The classic “it only took me 10 minutes…”

[Tinonline]

How many times do you read of repair jobs that take folk minutes…and your experience points in a different direction?

This is a long story…

Having bought a gearbox mount from I can’t spell it Aramera or whatever as usual I got a bargain for a bit over 30 quid OEM.

Jacked the car up, propped gearbox with the jack and dinner table place mats in a bag to spread the load and set about the job.

My newish fabricated Y exhaust section is a bit off normal location so the big bolts had to come out with a spanner and even then one bolt: longer front one on one side would come clear so I manoeuvred the alloy cross member about to get clearance to the mounting bolts. Nothing. To buy more space I took the jack away from the gearbox noting minimal drop but…

Back around to other side of car…wiggle and bolt drops out…cross member free so I have clear albeit close access. No idea how that happened but it’s a result.

But not good. Big faff. Time ticks. First bolt out ok. (Securing mount to gearbox.) Now for second…snap. That was enough for one day so I ordered a new set of bolts and went to screw fix for drill bits, punches, extractor bits.

So. Get broken one sorted in situ now or try other bolts? Called a bolt removal specialist: sorry trade only, please? No trade only. Another mobile mechanic failed to call back and another thread man doesn’t do my patch. Classic garage I know said they do t do that sort of thing. Right.

Next day and a rest: sprayed the remaining 2 bolts that looked in worse condition…so slowly and gentle small movements commenced their undoing. Luckily it wasn’t my undoing. They came free and so did the mounting.

Mounting looked ok and I wondered where the vibration and slight noise was coming from, everything else in ok order. Now looking closer…after 22 years and just about to hit 100k…just have a look at this…

pictures below…

Snapped bolt: Drilled a pilot hole after punching a hole. A bit off centre I drilled and after ages cut a small hole. Tried the extractor: nothing useful happening at all. Drilled more, tried again: no result. Sprayed top end of the bolt - it’s hard to reach. Pipes are close and I can’t smack anything with a hammer.

Upsized drill bit after ages drilled through the bolt. Tried extractor: useless. Tried again: useless. Don’t want to break it.

Upsized drill bit again and that’s the limit: drilled though the bolt. Managed to chip out lower piece of the bolt from one side but the threads seem mostly covered by the husk of the old bolt. I can’t tell if some shoulder damage is old bolt or shoulder…

Ok now tap and die time. But I’m trying the thread specialists again now I have everything exposed…so to speak. I’ll take it to them…I’ll remove the mounting…whatever…I’m not doing any more.

10 minutes…🧐

 

 

 

[Razor61]

I feel your pain and have been there myself a few times, what should be a straightforward job turns out to be a pita and is always something that ‘has’ to be sorted. I.e rear anti roll bar bracket - bolt snaps - can’t leave it and needs to be drilled and tapped.
The rear engine mount or transmission mount wasn’t a 5 min job for me to do under the car even though the bolts came out ok. Getting the mount etc off was fine, getting it back on wasn’t as easy. I struggled with it and needed another trolley jack under the mount to push it up so I could get the outer bolts in. A lot easier done on a ramp of course, like most things.
I think you have been really unlucky for a bolt to snap, it’s not an area I would expect it to happen. You are right to take it to a specialist to get it on a ramp with good access and get it sorted out. Worse case, if it’s not a blind threaded hole, it could be drilled out completely and fit a nut, bolt and washers maybe.

[cruisermark]

HI

I replaced this on my previous 430 and I swear the garage only took 10 minutes 😁

Hope yours gets sorted soon

[Malc1]

methinks you guys undertaking this sort of stuff are quite amazing, incredible, barmy, barking mad whatever  .....  well done to you both and may the gods be with you in your further DIY endeavours

Well done .....  keep up the good work and report back with all findings please

well done  🧐

Malc

[shanra]

I had a bolt snap on my Soarer and LS400 when doing the same job. I think the metals almost weld together.

[Tinonline]

12 hours ago, Razor61 said:

I feel your pain and have been there myself a few times, what should be a straightforward job turns out to be a pita and is always something that ‘has’ to be sorted. I.e rear anti roll bar bracket - bolt snaps - can’t leave it and needs to be drilled and tapped.
The rear engine mount or transmission mount wasn’t a 5 min job for me to do under the car even though the bolts came out ok. Getting the mount etc off was fine, getting it back on wasn’t as easy. I struggled with it and needed another trolley jack under the mount to push it up so I could get the outer bolts in. A lot easier done on a ramp of course, like most things.
I think you have been really unlucky for a bolt to snap, it’s not an area I would expect it to happen. You are right to take it to a specialist to get it on a ramp with good access and get it sorted out. Worse case, if it’s not a blind threaded hole, it could be drilled out completely and fit a nut, bolt and washers maybe.

Yup needed a second jack. The wheel jack worked fine and it hasn’t been used to date…spotless and I had to wrestle it free from the mould! It went under the cross member and did the trick. Knowing that Razor61 had to use a second jack took a lot of stress out of getting it to fit.👍😉

All back in, bar one bolt.

I managed to get an appointment at a local garage where the specialist visits - he would not do a mobile visit as he’s quite rightly given up crawling under vehicles.

I know the mount replacement is going to make a big big difference…I’ll keep you posted on the bolt thread repair. Will be a week’s time.

 

[Supafly]

You're certainly not alone in this.  For me it's almost always the case that the job takes far longer than expected, partly down to me being too fussy about doing it properly and also picking up other jobs while I'm there.  However, I think it's mainly down to working on older vehicles that have had more than their fair share of rust and time to get permanently attached!

The sense of satisfaction once done is great though.... if you can overcome the urge to give up and get rid of the car that is 🙂

[Tinonline]

Oh woe, woe etc.

Get to garage, wife in convoy to lift me back…Oh didn’t I get their text, call? Engineer done his back in, a ramp down, receptionist off sick…’how easy is it to access’ question raised…” Drive back home in convoy. Don’t want it do they…

Picked up a small tap & die kit from Screwfix…

Going to have the proverbial “ bl***y good go “ at recutting the thread…

🧐