• Hi Guest!
    You can help ensure that British Car Forum (BCF) continues to provide a great place to engage in the British car hobby! If you find BCF a beneficial community, please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

rear subframe

Share this page

H

Hotdoc

Member
Offline
looking for help with radius arm removal, The retaining brackets to the subframe are hrld by 4 bolts which are rusted in. I've used the torch to free uo 3 on each but can't get at the ones that are in above and behind the arms.
the sub frame is off the car and has rust tho it seems structerally sound. However I'm beginning to wonder about just replacing it if I can salvage the radius arms etc Isee the bare subframe advertised new for $300+Can. and am looking at $100-200 to fix it up. However I've read some horror stories about poor fits on new ones.
Thoughts/ advice any one?
Hotdoc
 
One trick I have seen work effectivly is to weld a bigger nut to the offending bolt head. You weld the inside of the nut to the damaged or frozen head. This process does two things; first, it freshens your ability to grip the fastener, secondly, it applys heat to the fastener and its counter part without excessivly heating the reaminder of the piece. The application of heat and fresh griping point usually do the trick.

It might cost you $20.00 to have a local machine or body shop do this if you don't own a welder.

Second option, grind the head of the fastener off, remove the swing arm and then heat the part so it can be removed without damage to the arms.
 
Thanks.I got the bolts out with aminiwelding kit and one of these CanadianTyre sockets designed for worn heads.Very impressive.All the running gear is off and the bare subframe is too rusted to fix so I'm lookingfor a replacement.I've read that some new subframes don't fit well.Has anyone any experience with this problem?
 
[ QUOTE ]
One trick I have seen work effectivly is to weld a bigger nut to the offending bolt head.

[/ QUOTE ]

That is so sensible and easy I am upset with myself for never having thought of it. My workers call me McGiver (spelling?)- I don't agree with that assessment - for coming up with solutions but this is one I just never thought of.
 
I purchased a subframe from Mini Spares UK. It is from the BHMT. Everything looks great, but I don't have it bolted to the car yet. All of the bits (radius arms, brake lines, brake compensator, ets) went on without a hitch. My biggest worry isn't that the subframe is wrong, but that the car might have been hit in the past so the new frame won't fit. I am waiting for some stainless ARP fasteners. As soon as they arrive I'll let you know.

I spent the extra dosh for the BMHT frame, because I though it would fit better than a knock off. FWIW, the BMHT subframes are built on the same jigs as the original.
 
As a follow up to the question about the fit of new subframes. My new subframe went in without much fuss. One swing arm required some trial and error to bolt on, but it was good by the fourth try.

Actually, I'm amazed that the process didn't require more trial and error to get the unit to fit.
 
do you have a website/email for them. Also the approx. cost of shipping I'm in Ontario Canada so this could be a factor
 
Go to MiniSpares mate! Here's a link to the part:
Rear Subframe Dry FAM6292

They ship to the US via UPS. It takes about three days and it was cheaper than purchasing from the dealer here in the US. BOTH the shipping and part price!

IMHO UPS does a great job of getting this stuff through customs. I'll bet they're just as good at cutting Canadian red tape.
 
Back
Top