some Stillson grips on the stub of the bolt and slowly slowly and with a lot of sweat and hoping it came out, new bolts are only about £1 each and plenty of copper slip grease

 

 

Chris

[coolrado 0]

get yourself a proper set of stud extractors they are only about a tenner, they use a tapered opposite tread so the more you try to undo them the more they grip and they take a lot of stick

i have used them on the big bumper bolts, wheel bolts and a subframe mount bolt on my old mr2 so they should get yours out, also soak it in plus gas or a decent penetrating oil for a while before you try anything else

[slimtim 0]

I've decided to cut the whole wishbone around the bush into two halves. I should then be able to pull the two pieces off the stud that'll be left and the stud will have more meat on it than if I cut it off flush.

 

I should then be able to get some heat to it and grab it with some mole grips. It's pretty hard going to - only possible if you have a hacksaw like this:

[2cc 0]

That's what I like to see - never give up.

is that the saw being advertised on the telly just now?

[Rpmayne 0]

I thought of using the stud extractors, but unless they do some long series ones I don't think it will reach far enough through the clearance hole to pick up the broken bolt and still allow you to put a wrench on the end.

 

Takink the sub frame out isn't that difficult, just need to support the engine then undo all the engine mounts, steering rack brackets, front wishbone rear mount bolts, the bolts which attach it to the chassis near the driveshafts and the rollbar to hub bolts. Think that's it, should come out subframe and rollbar complete then for good access.

 

Seems alot but swear it will save you time and frustration in the end.

[slimtim 0]

First rule of hacksawing - don't do it if you have a grinder

[slimtim 0]

First rule of hacksawing - don't do it if you have a grinder

[slimtim 0]

OK, I reckon I'm in the mire now.

 

This picture is one of the front wishbone bolt's captive nut inside the chassis member.

 

(I grabbed it from some dv video. I have a lipstick-type camera for videoing mountain biking -- don't ask! -- so I stuffed it and a light inside the chassis from the rear wishbone mount.)

 

The problem is that when I apply some rocking pressure to the bolt, small bubbles (in all that oil no doubt) appear within the red area. That means corrosion has worked it's way through the chassis member. Is it even worth me trying to remove the bolt now or is it new subframe/write-off time?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I think you'd be better off getting a replacement subframe from a breaker. Sounds like yours has lost the tinworm battle.

 

You might be able to patch it up in situ with a mig welder but there's no guarantee it'll hold for long.

 

Those subframes are a pain, they rot and weaken with age.