Howdy Forum,

I'm trying to remove my front subframe so I can finally patch up my oil pan leak. Following the FSM I've removed every bolt holding this thing in place, but it just won't come out. If I pry on it, I can get it to wiggle from the rear side, but the front portion is just solid. Again, all bolts are removed, the sway bar and steering rack are disconnected, but I can tell something's still holding it in place from the mid-front area. The only suspicious thing I saw was:







That picture is of one of the red-dotted alignment bolts in the FSM diagram above. You can see how skewed to one side it is, and the bolt on the other side is the same, so to put it another way those two bolts on either side are butting up against the outer sides of the subframe. The bolts themselves aren't bent, but it looks as if there's a lot of force holding them against the sides of the through-holes (like, enough that the subframe is wearing into the bolt itself). I think this may be what's holding the subframe in place but I can't be certain. Anyone else have issues like this with subframe removal? Any tips?

 

Looks unusual - and the ring of missing paint is curious. You might have one of the dubious Japanese collar things that supposedly stop movement of the subframe on the bolts. The image of the bolt itself looks odd - if that's what I'm actually seeing. Should be a flanged 12mm(?) bolt up front, an alignment pin in the middle and a stud and nut at back.

 

Yeah, that really looks odd. Does the other side look the same?

If memory serves it should be a stud and nut. I'm wondering if the car was in some sort of accident and that is some body shop hack/repair.

Dale

 

Thanks both for the replies.

Sorry, I should have chosen my words better and gotten a better picture. The "bolt" referenced earlier is a stud, I believe it is the correct one that should be there, but please take a look at the below photo (more of a side view) and let me know. It does look the same on the other side.



The missing paint ring billyboy mentioned I believe is from the nut being installed without a washer. Not too concerned with that, as the plan was to give the whole thing a good clean and paint touch-up.

I think what I might do is attempt to remove the studs themselves, at least that way I can see if they're really what is holding this thing in place. Let me know if that's a terrible idea for some reason (like if maybe they're not supposed to come out!)

 

I think that stud is welded to the body.
It shouldn't be removable unless brute force is applied and break the weld.

 

Ah right, looks like the picture was perfectly vertical and made the end look weird....still don't get the amount of galling and that eccentric looking inner circle. The nut doesn't have a washer at least, can't say I've seen the paint worn off like that on the various subframes I've got here though.

Just a thought, there is a bracket that supports a power steering line if I'm not mistaken up top and forward (lhs on rhd at least!), but the subframes are a bit tight on the studs usually.

edit: that bracket is mentioned in the workshop extract you've already mentioned, doh!

 

Following up here: As it turns out, those studs are removable thankfully! That pointy end in the previous picture fits a socket (size 12 if I remember) and removing both studs allowed me to lower the frame with more than enough room to get the oil pan out. Not looking forward to putting things all back together, but we'll see how that goes