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Screbble

Member Since: 26 Apr 2015
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2222

2004 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Zambezi Silver

I just did as Blackwolf suggests - it worked fine 👍

5th Jun 2023 6:20pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17774

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

Be careful with the M18 Milwaukee, even with my relatively puny 1/2" drive one I have broken things that I didn't think were breakable. It is quite likely that you will shear off the head or strip the splines.

Not long ago in a rather embarrassing moment of stupidity I "unscrewed" a 1.1/4" left-hand-threaded bolt (which I didn't realise was LH) using my 1" Milwaukee rotating counter-clockwise. The bolt came out easily but so did the threads and reassembly was a bit of a problem!

As they say, with great power comes great responsibility.

5th Jun 2023 6:31pm

NickMc

Member Since: 01 Oct 2014
Location: Norn Iron
Posts: 1681

I’d try soaking them in something like plus gas for a few weeks if you aren’t in a mad panic, then tighten and loosen them back and forth. You’ll struggle if it’s the captive full length bar to get the middle ones soaked. It normally doesn’t take too much heat to crack them free once you’ve the bloody thing off. I’ve ended up taking the mounting bar off the crossmember swapping chassis as you can’t get them out.

Some wheel alignment places would have an induction heater.

5th Jun 2023 7:44pm

kenzle8a

Member Since: 12 Feb 2020
Location: None
Posts: 1074

blackwolf wrote:
Be careful with the M18 Milwaukee:

I’m yet to find something that my m18 mid torque won’t shift, let alone what the bigger ones do. But as you said, I’d be very wary of using it on smaller torx fittings

5th Jun 2023 11:35pm

the_lincs_landies

Member Since: 29 May 2023
Location: Boston, Lincs
Posts: 230

Alas I have made some progress at last! A combination of soaking in Holts Rustola for a couple of weeks and some heat from the blowtorch attachment on my gas soldering iron!

4 down, 6 to go!

Click image to enlarge

Excuse the naff paint work around the new bolts, the guy who did some repairs previously didn’t take the old bolts and washers out before doing a repair and painted over them

21st Jun 2023 9:35pm

Screbble

Member Since: 26 Apr 2015
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2222

Looking good - glad you managed to remove them.

Ooh look at those hinge bolts … 😜

21st Jun 2023 10:21pm

the_lincs_landies

Member Since: 29 May 2023
Location: Boston, Lincs
Posts: 230

Got to tackle the 6 crossmember bolts under the back door first 😂

I do intend to replace the hinges with Optimill eventually, so that’s why I haven’t gone for the stainless bolts on those ones. At least the hinges “should” be easier to remove, as most of the nuts are protected inside the car.

Side Note: Does anyone know the size of the washers that Land Rover used, because these new bolts are the right size to match OEM, but the washers are almost the same size as the bolt head, so ideally I’d be looking to match the washer to OEM size as well… unless there is no gain to doing so? (The newer ones do look cleaner in my opinion)

21st Jun 2023 10:53pm

LandRoverAnorak

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11325

There is no gain in doing so

However, I'd recommend including nylon washers under the stainless ones to separate them from the ali panel:

Click image to enlarge

More details of how I did mine can be found here: https://www.defender2.net/gallery/albums/u...Bolts3.jpg Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia

22nd Jun 2023 11:19am

the_lincs_landies

Member Since: 29 May 2023
Location: Boston, Lincs
Posts: 230

I have black rubber ones, not very clear in the pics. Maybe nylon would be better, in which case I can always revisit.

22nd Jun 2023 12:02pm

LandRoverAnorak

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11325

Ah, yeah I see them now. Rubber's ok in that it'll provide the isolation. They're sometimes not rigid enough to tighten against without bulging, but I guess you'd already have noticed that. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia

22nd Jun 2023 1:40pm

the_lincs_landies

Member Since: 29 May 2023
Location: Boston, Lincs
Posts: 230

Yeah, I have noticed so am now on the hunt for a nylon replacement.. I avoided them bulging by leaving the bolts slightly loose whilst it is parked up for a bit. I can always nip them up if I go out in it, or when I get some nylon washers sourced.

Edit: Nylon washers ordered so will be all sorted by the end of the weekend hopefully

22nd Jun 2023 1:59pm

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