God Damned Shear Bolts!

[plotloss]

Right, so last job of the current crop of jobs was to fit a steering column lowering bracket.

Quick scan of the Haynes manual suggested that my car was fitted by those nice chaps at Rover with a shear bolt to stop someone swapping the steering column.

So out with the Dremel to cut a slot in the shear bolt head, get the biggest screwdriver head ratchet socket I could find, mate the two up, give it a good push and SNAP! there goes the socket (so much for Halfords Professional Lifetime Warranty!).

Its been soaked in WD40 since Friday and the bloody thing wont budge a single millimetre.

Any ideas?

Matt.

[Fatboy]

Angle grinder? Usually what I've had to resort to. I've got this joyous task awaiting me at some point.

Try grinding a flat spot on the shear bolt and gripping it with waterpump pliers - that's worked for me in the past.

[plotloss]

Fatboy said: Angle grinder? Usually what I've had to resort to. I've got this joyous task awaiting me at some point.

Try grinding a flat spot on the shear bolt and gripping it with waterpump pliers - that's worked for me in the past.

Ahh good plan!

Might see if I can take the edges off with the dremel then...

Are these things made of ultra tough steel? Could I just use bigger and bigger drill bits to get the head off and then just knock it through?

Matt.

[Fatboy]

IIRC it's just mild steel, could well be high tensile though, but even so the drill bits should work, but I'd try the pliers trick first.

[Paul V]

Use a chisel to mark to edge then tap round to undo, normally works.

Still can’t get this f***ing flywheel off

[LeeBee]

Still can’t get this f***ing flywheel off

Sledge through the starter hole whilst turning from time to time?.My mate did this to his engine once, nothing happened until an hour later, made a hell of a bang!

Cheers

LeeBee
P.S it is a bit of a bodge, wouldn't do it to my engine!

[smeagol]

Flywheel bolts on A series (including mini I believe) have two fixes they have a plate which I presume you have flattened the tabs so the bolts aren't held in place.

The second is that they are locktighted (kind of liquid "glue" which sets). To break lock tight get good fitting spanner and tap with hammer (tap in this case means hit but not rambo style, more like nail) I found that actually tapping first clockwise then anticlockwise gets it turning just a bit. Then its torque wrench time and they come loose. Hope that helps.

[Mr2Mike]

Paul V said: Use a chisel to mark to edge then tap round to undo, normally works.

Still can’t get this f***ing flywheel off

Chisel has always worked for me. When it's out MIG a nut to the top so you can use a normal socket to do it up/undo it next time.

[plotloss]

This damned thing is now driving me

Had another crack last night, got a screwdriver on it, attached spanned to screwdriver and a bit of pipe to the spanner to add some leverage and it just wont budge at all.

I think its going to have to be a drill job. Joy.

Matt.

[Paul V]

Have you tried the chisel?

Doe's normally work, still so does a flywheel puller.

Looks like mines going to be getting the 998cc back in it due to rather shocking news on the Griff engine.

[plotloss]

Nah dont have any suitable chisels...

May try and borrow a few off the neighbours at the weekend though.

Whats up with the Griff?

Matt.

[Paul V]

Griff engine needs a rebuild, the knocking was traced to the big end hence my other thread on how hard to rebuild a V8.

[NikB]

Can you change the big ends with the motor in on those then?

[Paul V]

Looks like an engine out job, that means I’ll be trying to get the Mini sorted ASAP so I have something to drive!