176 replies to this topic

[vocky]

new shims are about £12 + vat each from Lotus  

[MrGman]

Mine all 'looks' quite clean around that area.

 

Is it possible to separate the rear subframe without removing the rear clam?

[Graeme Lambert]

Funnily enough this is one of the things we'll be doing when we remove the old engine in mine. Not looking forward to what I may find, but better to find it and get it sorted out than bury my head in the sand.

[Kart59]

You can't really tell until you've got it off. Mine looked fine too until I took the subframe off. Wasn't as bad as the pictures in this thread, but bad enough to deform the plates and frame. Well worth doing if it's not been done yet regardless of millage imo. I'm also fitting new bolts in case of any stretch that occurred.

[rizo9]

Worth replacing the bolts when doing this? If so what bolts are they?

Edited by rizo9, 05 January 2014 - 07:27 PM.

[siztenboots]

http://www.speedster...rame/index.html 2 SCREW,SOCKET HD.,M12 X 60, SUBFRAME TO CHASSIS 4 9197986 48 00 986 3 NUT,HEX.,SELF LOCKING,M12, SUBFRAME TO CHASSIS 2 9197989 48 00 989 4 NUT,HEX.,M10,SUBFRAME TO CHASSIS 2 9198086 48 01 086 5 WASHER,12 X 23.5,SUBFRAME TO CHASSIS 6 9198226 48 01 226

[rizo9]

Over £10 each per bolt from vauxhall.

[vocky]

Lotus as usual are much cheaper http://www.deroure.c...&SMO=0&ST=&SC=0

[MrGman]

Is it possible to separate the rear subframe without removing the rear clam?

 

 

Anyone? 

[robin]

clam off job for sure

[vocky]

 

Is it possible to separate the rear subframe without removing the rear clam?

 

 

Anyone? 

 

not really, it would be far easier to simply remove the rear clam and gain access to everything you need to reach.

 

If you think the rear clam is hard work then don't bother with the subframe, it really is a big job.

[MrGman]

Ah ok, I wasn't sure if you could remove the boot lid, hoist the engine and separate the two, I was hoping as you don't need to pull the chassis/subframe miles apart to clean and protect it might have been possible. 

 

I'm not all that clued up on the layout of the rear of a VX..........yet

[Tony H]

Is it difficult fitting everything straight again or does it sort itself out?

[vocky]

Is it difficult fitting everything straight again or does it sort itself out?

the subframe bolts to the chassis okay, but the diagonal arms should only be tightened when the car is on it's wheels - not on axle stands.

 

Otherwise the roof doesn't fit any more, but if you loosen the bars and retighten them all is well again.

Edited by vocky, 07 January 2014 - 08:51 AM.

[vocky]

Ah ok, I wasn't sure if you could remove the boot lid, hoist the engine and separate the two, I was hoping as you don't need to pull the chassis/subframe miles apart to clean and protect it might have been possible. 

 

I'm not all that clued up on the layout of the rear of a VX..........yet

you could cheat and do one side at a time, not sure if that would work, but certainly possible to just replace the shims that way.

[Pidgeon]

Is it difficult fitting everything straight again or does it sort itself out?

 

 

I'll answer that question when it's back on the road

 

There is one captive nut which should locate the subframe with a degree of accuracy, although the weight of the subframe prevents precise alignment, I just located the bolts and tightened.  It looks straight!

 

It's certainly a complete strip job, the clam, engine and bottom wishbone locate on both parts.

 

And thanks Vocky, but I used a Birmingham screwdriver on mine

[furtive]

I bumped into one of the D-Type Jag mechanics at Le Mans Classic over the weekend and he happened to be a bit of a VX220 expert and said he had seen a few with this problem. He suggested sealing the seam you can see in the wheel arch with waxoyl or similar to stop water from getting in.

 

Has anyone done that?

[Gedi]

It's nothing to do with water, it's galvanic corrosion caused by the contact of the aluminium and a dissimilar metal 

[Duncan VXR]

The ones I have seen bad are exposed to more wet, salt, usual used road conditions all year. The nice garaged sun trip ones seem to cope well so although I fully agree its the different materials reacting the environment plays a part to accelerate the issue A good scrape, corrosion block type cleaning spray followed by a more decent coating of your choice the way forward DG

[TIP]

I may be well off here but was chatting to a mate who works on steel boats and he suggested sacrificial annodes , the idea being you attach a lump of more reactive metal to the steel parts (back face of the subframe??) and that encourages the galvanic corrosion to happen there rather than the chassis face.

 

apparently used on boats all the time when galvanic corrosion is an issue....

 

anybody know if this could work?