Outer Limits 4x4 Board

got half way through fitting the drop boxes tonight, and removing the old castor plates, was on a roll, removed panhard rod a tierod, pushed diff forward, radius arms fell out, removed bolts holding on the castor plates, removed one plate off each side and front bolts, but for the life of me cannot get the rear bolt out, tried everything wondering if anyone had this drama and is there a trick to it or is she just seized in there.

if i cant get these bolts out was just gonna cut the castor plate and leave half of it there, but now the front bolts are seized to the metal sleeve that goes through the radius arm.

gettin angry
have given up for the night

any ideas lads
thicknick

Hi mate

I had this very same problem when i was fitting my Snake Racing arms

the bolts that go through the plate behind the diff had seized to the metal bush that runs through the bush. I had to grind the head of the bolt off then use the oxy to burn the bush a bit enough to burn the rust off i managed to get it to move enough to get it to fall out.

took me quite a few hrs to get just 1 arm in

Grease is your friend when installing any metal sleve to a bolt, save for hassels in the long run........

Mate just bash the living snot out of it with a FBH and punch and it will soon give, unless u have an oxy kit, then just cut it out...

Anti-seize everything, either copper base or nickel-graphite based.

When I removed the radius arms from mine the first time, I had to cut both ends of the bolt off and spread the plates to get whats left of the bolt clear of the plates.

nastytroll wrote:Anti-seize everything, either copper base or nickel-graphite based.

When I removed the radius arms from mine the first time, I had to cut both ends of the bolt off and spread the plates to get whats left of the bolt clear of the plates.

X2..

cheers guys

no way i could get there rear bolts out so just cut the castor plate near them and left em in. spent about 2 hours beatin the shite out of the front bolts til the sleeve came off but eventually it happened and got the bolts back in.

moved onto removing the bolts from the crossmember and all bar 1 snapped.

so next question is how do i go around this, was thinking remove crossmember and drill them out and maybe re-tap.

whos idea was it to fit drop-boxes

cheers
thicknick

Make sure you get the right tap, the threads in chassis are M12x1.25 from memory, not the standard 12mm thread.

Just sounds like you got a bum deal with a couple of bad bolts
When you get the job done the satisfaction from having done it yourself will be worth it!

On my GU, 3 Crossmember bolts snapped.....
But I figured the 5 bolts left should be enough to hold it in place

I'll re-tap them one day

ok, got some easyouts onto em this arvy and 2 of them snapped

so only option is too sit there drilling for about 2 hours and tap them out or welder.

me thinks welder

after your done with yours come and help me with mine i started putting in my 4" kit with drop boxes the sarvo and so far so good , hence being previously owned by an old dude which never took it off road and for the panhards which were tight i obtained myself a rattle gun free of charge from work which i give you the tip wont be returning to work

not keen on doing the brake lines and bleeding etc as ive never done it b4, oh well who needs brakes when you have a bull bar

brake lines and bleeding is easy.

Just make sure you do up the little nut things as much as you can with fingers. They strip/thread really easily and when they do its quite painful to repair.

And don't do them up too tight either. Do them up as tight as they'll go without major force and them go another 1/4 of a turn. Monitor them for leaking - if theres a leak, just tighten them up a tiny bit more.

goodluck!

Drop boxes are in, after many gruelling hours behind the drill, now tryin to find someone who has replacement bolts, but im one happy man

any bolt shop can get them for you

Well, my crossmember is holding up well even with 5 bolts
I just can't be bothered to get them out.......

A.J. wrote:Well, my crossmember is holding up well even with 5 bolts
I just can't be bothered to get them out.......

Mate if that's all that's holding your radius arms on. Can you please stay in Sydney and never leave.
Radius arms take some huge hits and puts some large forces rearwards along the chassi.
I realise with a drop box there is a bolt going thru the original hole. but still that cross member could do with atleast 3 a side.

nastytroll wrote:Anti-seize everything, either copper base or nickel-graphite based.

x millions

I use never seize on everything on my car and at work. it will save you a lot of heart ache down the track.

Alrighty, took the car for first drive tonight and noticed the rear tailshaft is now hitting the chassis, is this normal on a 4" lift.

Mine did with the 4" lift. Take the rear tailshaft out and turn it around. The skinny bit should then be over the crossmember and it won't touch.

You might also find that the front tailshaft hits the gearbox crossmember. I found mine did over the weekend so I've taken the gearbox crossmember out this afternoon to get a notch in it tomorrow to allow room for the driveshaft.

If you've got a long range/LPG aux tank under there too, have a look and see how close the rear driveshaft gets to it. My tank now sports a custom "mash-hammer" dent for more clearance.

cmcd wrote:Mine did with the 4" lift. Take the rear tailshaft out and turn it around. The skinny bit should then be over the crossmember and it won't touch.

You might also find that the front tailshaft hits the gearbox crossmember. I found mine did over the weekend so I've taken the gearbox crossmember out this afternoon to get a notch in it tomorrow to allow room for the driveshaft.

If you've got a long range/LPG aux tank under there too, have a look and see how close the rear driveshaft gets to it. My tank now sports a custom "mash-hammer" dent for more clearance.

aah ok cool. hoping it wasnt just me, will get out there and spin it round now, also has made the exhaust sit on the rear shock tower mount, being a ute. LPG tank is well out of the way.

cheers again everyone for the input

all done, swapped the tailshaft around and no dramas, went for a drive and definetely a better ride on the road now, and seems to be a bit more flex outta the front. im a happy man, thanks all