Rear subframe captive nuts

[mikeh]

Mine have broken free on both sides, and I remember it being an absolute pain to hold them through the small holes while undoing/doing up the subframe bolts.

Has anyone else found a solution to this - I may need to pull the box out again soon, and would like to address it to make things easier in the future.

 

[AlexW]

Use a Die on the bolts and they buzz in and out easily. Mine have done about 4 times now.

 

[mikeh]

That's not a bad idea to take some of the pain out of it, I suppose.

I was hoping there was some way to hold the nut again :/

 

[AlexW]

Once you know the trick with the 18mm spanner, its quite easy IMO.

 

[mikeh]

What is that trick? Can it be used on both sides?

Thinking back, it was only the nearside rear that broke. That had a thin cut out above it, that I managed to get a screwdriver in to lever against the nut.

I could be wrong, but it didn't look like you'd fit a spanner in there?

 

[AlexW]

On the inside (engine bay side) theres a huge hole, which you can fit a spanner in. I just use a normal 18mm open ended spanner.

 

[leew88]

The fronts have 16mm nut inside the chassis leg and a 18mm on the rear

A bit fiddly on the rears

 

[Dan519]

Usually the fronts that break away. Rears are a pain if they go, but there is spanner access from behind if you can pry the old bits of captive clip out the way