Diff bolts stuck
Discussion
Well I've hit my first real problem in project. I can't budge the top diff bolts (the ones that attach the diff to the brackets).
I have bought a decent hex/allen socket set so I could use my breaker bar on them but I reached the point where the breaker bar/socket was starting to twist and I thought the bolt was going to thread or my breaker bar head snap.
I plusgas'ed them last night and again just but no use. It's a real shame as I had a good 4 hours free tonight I could have pushed on with but that diff is going nowhere.
Is there a trick to getting these bolts out? There seems to be little/no access from the other side.
I have bought a decent hex/allen socket set so I could use my breaker bar on them but I reached the point where the breaker bar/socket was starting to twist and I thought the bolt was going to thread or my breaker bar head snap.
I plusgas'ed them last night and again just but no use. It's a real shame as I had a good 4 hours free tonight I could have pushed on with but that diff is going nowhere.
Is there a trick to getting these bolts out? There seems to be little/no access from the other side.
pmessling said:
try a blow torch on the bolt, might have had lock tight on them. I know i did when i put mine back up
Right, just got back from Halfords - I have a blow torch.Hopefully the petrol tank/pipes are a safe distance away. I might see if I have a fire extinguisher just in case.
Wish me luck.
Bolt 1 - 0 Socket set
The blow torch has cleaned up the grime off the diff mount brackets lovely. Hasn't helped with the bolt though.
I thought I had movement but alas it was just the socket adapter twisting into an odd spiral shape.
I have been back to halfords to buy a 1/2 inch 10mm hex socket to fit my breaker bar without an adapter and will try again. I guess the socket adapter was the weak link although it worked ok on the suspension/wishbone bolts and some of those were right buggers.
Perhaps a beer first to get fuelled up...
The blow torch has cleaned up the grime off the diff mount brackets lovely. Hasn't helped with the bolt though.
I thought I had movement but alas it was just the socket adapter twisting into an odd spiral shape.
I have been back to halfords to buy a 1/2 inch 10mm hex socket to fit my breaker bar without an adapter and will try again. I guess the socket adapter was the weak link although it worked ok on the suspension/wishbone bolts and some of those were right buggers.
Perhaps a beer first to get fuelled up...
I hope these tips help,
Use the shortest extension you get away with, support the head of the breaker bar to keep it square with bolt, so all the pressure is distributed evenly. i would try and support the head of the breaker bar with a block of wood or the like to stop it twisting off square. Apply pressure with the breaker bar, then with a lump hammer hit the braker bar to shock the bolt free, kind of like a impact driver. If your struggling with applying pressure then use a steel tube over the breaker bar to help, of course your wearing thick gloves and eye protection at this stage.
If this doesn't work, the hex would have rounded off by now and it extraction time.
I've had alot of experience of removing very subborn fixings and this is about the best method.
-Craig
Use the shortest extension you get away with, support the head of the breaker bar to keep it square with bolt, so all the pressure is distributed evenly. i would try and support the head of the breaker bar with a block of wood or the like to stop it twisting off square. Apply pressure with the breaker bar, then with a lump hammer hit the braker bar to shock the bolt free, kind of like a impact driver. If your struggling with applying pressure then use a steel tube over the breaker bar to help, of course your wearing thick gloves and eye protection at this stage.
If this doesn't work, the hex would have rounded off by now and it extraction time.
I've had alot of experience of removing very subborn fixings and this is about the best method.
-Craig
I presume you've checked there's not a lock-nut behind the diff? Certainly on the race Tuscans although the bolt is tightened up into the diff, there's then a nut tightened up on the other side of the diff 'flange' to lock the bolt. No idea of Cerberas as like this (but its certainly the same diff housing) but it could also be an owner/garage mod, and possibly easy to miss if you're working from the front side of the diff.
tvrolet said:
I presume you've checked there's not a lock-nut behind the diff? Certainly on the race Tuscans although the bolt is tightened up into the diff, there's then a nut tightened up on the other side of the diff 'flange' to lock the bolt. No idea of Cerberas as like this (but its certainly the same diff housing) but it could also be an owner/garage mod, and possibly easy to miss if you're working from the front side of the diff.
This. Many cars have two thin nuts on the bolts locked together. You will never undo the bolt by trying to do do it as you are if this is the case. Check around the back of the bracket (you will have to do this by feel, you won't physically see) for two thin nuts on the bolt. The nuts are usually 17mm, and can be a pain in the arse to undo...It looks like there is only a single nut on the back. But, the one with the spanner stuck on it (I can't get it back off - seems to have wedged itself against the chassis with some force) is much larger than the one nearest in the pic below.
I spent about 4 1/2 hours last night trying to move these bolts with plusgas, heat and breaker bars. All I seem to have achieved is somehow twisting the diff out the rear bust mount on the chassis and wedging a spanner tight into the chassis. Once the diff is out (if it ever comes out) I will have to check to see if I have deformed the chassis diff mounts.
On the plus side it is a hydratrak diff which was a nice surprise as I though it was standard.
Here are the rear bolts:
Does anyone know if the mount/diff itself is threaded? If I somehow manage to cut off the bolt heads will I be able to drift out the bolts?
I spent about 4 1/2 hours last night trying to move these bolts with plusgas, heat and breaker bars. All I seem to have achieved is somehow twisting the diff out the rear bust mount on the chassis and wedging a spanner tight into the chassis. Once the diff is out (if it ever comes out) I will have to check to see if I have deformed the chassis diff mounts.
On the plus side it is a hydratrak diff which was a nice surprise as I though it was standard.
Here are the rear bolts:
Does anyone know if the mount/diff itself is threaded? If I somehow manage to cut off the bolt heads will I be able to drift out the bolts?
Couple of options:
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/...
One of those with high quality socket bits and maybe a very tough extension bar.
Alternatively, angle grind through the whole bracket and spend a couple of tenners getting a new one from one of the breaker yards? If you only did the longer of the two brackets you should just about have enough room to wiggle the diff out?
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/...
One of those with high quality socket bits and maybe a very tough extension bar.
Alternatively, angle grind through the whole bracket and spend a couple of tenners getting a new one from one of the breaker yards? If you only did the longer of the two brackets you should just about have enough room to wiggle the diff out?
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