Stuck Subframe Bolt.

[Steve4x4]

Following on from my DMF question, I have one about this bolt.

I'm not sure if just trying to twist it until it frees is a good idea or if it would be better to cut the bolt head off. If it's stuck on the bush hopefully you could lever the subframe down and then deal with the bolt after. Perhaps I would have to weld a nut onto it.

Has anyone tried this to save ripping the wishbone bush to bits ?

I was going to try and change the clutch etc by just moving the gearbox back but there isn't room even though Ford says there is. I also snapped one of the gear lever tower bolts off in the gearbox which didn't please me much !

[Mad Husky]

I just removed my gearbox the drivers side rear subframe bolt was very rusty and tight ended up using a longer bar think i used my wheel brace fully extended to undo it with brute force thought it would snap it didn't mines a mk6 rwd don't think cutting it would help but if all else fails i would cut the bush first.

[Steve4x4]

I managed to get it undone in the end. I went out and bought a longer breaker bar from Halfords and after a couple of cracks it started to undo. I kept an eye on the bush insert and it seemed OK so that was one problem sorted.

The box is now out and now that everything is cleaned up it might go back together tomorrow. I had a bit of a saga with the lever housing bolt that snapped off. Fortunately there were a couple of threads sticking out. I have a small lathe and made up a bush to guide the drill and made it screw onto the few threads left. I put a 5mm hole in it first, then went up in steps to the tapping size. I had to spend quite a while poking the first few threads clean but once I could start a tap in it things became a bit easier.
The thread feels a bit looser than it should but isn't too bad considering.

What were you doing on yours, just a clutch change ?

[Mad Husky]

I changed the clutch while i was there the forks were worn but the clutch was fine, thrust bearing was noisy so thought may as well change it. £80 for a Borg and Beck much beefier than the one that was in there, but that's not why I took it off. The gearbox had a strange grinding noise when you were coasting after changing down but it would go when under power all gears still selected fine I put it down to worn internals as when I bought the van they forgot to tell me about the leaking rear gearbox seal, got a gearbox for £95 from a guy in Rochdale who also threw in a spare thrust bearing and viscous fan as mine was knackered. I seem to be finding loads of lack of maintenance things also cleaned out the egr and inlet manifold which has helped with it's starting.

[Steve4x4]

I had to wait until today to rebuild the starter motor and fit the new gear in it. Fortunately that works OK as does the clutch. Will take it for a bit of a drive around tomorrow.