Help on mini appreciated

[PainTrain]

I am currently getting a 1990 mini city on the road, which has been more complicated than first anticipated. It's first MOT yielded 30 failures, and most issues have now been resolved. I am currently struggling with the rear subframe. The four rearmost bolts that connect to the boot floor came out a treat. I then moved onto the four bolts that hold the subframe to the middle of the car, near the rear of the sills.

One bolt on each side came off, however one bolt on each side snapped, unfortunately this is where my mechanical experience ends, I tried to drill them out but my drill just wont cut into the bolts. How can I get these blasted bolts out? Is it safe to drive the car with 6/8 bolts on to a garage that can extract the bolts?

[guru_1071]

you will need to remove the frame and try and lever it out past the remains of the bolts, then get the bolts glowing red hot (so that the heat travels into the captive nuts, they will then wind out with ease.

your problems will be that the captive nuts may turn as well, in which case you will have to weld some repair sections in - it can soon turn into a real mess if your not prepared!

as for missing bolts, many years ago i had a mini that had three of the four heel board bolts glued into the subframe mounting blocks with alradite, i (ahem.....) ran the car like that for a few years......

[PainTrain]

guru_1071 said:

you will need to remove the frame and try and lever it out past the remains of the bolts, then get the bolts glowing red hot (so that the heat travels into the captive nuts, they will then wind out with ease.

your problems will be that the captive nuts may turn as well, in which case you will have to weld some repair sections in - it can soon turn into a real mess if your not prepared!

as for missing bolts, many years ago i had a mini that had three of the four heel board bolts glued into the subframe mounting blocks with alradite, i (ahem.....) ran the car like that for a few years......

Cheers, the subframe is off, and i tried heating with my cheapie blowtorch but it still wouldnt budge, plus they are pretty much flush with the chassis. What can i use to grip the bolts? my molegrips were slipping alot.

Thanks

[guru_1071]

if they are nearly flush with the heel board its best to mig weld a nut to the remains and get a load of heat into it, once its cooled they should wind out ok