16 replies to this topic

[yaaan]

My new radiator has arrived today so I'm just starting to take the front clam off for the first time. Think it's going to take me a while I'm trying to remove the bolts holding the inner wheel arch in place and some of them are seized up pretty solid. Is it essential to remove all 6 of the fastenings, or can I just remove the ones to the front to allow me to move it enough to get access to the lights? I'm not really tooled up for grinding them off/drilling them out so if I don't need to that would make life slightly easier

[lrid]

My new radiator has arrived today so I'm just starting to take the front clam off for the first time. Think it's going to take me a while I'm trying to remove the bolts holding the inner wheel arch in place and some of them are seized up pretty solid. Is it essential to remove all 6 of the fastenings, or can I just remove the ones to the front to allow me to move it enough to get access to the lights? I'm not really tooled up for grinding them off/drilling them out so if I don't need to that would make life slightly easier

The is a bolt behind the rear that holds the clam on so you need that off as well. I recently did mine on a 2001 N/A and end up drilling a few out. Some had also rusted into the captive nuts and the captive nuts broke away before the nut and bolt released so you might need a few rawl nuts to replace them.

Also if you havent done so yet get some WD40 on the clam bolt at the bottom inside the door to give it a chance to soak in.

[rsg]

I'm not really tooled up for grinding them off/drilling them out so if I don't need to that would make life slightly easier

if your front clam has never been removed, I would consider getting tooled up, because most of the bolts will be like this.

[yaaan]

if your front clam has never been removed, I would consider getting tooled up, because most of the bolts will be like this.

Awesome As far as I know this is the first time it's been off. I don't think the last owner did much to it. What's the best plan for removing these if I can't loosen them? Grind the heads off and then drill the rest out?

Hopefully a good soak in WD40 over lunch might help...

[simsy]

1 \ Soak in penatrating oil 2\ Clean screw driver Slot area. 3\ Use good quality / fitting screwdriver. (tap end if driver with small hammer, if required) 4\ If the screw will not turn, use a quality small vice grip on the head and turn. 5\ If it will not turn or is stripped, use a drill and remove the head. Then you can at least get on with the main job. 6\ Best to fit new anchors, either the original metal ones or easier the elise type rubber ones.... (halfords sell them, but expensive..)

[yaaan]

Well, some progress! The wheel arches are out and the headlights off. Most of the other bolts seem to be ok apart from the 6mm allen key ones in behind the wheel arches. What idiot decided that it would be fine to leave ordinary steel bolts in a locatin where they are going to be soaked in water every time the car's out in the rain What size are these bolts as I'm going to have to drill the buggers out and replace them? Thanks for the advice/tips so far. This is a step or two up from my normal automotive skills of changing spark plugs

[Yellow_or_black?]

I have a tonne of OE front wheel arch liner fixings. If you tell me the part number you need, using the EPC - I can let you know if I have them

[yaaan]

I have a tonne of OE front wheel arch liner fixings. If you tell me the part number you need, using the EPC - I can let you know if I have them

Thanks for that! I think to be honest though I'm going to replace all the wheel arch screws with stainless as I never want to have to go this again. Real PITA so far.
In behind the wheel arch liner there is an allen key bolt that's rusted solid. I'm going to have a go at grinding the head off shortly so at least the clam will be free but can anyone tell me how I can get to the back of the bolt to remove it once the clam's out of the way?

This all seemed so straight forward when I started: remove a couple of dozen bolts, lift the clam free and do the same for the radiator. Some would call it character building but so far it's just been a excuse to test out my more colourful vocabulary

[Nikov]

I have a tonne of OE front wheel arch liner fixings. If you tell me the part number you need, using the EPC - I can let you know if I have them

Do you have?:

15 RIVET,EXPANDING,REAR WHEELHOUSE LINER TO BODY

If so I could do with half a dozen please.

Regards
Niko

[yaaan]

Another quick question: what are people's thoughts on screw extractors? Are they worth the effort? If so I may track one down as it might be easier than having to grind the heads off and then finding a method to get the remainder of the bolts out afterwards.

[peterg]

Robert Dyas shops sell a set of extractors (like gold coloured drill bits) you use in a power drill in reverse which I've found useful for stubborn bolts and screws so long as you have enough access room. Don't use the older type of screw extractors where you're supposed to drill a hoile in the bolt/screw first as they are super hardened steel and invariably snap off and then you can't drill them out at all

[yaaan]

Robert Dyas were sold out but not a problem as I've got the old (or new in this case) Dremmel on the go. The allen head bolts are giving it a bit of a workout though! It's also looking like the allen bolts in behind the doors will need grinding too. The ones at the base of the doors shouldn't be too bad but I'm not sure of the best approach for tackling the one at the top in the small bracket. Has anyone had any problems with this one and come up with a solution for getting it out? It's going to be a bugger to get a grinder to! Sorry for the seemingly endless list of questions but I'm getting there slowly and appreciate the advice so far:)

[Zoobeef]

If the allen head ones are rounded off then you can file some flats on the sides and use a spanner to undo it. If its spinning then you'll have to take the head off or try and get a screwdriver behind it and leaver it out as you unscrew it. Not good for the paint though.

[rsg]

If the allen head ones are rounded off then you can file some flats on the sides and use a spanner to undo it.

or with the cutting wheel of the dremel cut a groove across the bolt head, so you can get a flat blade screwdriver in it

[yaaan]

or with the cutting wheel of the dremel cut a groove across the bolt head, so you can get a flat blade screwdriver in it

I tried that on the allen bolt behind the wheel arch (which I'm still working on ) to no avail but I'm optimistic that it will give better results on the bolts in the door frame:)

The bolts at the top of the doors though, you can't really get at with a drill/grinder as they're in some sort of bracket and facing diagonally forward towards the inside of the clam. Is it possible to get at the back of these from inside the dash? Frankly I'm getting a bit hacked off with it all today so don't want to be removing the dash unnecessarily but am happy to do so if it will make my life easier:) Failing that, does anyone know anywhere in the Bristol area that would be able to have a look at it for me as I reckon I'm stretching my beginner's luck as far as it will go

[vocky]

the easiest way to drill out the front clam windscreen bolts is to remove the door you cannot access the rear of the bolt from behind the dash

[yaaan]

So I have to remove the doors as well..... this job just keeps getting better I take it that's just a case of removing the 3 bolts I can see on the door hinge?