Front wing removal

[wells01]

Hi
What is the process for removing a front wing. I am sorry if someone has already written this up but I cant find it anywhere and it isn't mentioned in my MM manuals.

Many thanks.

[chickenjohn]

1) Jack up car and support with axle stands, remove wheel.
2) Apply duck oil/penetrating oil on all the bolts and captive nuts inside the inner wing (engine bay) also hockey stick nuts.
3) Undo hockey stick nuts and withdraw hockey stick (these are fixed with removable studs and nuts- 2BA size ISTR)
4) Remove headlamp, side/indicator lamp and headlamp bowl (screwdrivers) (unplug the wires too, noting where they all go)
4 1/2) Remove wing mirrors etc, these are usually held on with a whitworth sized nut and a spring under the wing.
5) Undo all the wing bolts. You REALLY need a 1/4 whitworth socket and/or ring spanner for this. Metric and Imperial AF will round the bolt hexagon edges off. If the car is rusty, some of these may sieze- some may shear off. If the captive nuts start to turn on the engine compartment side of inner wing, then clamp these still with mole grips (self locking pliers). Some bolts may need to be hacksawed off or cut off with a grinder. Do try and unbolt them first! Heat can help, as can tightening the bolt, very slightly before undoing it (breaks the rust bond).
6) Withdraw wing carefully over the bumper valance- lift and withdraw to the rear, careful not to scratch door.


In true Haynes book of lies fashion, re-fitment is the reverse of removal etc! Replacement wing bolts are available from the usual suppliers. They have 1/4 whitworth head and a 5/16 BSF thread. Use copper slip grease on the bolt threads.

[wells01]

.

Brilliant
Many thanks

[chickenjohn]

No problems! I've done it several times. Glad to be of help.

[simmitc]

If it's an old wing that you do not want to keep, then cutting away large chunks will give much better access to the bolts, particularly at the top rear and for the hockey sticks. If you're keeping the wing, then leaving the lirror on can provide something to grip and aid handling.

[chickenjohn]

I've managed to save most of the wings I took off my cars. Only one of them was beyond help.

[mbo145]

Use copper grease definately when you put the new bolts in, I put new wings on 5 years ago, my car was in an accident last summer and the wings unbolted really easily![frame][/frame]
After I removed the wing I stripped off all the old underseal and layers of paint, there was lots! I scraped the loose underseal and stripped off the paint with nitromors (Green) Before the re-spray.
Good luck,
Phil [frame][/frame]
Wingless and nearly stripped raw!

[wells01]

"chickenjohn"

Its off. A bit of a pig. The only one I had trouble with was the very bottom bolt, how do you get to the nut??? Anyway I ground it off and got the nut out through the enormous rusty hole it exposed. To make life more interesting the front panel was welded to the wings and the bottom of the wing was welded to the hinge pillar!! Happy days.
Many thanks

[mbo145]

Well done you! Now the repairs.......

[alex_holden]

The only one I had trouble with was the very bottom bolt, how do you get to the nut??? Anyway I ground it off and got the nut out through the enormous rusty hole it exposed.

The captive nut plate is supposed to be welded to the back of the inner wing panel in such a way that it doesn't turn when you move the bolt. Don't forget to put it back when you repair the hole.

To make life more interesting the front panel was welded to the wings and the bottom of the wing was welded to the hinge pillar!! Happy days.

Ouch! Some people seem to think it's OK to weld on panels that are meant to be bolted on; after all they are never planning to remove them again.

[chickenjohn]

It never ceases to amaze me, the bodges that you see when stripping down a Morris.

Not surprising, I suppose as all Minors went through an "Old banger" phase where repairs were just to keep the car on the road and through the next MOT. I suppose we should not complain too much, as despite the bodges, at least they kept the car from the scrapyard.

[ASL642]

The one that annoys me the most is the bathroom sealant used to "smooth" over welds. Horrible stuff to remove.

[alex_holden]

The one that annoys me the most is the bathroom sealant used to "smooth" over welds. Horrible stuff to remove.

You sure that's not seam sealer? It's commonly used to stop water wicking into overlapped joints.
http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/seam-sealing.htm

[chickenjohn]

Do you mean seam sealer?? Bathroom sillicone sealant should not be used on a car, but polyurethane seam sealer does a good job of protecting weld seams and body seams and can be removed easily with the use of wire brush on grinder!