Subframe Problem

[wisey02]

Not sure if this is the right section...

Anyway, in the middle of changing my gearbox and 3 of the 4 retaining clips have broken :boring: Just want to know if you need any special tools/tricks to get them out? Tried the get my spanners into the cut outs but none of them fit :S.

Do I need to replace the clips when putting it back together? Or will it be fine without it?

Cheers

 

[Adam.]

Pain in the ass but I'm sure we used a socket when they broke.

Didn't take long but then the subframe was the last thing to be removed from the shell, try removing the headlights.

 

[wisey02]

I have taken the fog light out to get more access. And how a deep 16mm socket that that am trying to get on it now. It goes over the nut but it feels like the clip is stopping the socket holding the nut properly/ at all.

This is a right pain in the ass

 

[Fred@BTM]

the clips that hold the captive nuts? swan neck on the front 2 (remove front bumper) but rip out what remains of the clips first, rear 2 nightmare

 

[wisey02]

Yeah the clips that hold the nuts. I have a 16mm deep spark plug socket I think it is, has the bit you can hold it with a spanner at the top, it goes onto the nut ok but doesn't feel like its catching/sitting on the nut 100% and it feels like the clip is stopping it....

What makes the rear ones a nightmare? Only the passengers side one is spinning. Any tips for the rear ones as well?

 

[Fred@BTM]

on the front 2 you have to rip out what remains of the clips in order to fit a spanner/socket on there

rear 2 are a t**t to access i normally end up getting the grinder out and cutting a pannel out

 

[wisey02]

Cheers will give it ago tomorrow, something came up so had to stop today again :dapprove:

What do you mean cut the panel out? Got any photo's etc. Dont really want to go cutting out the wrong bit on the chassis rails :rasp:

 

[H4RRY]

How you get on with this Wisey? These bolts are the last thing standing between me and my gearbox.

Sounds like the fronts can be tackled but one of the rears has broken on me and I haven't tried the other side yet as I'm dreading it joining the club.

 

[wisey02]

How you get on with this Wisey? These bolts are the last thing standing between me and my gearbox.

Sounds like the fronts can be tackled but one of the rears has broken on me and I haven't tried the other side yet as I'm dreading it joining the club.

Sorry for the late reply just noticed you posted.

Not even attempted it yet if am being honest. Must be the longest gearbox change ever! Only started it at the start of December :lolup:. But hopefully get a chance to do it sometime next week if the weather holds out. Working on my drive in this weather isn't fun! :boring:

Does anyone have any tips for breaking the retaining clips out? By using a screwdriver or something? And is there any tricks on how to do the rear ones at all? Don't want to cut anything

 

[MG cup]

Soak everything in wd 40 for days prior to removing, might be the difference between braking or coming out fine.

Just use a screw driver to knock the tabs out and pull the retaking plate out. You will see the tabs on the front and the back of the box that comes down off the chassis leg.

 

[wisey02]

Cheers managed to get all the clips that were just spinning out.

But now I have got a few threads on each bolt, but only the front of the frame is dropping, the rear is still tight against the body/chassis. Anything that I have missed?

I have removed the 3 gearbox mounts, gear linkage, both the rear plates from subframe to chassis, and have undo the pinch bolt in the steering rack.

 

[mark123]

Sometimes the underseal holds it on, have you tried a pry bar?

 

[wisey02]

No not yet, first time doing this so didn't want to break anything haha.

But cheers will give it a try tomorrow and hopefully get it finished finally!

 

[guysy]

I may be wrong but for the sub frame off I think Fred said leave the pinch bolt alone, you need to remove the 4 bolts holding the steering rack in place, plus the fiddly heatshield bolt and then the subframe can drop leaving the rack in place?

How did you get the rear bolts out with the clips spinning?

 

[Budgie]

Sometimes the underseal holds it on, have you tried a pry bar?

This.

Give it a thump and mind your toes.

 

[wisey02]

I may be wrong but for the sub frame off I think Fred said leave the pinch bolt alone, you need to remove the 4 bolts holding the steering rack in place, plus the fiddly heatshield bolt and then the subframe can drop leaving the rack in place?

How did you get the rear bolts out with the clips spinning?

Like what been said use a screw driver to get the clips out. And all you need to do after that is use a normal 18mm open end spanner on the nut and I used a breakers bar on the bolt. It's a bit tight for space but not any worse then the front ones and not as bad as everyone makes out tbh. But I only had to do the passenger side one, the drivers side clip is ok for just now, but the drivers side does look a bit tighter for space.

Cheers guys, thought I was better just taking the pinch bolt out to be safe, unbolting the rack seemed more hassle to me as am not taking the whole frame off just going to drop it a bit to get the box off.

 

[guysy]

Hope it goes well, post up how it went when you get it done, Im interested to know.

 

[MG cup]

Leaving the rack in place means you don't have to split PAS pipes, depends what your replacing when its off.