Oh nuts!

Post by **Peetee** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 1:21 pm

I'm trying to get the screws off that hold the headlight bowl to the wing. The heads have been removed and I now find that the threaded section is fixed solid in the captive nuts due to rust and lashings of underwing paint.
Molegrips wont shift them.

Any other ideas?

Post by **alex_holden** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 1:32 pm

I ground the captive nuts off and replaced them with non-captive types.

Post by **chickenjohn** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 1:35 pm

Drill them out, then re-tap to a bigger size screw. (I did this last year- to enable an MOT pass, i allowed a {shock horror} a metric screw onto my car)
Plus gas, then mole grips may twist them off.
As the headlight is off you can apply heat to the screws (blow torch or oxy xcet) and twist off.
Weld a nut to them and undo.
Lever the bowl off the wing and possibly need to buy new bowl (or wing).
Drill and use screw extractors.

try any of the above in the order of whichever you feel is easiest first depening on available tools/skills etc.

Post by **bigginger** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 2:27 pm

Peetee wrote:I'm trying to get the screws off that hold the headlight bowl to the wing.

I'm about to have a go at doing exactly the same job. A swine, innit...

Post by **Peetee** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:03 pm

Thanks folks.
The headlight bowl is off and there is about 5mm of thread sticking out of the captive nut. As the wing is only losely fitted I'll take it off and have a go at removing the captive nuts altogether.

Post by **paulk** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:09 pm

As a subtle local engineer, I suggest giving it what for with a drill and re tapping to a bigger size. In my case mostly metric but at least nearly always stainless.

As the wing paint is worth keeping anything hot will damage it so drill it out and start again is probably the easiest answer.

Post by **Peetee** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:07 pm

Do you know any cheap local engineers with aforementioned taps?

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 2:14 pm

Do you know any cheap local engineers with aforementioned taps?

Peetee I recon with Paulk`s signature he will only be able to supply you with a phone tap

Post by **bigginger** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 3:26 pm

But that's YOUR profession, surely?

Post by **Kevin** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:12 pm

But that's YOUR profession, surely?

And I dont work alone

Post by **bigginger** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 5:03 pm

Now I'm scared

Post by **Peetee** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:12 pm

The 'cheap local engineer' quote is an oft told SADMOG joke. I coined it on this very forum when recounting the help I received with the seats on Joemog and at the same time trying not to mention names - lest he was bombarded with please for assistance.

But just for the record he has loads of time and access to a workshop full of heavy machinery that will do any job or mod on a Minor that you could possibly mention and his name is
*BANG!*

THUD.

[toll of bell and spining tumbleweed]

Post by **paulk** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:59 pm

beware a 2 1/2lb 'Thor' Rawhide and copper hammer between the eyes often offends

Morris Minor Owners Club

Oh nuts!

Oh nuts!

Re: Oh nuts!