Disco 2 Front Cossmember Bolts

Morning, I am losing the will I am in the process of changing oil pump bolt and have spent the last two hours trying to get the cross member bolts out. I have been soaking them in WD for the last week etc.
I am frightened I am going to round the heads off using 10 m socket?

Any suggestion getting desperate and cold?

Could be worse, the PO of mine welded the cross member in place because 4 of the bolts had sheared.
I had to grind off 4 of the welded blobs, and of the that had bolts in place 2 sheared off, only 2 came out in one piece.
Good luck can be a PITA of a job.

Cheers

a 10mm irwin socket, though hit heads of bolts vigorously first as this helps loosen the bolt, but you will need to keep tapping a socket on to keep head from getting too mushroomed

thank you very much

Common problem. Alternatively worst case scenario, grind the bolt heads off, remove the cross member and then with a cold chisel knock the captured nuts off, they come away easily. Simply replace with new nuts and bolts.

Tony

as above ,flange nuts with a serrated underside are best as they self hold once nipped

If all else fails it is possible to do without taking crossmember off,I had same problem and limited tools at that time of night,needed for work next day so jacked car right up and gained enough room

I soaked mine in penetrating oil, pointed a heat gun onto the captive nuts for a few mins and used a good wall drive socket after tapping it down to makd sure it was seated properly. Decent leverage and careful application of pressure they came off quite easily. Did have new ones handy just in case.

you dont need to take the cross member off to get the sump off. if you are only changing the pump bolt and your sump gasket is ok you can do that by just dropping it down.

Sump gasket is never ok to reuse.False economy,the oil costs more than the gasket

Hellastony said:

Common problem. Alternatively worst case scenario, grind the bolt heads off, remove the cross member and then with a cold chisel knock the captured nuts off, they come away easily. Simply replace with new nuts and bolts.

Tony

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Would it be possible to use Rivnuts?
Griff

Landmark2 said:

Would it be possible to use Rivnuts?
Griff

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I don't think they would be suitable in this situation as its a kind of "structural" application on the chassis.

Hellastony said:

Common problem. Alternatively worst case scenario, grind the bolt heads off, remove the cross member and then with a cold chisel knock the captured nuts off, they come away easily. Simply replace with new nuts and bolts.

Tony

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Thank you all, I am taking it into work Thursday to do this, got two bolts removed after 8 hours that was only after nipping out and getting some Irwins on them the rest would not move

Make sure you have a good quality impact socket set (6 sided rather than the multi points) that way it doesn't put as much pressure on the edge of the bolt and round it off. If you can get an oxy torch on there and get them glowing and they should wind out no problems!

ShaneMitchinson said:

t (5 sided rather than the multi points)

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Shirley, you mean 6 points..


Cheers

neilly said:

Shirley, you mean 6 points..


Cheers

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I blame austerity cut backs

neilly said:

Shirley, you mean 6 points..


Cheers

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Surely? but yeah wrong button.

ShaneMitchinson said:

Make sure you have a good quality impact socket set (6 sided rather than the multi points) that way it doesn't put as much pressure on the edge of the bolt and round it off. If you can get an oxy torch on there and get them glowing and they should wind out no problems!

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thank you plan is tomorrow heat them up fingers crossed

Update thanks for the good advice got there in the end . Using a combination of a good socket (Irwin), Heat oxy torch and in the end Grinder for the last two stubborn bolts. Now onto the next job!!