Re fitting sub frame

[jrn1919]

Hi I wondered if anyone had any problems with fitting sub frame back as I read on some they maybe a issue with the incapsalated nuts spinning ?

Thank you my model is 2008 facelift

[stef123]

More a problem for removal I'd say. Not done one on your year of car but I have seen others where on trying to remove they just spin and that creates a headache! 

[jrn1919]

Great thanks for that .only way I could think of replacing suspension arm as I don't have room with air con pump being in the way ..back to the drawing board

[stef123]

I'm trying to think what the suspension looks like..

what engine do you have? Why not just unbolt the aircon compressor and swing it to the side. 

[sonic113]

Hi Jason I have the 2009 model and I just replaced both front arms on mine. I had room around the air con but on the 1,8 it may be a little different on that side. I can check the repair manual and see whats its saying but as far as i know it can be unbolted and moved slightly just to gice room like stefan as suggested.

 

Good luck

[jrn1919]

hi its a 1.8 duratec he .I cant find any pictures in the Haynes to show you ill get a photo up asap thanks for your replys

[jrn1919]

Hi this is the problem .Thanks

[stef123]

I would just drop the compressor off its bracket and swing it and the pipework out the way.

[sonic113]

Hi

Jason Thanks for the pics. Yes like stefan has suggested just swing the compressor out of way to get at that bolt.

I have included a pic here to which shows the bolts you need to remove to get the compressor moved to give you a little room for the Arms bolt. Take of the under shield to get better access to all. 

 

The part I circled in green is the bolt you need access to. The parts I circled in red are the bolts you need to remove of the compressor side. I think this is the correct setup judging from your pics. Just take of the under-shield to get access and remove the bolts in red and then shimmy the compressor out of way to get room to the Arm bolt. From there fit the arm as you did teh other side and the build back up the bolts on the compressor and that should be it.

 

Hope this helps.

Sonic

[ScaniaPBman]

That bolt looks as if it's tight.

Soak it before hand with WD40 or equivalent and only use a 6 point socket with a breaker bar.

See here for why a six point socket is better.

A 12-point socket is fine for most lightweight repairs, but heavy wrenching calls for a six-point socket. A six-point socket is much less likely to slip off a stubborn fastener or round over the corners. Here's why: (1) Six-point sockets have thicker walls, so they're less likely to flex. (2) A six-point socket is designed to contact the head of a fastener well away from the corners so contact is made on the thickest part of the socket and the flattest part of the fastener. This dramatically reduces the likelihood of slippage and rounding over the corners. And (3), the edges of a socket are angled back a few degrees to allow the socket to slide easily over a fastener. The angle is less on a six-point socket than on its 12-point counterpart, again providing more contact area inside the socket.

[Micro]

10 hours ago, ScaniaPBman said:

That bolt looks as if it's tight.

Soak it before hand with WD40 or equivalent and only use a 6 point socket with a breaker bar.

See here for why a six point socket is better.

A 12-point socket is fine for most lightweight repairs, but heavy wrenching calls for a six-point socket. A six-point socket is much less likely to slip off a stubborn fastener or round over the corners. Here's why: (1) Six-point sockets have thicker walls, so they're less likely to flex. (2) A six-point socket is designed to contact the head of a fastener well away from the corners so contact is made on the thickest part of the socket and the flattest part of the fastener. This dramatically reduces the likelihood of slippage and rounding over the corners. And (3), the edges of a socket are angled back a few degrees to allow the socket to slide easily over a fastener. The angle is less on a six-point socket than on its 12-point counterpart, again providing more contact area inside the socket.

Alternatively buy or rent an electric impact wrench (or air, if you so desire). I paid £58 for my Clarke CEW1000, £10 for a set of 14 Sealey impact sockets, and it paid for itself in the one job of replacing both suspension arms. That is if you'll have enough space to use it, maybe with an impact waggly joint?

Don't be fooled by the lighter tapping sound it makes, after a bit of impacting it shifted those bolts like they were being driven out of cheese. I did them back up again with a ratchet as i've read a few people have snapped heads off bolts with it!

[jrn1919]

thanks a lot sonic for taking time to do that for me

and thank stef for your input

[sonic113]

17 minutes ago, jrn1919 said:

thanks a lot sonic for taking time to do that for me

and thank stef for your input

No Problem Jason, Thats what we are here for 

[Micro]

Also to add - unless you replace the bolts with new ones with fresh thread locker, it may well be advisable to clean up the bolts and apply new thread locker to them, and then torque up to the required torque (Ford Workshop manual, 2004.75 >):

Quote

Lower arm front retaining bolt                     175nm

Lower arm rear clamp retaining bolts          115nm

I had trouble torquing up the front bolt whilst it was on axle stands, so tightened them up as much as possible and got the chap at the alignment place to do it for me - only an extra 1/4 turn required.