Hi all,

Im starting the panel part of my engine bay clean up and was wondering how hard is it to remove the front subframe? Now the engine is completely out, the brake cylinder (master and proportioning valve are all out. I couldn't imagine it would be terribly difficult to get it out?
Is there much involved? i have a decent tool kit but is there anything in particular I will be requiring??

any help is gretaly appreciated. (Oh and i will be taking it out tomorrow night)

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Hi-Ho Silver LS1275
Charlieeeeeeeee Come to Candy Mountain!

From where your at now, it's pretty easy.

1) Disconnect your metal brake lines (7/16" spanner - may need a line spanner).

2) Jack up the front and remove the wheels. Put the Body on stands (use some timber so as to not damge the body).

3) Undo the rod ends where they are fastened on to the steering arms on your hubs. The rod ends are the little ball joints on th ends of your steering rack. (9/16" Spanner - usually it's a nyloc nut) Give them a good 'square' blow from a hammer and they usually come apart.

4) There are 2 bolts in the front of the subframe to the body, under the bumper (these are the holes that you can see in the body when you look at the car front on). (1/2" Socket and spanner).

5) Lift up the front carpet and where the toe board meets the floor, you'll find 4 bolts here - 2 each side - undo and remove these (1/2" spanner and socket).

6) Place your jack (trolley jack is best) in the middle of the front subrame, with a timber from one side of it to the other (under where the drive shafts go is usually best). Take the weight but don't lift.

7) If you look in the engine bay to the left of where your master cylinders where, you'll see 2 nuts (1/2" socket) and same on the other side. These are all that should be holding your subframe in now. Undo them and lower it down on the jack. Might have to wiggle it a bit to get it going.

Bingo - Subframe out.

DON'T FORGET TO UNDO THE TOP SHOCKER MOUNT

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120bhp with 450kg just fun waiting to happen

We were prob. drunk when we set it up last and thought this will be a good idea

Hi
Provided the car has never had a smash and that everything is still square its not that hard..

You need to have the front of the car right up in the air very safely secured on jack stands. Before you do anything give the body a good shake while its on the jack stands. If its going to slip or fall let that happen while nobody is under the car.

Once your happy its safe - trace the brake line pipe down to where there is a splitter that feeds both the back brakes and the front brakes - undo the union that feeds the front brakes. Do this very carefully as the joint is usually frozen and you dont want to twist or snap the pipe. Use WD40, Yield or similar - work the nut backwards and forwards until it frees. No brute force and that will only round the nut or snap the pipe.

Then get a trolley jack and a good strong bit of wood and place that under the subframe so it supports the subframe cross ways. Take the wheels off.

Then undo the nuts and bolts where the rear tails of the subframe is bolted through the floor. This bit is best done with two people - one under the car and one leaning into the cabin. There is a nut and bolt on either side in the foot wells.

Then go to the front of the body and you will see the two bolts (just under the bumper bar. ) where the subframe bolts to the body. Remove them.

The go to the firewall tray (next to where the master cylinders are on one side and next to the wiper motor one the other side). You will see either two bolts or two studs on either side depending on the model of the mini. Loosen these but dont totally remove them yet. Make sure the trolley jack and the wood is suporting the subframe and taking the weight.

Remove those four nuts or bolts. The weight of the subframe should be on the trolley jack. Just lower the trolley jack slightly. The subframe should go down with it.

Often they dont and they need a bit of a jiggle to free it. If the front of the car has been been bent then its a lot more of a struggle but its the trolley jack that is supporting the weight.

Continue lowering the trolley jack and have a friend support the balance of the sub-frame on the wood on the trolley jack. Lower it as far as the jack will allow. Hopefully you have the car up high enough so the entire subframe on the trolley jack will clear all body bits and can be pulled forward clear of the car.

See there is really not that much to it - like theminiman says - easy peasy.

Mike

Gawd - I forgot the steering arms and the shockie mounts - thanks fellas

Mike

lol after reading that im not entirely convinced there is not much to it!!
the carpet is out so getting to this bolts is not an issue the main thing i am concerned about is the brake lines, as so far they have in a pain in the a$$ to get out so far!

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Hi-Ho Silver LS1275
Charlieeeeeeeee Come to Candy Mountain!

Save yourself a whole lot of trouble - get a can of soluion to unfreeze the threads on the break line unions - "Yield" is a very very good substance (repco, auto one etc). Give them a good liberal spray working the stuff well ino the threads and into where the pipe goes through the nut face.

Give it several hours or even a full day to soak in and then another hit just before you start.

Then use a good quality spanners and work the nuts backwards and forwards a little bit at a time until they begin to loosen and free up. Then you can undo them.

Its one case where patience and science helps so much more than brute force.

Mike

With the four rear bolts under the carpet, you may need to use vise grips to lock onto the nuts, or the bolt heads inside the car, depending on which way you tackle it, if you are all by yourself and there's no one around to give you a hand.

peter

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1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

DOH....yeah, knew there was something else, ta justfanginaround.

lol this is what kinda makes me worried....i know i have to undo the top shocker mount...but firestly have to figure out which one it is!! hopefully the manual should state it!!

i suppose its all a learning experiance!

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Hi-Ho Silver LS1275
Charlieeeeeeeee Come to Candy Mountain!

you dont have to undo the mount itself just unbolt the shock absorber

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Potato