How would you shift this ?

[EastPete]

Doing the rear end rebuild on the MGB, I have managed to crack all the suspension bolts using releasing fluid, breaker bars and a bit of hammering, apart from the very last one - nearside front spring mounting bolt. It seems seized solid in the front spring bush. I have got the nut off the inner end of the bolt, but cannot shift the bolt out of the spring bush - they normally just tap out easily. The access is limited - I cannot get an impact wrench in there, and there is very little room to swing a hammer to try to force the bolt out of the bush. Options under consideration are:

- Hacksaw through the bolt either side of the bush (tedious, not sure about access)
- Angle grind off the bolt head and other end where the nut goes (I have got the nut off, BTW)
- Air chisel the head of the bolt off and the threaded inner end of the bolt.
- Apply heat (not keen - there is a lot of under seal around, you are quite near the fuel tank, and I think there is flammable trim above the spring hanger).

Any thoughts/comments are most welcome

Pete

[wuzerk]

Doing the rear end rebuild on the MGB, I have managed to crack all the suspension bolts using releasing fluid, breaker bars and a bit of hammering, apart from the very last one - nearside front spring mounting bolt. It seems seized solid in the front spring bush. I have got the nut off the inner end of the bolt, but cannot shift the bolt out of the spring bush - they normally just tap out easily. The access is limited - I cannot get an impact wrench in there, and there is very little room to swing a hammer to try to force the bolt out of the bush. Options under consideration are:

- Hacksaw through the bolt either side of the bush (tedious, not sure about access)
- Angle grind off the bolt head and other end where the nut goes (I have got the nut off, BTW)
- Air chisel the head of the bolt off and the threaded inner end of the bolt.
- Apply heat (not keen - there is a lot of under seal around, you are quite near the fuel tank, and I think there is flammable trim above the spring hanger).

Any thoughts/comments are most welcome

Pete
AH memories, you could fit a tight fitting spanner to the bolt head so that it is also wedged against the metal bracket and, assuming that the other end of the spring is free, move the spring downwards to hopefully break the seizure. Proper releasing fluid (not WD40) would help too.

[EastPete]

Thanks Wuzerk

Yes the other end of the spring is free, and I have sprayed loads of WD40 penetrating/releasing fluid (not the basic stuff in the blue tin, their proper releasing fluid), and tried yanking it up and down, but I will try jamming the bolt head with a spanner as you suggest.

Cheers

Pete

[Doc Evil]

Hi If you have used plusgas liberally and it is still refusing to budge I would personally use heat but you really need to get the bolt up to 300°c to have any useful effect unless you have acetylene or a carbon arc braising attachment it will be difficult
An easier but laborious alternative would be to cut the bolt both sides on the inside of the ears with a hacksaw and then you can remove the spring and work on getting it out much easier a time consuming way but easier than removing trim and fuel tank to be able to apply heat

Good luck

Doc:cool:

[Ps3000]

I can't really see how much room there is on the other side, but if there's room, a drift at an angle with a bit of hammering might start it off?

If you could fit one in, a two leg puller hooked over the edges of the hanger bracket? (on the far side, winding in the centre to shove the bolt out)

Weld a scrap bolt onto the head of that one - more purchase for removal and a bit of heat introduced.

[allan t]

Have you acess to a airline if so ,buy borrow an air hacksaw 26 pounds from tool station,zip through the spring bolt at the end of the bush,you can use normal hacksaw blades on these saws also just break them to size in a vice,or as a last resort strip further and use some heat

[EastPete]

Thanks for all the replies folks - I tried Wuzerk's suggestion just now - jammed a spanner on the bolt head and up against the floor by the side the spring hanger bracket, and yanked the spring sharply downwards (after more soaking in penetrating fluid). Good news- the spring moved and there was movement at the front bush. Bad news - the movement was just due to the bush freeing itself from the 'eye' in the end of the spring, so the bolt is still seized solid in the centre of the bush.

I like the air saw option - are these man enough to cut through bolts ?? I looked on Machine Mart website, and they only mentioned cutting of sheet metal, panels, plastic and exhaust mounts etc. Anyone tried using these to cut off rusted up bolts or nuts ?

I have a decent air compressor, so an air saw may be the next tactic - I only have a basic Calorgas butane blowtorch, so no heavy duty heating equipment.

