gear box mounts/cage nuts & the dreaded removal of master

[Mandymoo]

hi everyone
Im half way through replacing the gear box mounts and one of the cage nuts wont hold (nothing to grip on)..my question is do I have to completely take out the master cylinder or is there a way I can avoid removing the clutch and break etc..ie: just move the cylinder a bit to see the problem...I would really prefer not to pull the whole thing apart
any advice is greatly appreciated
cheers
Mandy

[bmcecosse]

Can you not change the mounts without disturbing the cross member? I would try!

[Mandymoo]

yes you would think so..but umm..my ever so helpful boyfriend started it..and has already unbolted the cross member..which is why we are stuck at the cage nut stage

[chickenjohn]

No need to unbolt the crossmember! Bolt it back up again and attack the gearbox mounts from the top. You can get a large cross head screwdriver, lift the carpet, undo the gear stick knob and rubber gaiter, remove and the screws and lift away the gearbox cover from inside the car. The gearbox mounts are then very easy to access!

Also no need to disturb the master cylinder either!

[Mandymoo]

It seems I worded my question wrong..or you guys are misreading it..the problem is the CROSSMEMBER CAGE NUTS have already been removed and ONE wont go back in...my question is..can I possibly move the master cylinder without fully detaching it?

[bmcecosse]

No we got it right enough - and we told you there is no need to touch the crossmember/cage nuts. If one is now loose you will have to find a way to wedge it in place while you tighten it. Certainly I wouldn't be touching the master cylinder - how about drilling into it and screwing in a large self tapper - something like that to wedge it while you tighten it again?

[simmitc]

Well, to me it looks like a slightly poor interpretation of what was written. If everyone understood that the cross member had already been removed, then why were they so quick to say that it wasn't necessary It's obvious that it was out, and that the problem was now refitting it - or at least it is to me, with the benefit of seeing all the posts.

Anyway, you can remove the master cylinder without disturbing the pedals at all. Drain the brake fluid, remove the brake pipes from the cylinder, remove the cylinder retaining bolts - you do not have to strip the front suspensions as the manual says, the torsion bar is flexible enough to bend downwards, but be careful to not scratch or chip it with your choice of lever. The cylinder will now come out by lifting the rear end and sliding backwards. The operating rod stays on the pedal, and refitting is "a reversal of the removal".

I believe that removing the master cylinder is the best repair as you can then insert a clean nut with a good thread and weld a new cage over it, or weld a suitable nut in place without the cage. A quick alternative is to use one of those fixings with metal wings that open out. You insert it on the end of a bolt, with the wings flat against the bolt, then, as you do up the screw, the wings open and take the load. The confined space in the chassis leg stops the leg fitting from turning. However, this should be regarded as a temporary fix only.

Hope it all works out well.

[bmcecosse]

I don't see that the crossmember has been removed - I understood it could NOT be removed - because this nut is spinning in it's cage....... hence my suggestion to trap it somehow - and then tighten them all up!

[IslipMinor]

As you have already removed the x-mbr, the question seems to be how to fix it back on without needing to remove the master cylinder?
If the bolt is loose and spinning in the captive nut, take off the cover over the master cylinder, not the whole gearbox cover, and you should be able to fit a longer bolt from the bottom, and fit a nut from the top on top of the captive nut. Hold the new nut from on top and tighten from underneath. Not ideal, but quite easy to do with minimum fuss.

[Mandymoo]

thanks again everyone...the problem was accessing cage nuts and the master cylinder being in the way...phew..Im glad I dont have to remove the pedals..apologies to those who misinterpreted & thought the cross member hadnt been touched yet
special thanks to IslipMinor & Simmitc for understanding my badly written question

[mike.perry]

A picture paints a thousand words

[rayofleamington]

by the way - it's best not to remove the pedals when removing /replacing the master cylinder anyway!

[les]

If you end up removing the m/c, remove the caged nuts and the cages, make sure the surface of the chassis leg floor is flat and drop a 6mm thick flat metal plate with rounded edges in, with 2 tapped holes where the original nuts were. If you make the plate almost the same width as the chassis leg, unlike the captive nuts, it can't revolve in future. Probably only a good idea if you see yourself as a long term owner as this crossmember may not be removed often!

[Mandymoo]

thanks Les..I like that idea

[capnblack]

Just read this thread with Interest. I have my pickup stripped down a bit at the moment. Started with a broken half shaft. Removed both shafts, the broken one was difficult to say the least, dropped the prop shaft, took out the diff, decided to fit a recon gearbox I've had here for 2 years,so, took out the gearbox and engine, found that the cross member bolts were not fitted properly and one was missing. Took out brake & clutch pedals, removed brake master cylinder. Now I can deal with the caged nuts. I have removed the nut & cage assemblies both sides and was thinking of inserting a section of plate with 2 nuts welded on (proper "weld nuts"). Now I quite fancy the tapped 6mm plate idea.

[bmcecosse]

Phewww - all that for a broken half-shaft ?

[capnblack]

Yep, thought I might as well get into it and do a few jobs. Today I made up two pieces of 6mm stainless plate, a nice fit inside the chassis rails and 75mm long, tapped M8 x 2. These will replace the "caged Nuts" which were inside the chassis. Just making a list of all the bits I need to order now!