Thanks again

Pete

[chris75]

Since you have the nut off , we can assume only corrosion is holding the bolt shank in place ? I'm sure you've tried "loosening" the bolt with a socket on the head :o , but have you tried alternatively "loosening" it then "tightening" it , after soaking well in plus-gas . It gradually breaks the bond and has worked for me in the past :shrug:

[barney bear]

Thanks for all the replies folks - I tried Wuzerk's suggestion just now - jammed a spanner on the bolt head and up against the floor by the side the spring hanger bracket, and yanked the spring sharply downwards (after more soaking in penetrating fluid). Good news- the spring moved and there was movement at the front bush. Bad news - the movement was just due to the bush freeing itself from the 'eye' in the end of the spring, so the bolt is still seized solid in the centre of the bush.

I like the air saw option - are these man enough to cut through bolts ?? I looked on Machine Mart website, and they only mentioned cutting of sheet metal, panels, plastic and exhaust mounts etc. Anyone tried using these to cut off rusted up bolts or nuts ?

I have a decent air compressor, so an air saw may be the next tactic - I only have a basic Calorgas butane blowtorch, so no heavy duty heating equipment.

Thanks again

Pete
As long as you don't use cheap blades then it will go through anything that a normal hacksaw can, I've used an air saw with snap-on blades to cut through a sierra 4x4 drive shaft before now.:D

[RodgerD]

I'd firstly go for an impact socket, breaker bar (3/4" at least so that your effort isn't just flexing the bar) and a scaffold pole on the breaker bar for extra leverage. If that doesn't work, angle grind the head and threaded end off and widen the hanger bracket to release the spring.

[wizzo337]

For stubborn bolts/nuts that just won't budge, I don't have many now. I use a mix of Eezit and Brake fluid, (not near anything painted, unless I don't want the paint to remain), it works a treat especially if you have the time to soak it over a few days. If I know I am going to be changing something, drop links, lower wishbones etc, I give a quick spray each day over a week, still using the car, and by the weekend they come off a doddle. Haven't had one beat this mix yet. :D
:D
Wizzo337.

[olliesgrandad]

1 mm cutting wheel on 4inch grinder!:}

[Heddy]

1 mm cutting wheel on 4inch grinder!:} Yus:wot: if you're comfortable using an angle grinder

[EastPete]

Well folks, the spring is now off.

I bought an air saw from machine mart, but frankly it made little impact on the bolt when placed either side of the bush. I put a 4 inch cutter disc on the angle grinder and went in with that - lots of sparks, and a bit near the fuel tank, so I got a bit scared and then got the air chisel out. This made short work of the threaded end of the bolt- that was quickly on the floor. The bolt head end was very stubborn and I had to chisel both sides of the spring bracket flange before it eventually came free. Unfortunately there is collateral damage to the bracket where the bolt head was from the angle grinder and air chisel - there is now a split in the bracket below the hole where the bolt head was (the bracket was starting to rust at the bottom, so was slightly weakened to start with). Being a critical structural area, I think a new front spring hanger will have to go in, so the trim and petrol tank will have to come out anyway, to allow for the welding involved.

Nothing is ever simple, is it ?

Looking on some MG forums, it seems common for the front bush on MGB rear spring to rust up solid - in some cases the only way to remove the spring is to cut the whole mounting bracket off (might have been quicker in my case !). The bolt on mine is completely rusted into the metal sleeve in the centre of the bush - I think no amount of heat or penetrating fluid will have released it. Access is a problem - one guy reports getting the bolt out with a junior hacksaw, but only after many hours of sawing either side of the bush.

I'll post updates on this project if anyone is interested.

Cheers

Pete

[Organiser]

Sorry Pete,

Only just picked up on this post, I have had lots of these like yours! I just cut them off with the grinder, it takes a couple of minutes but as you found out you need to be careful near the spring hanger when cutting!

Good luck.

Tom.

[EastPete]

Quick update folks - other commitments have taken me away from this project for a while, but eventually I got back to it. The interior trim above the spring hanger came out, as did the fuel tank. The old spring hanger was removed (drilled out 20+ spot welds - not much fun). This revealed some corrosion in the corner of the floor pan above the spring hanger, and some nasty bodged old repairs (holes filled just with weld-no repair patches made etc. !). So, I had to make up some repair panels for the floor and weld these in from inside the car. The new spring hanger has now been welded in place, using a mix of plug welds and seam welds - I had forgotten how hard it is welding upside down, with gravity taking the weld downwards (back into the welding torch on occasion - I got through 2 or 3 welding tips doing this job). So, the welds may not look the prettiest, but I think they are pretty strong - the original did not seam weld the hanger to the floor pan, but I put in some welds around the overlap to make a good strong repair.

Next job is to get the underseal re-done on the nearside, then the new spring can go in, followed by the new fuel tank (the old one had started to rust through on the top).

Cheers

Pete