[Steering & Suspension] T50 Torx bolt - Rear Axle Mount

[gilbertotron]

Hi all,

Attempted to replace the rear axle mounts on my '10 mk 2 Partner yesterday.

I've searched the forums and got Rustscrat's very useful diagram of the rear axle assembly showing the aperture for the T50 etc.

Here : http://www.berlingoforum.co.uk/thread-6201.html

My question to you fine gents is, what happens when you put the T50 up through the aperture to loosen the bolt and it keeps spinning?
Does it require me to cut into or drill into the body? This seems like a mental idea. Surely there must be a panel to open somewhere to gain access?

How did they get the nut on in the first place?

I've seen it mentioned in passing on this forum post

http://www.berlingoforum.co.uk/thread-12...=rear+axle

And he appears to say that he had to cut into the chassis to hold the bolt while he used the Torx T50 to loosen from below.

Yesterday I had a look on the floor on the van, which required removing some of the ply, and I couldn't see an access plate.
The channel in which the nut is located appears to me to be solid with no openings anywhere underneath?

Any help would be much gratefully received! Thanks in advance gents.

[ffrenchie]

The nut should be captive in the chassis leg. If it's not you have a problem and might have to cut the floor above it to hold the nut while it is released

[gilbertotron]

Urg...
That's what I was afraid of.
Have any of you done this before?
Is it best to go in from the channel underneath or in from the top through the floor?

[DaveH]

I would go in through the floor, easier to patch up !!

[gilbertotron]

Thanks mate.
Yeah I was talking to my brother about it and he reckons best bet is going in through the floor.
I'll hopefully document it and stick it up here.

[JohnM]

Yep, had this with mine, cut from the top, as small as possible and tack the nut back in place.

[gilbertotron]

Thanks mate, going to tackle it tonight after work - hopefully it'll be fairly straightforward.
How did you find the spot to cut? Did you just measure from the spare wheel release bolt?
Any tips greatly received!

[gilbertotron]

So I finally got her done.

Pain in the arse! I dunno why they've designed it with a nut that's not affixed inside a chassis leg with no access.
But anyway - thats another discussion..

I had to cut into the floor to gain access to the square nut that sits on top of the T50 Torx that hold in place the axle mount.

https://goo.gl/photos/a2iVYKKemd7WWWde7

Here are the offending articles - the axle mounts.

https://goo.gl/photos/zE5mMKw3oqasvQX36

You can clearly see the aperture in which the T50 Torx is inserted.

https://goo.gl/photos/Gz8UP3rvuyYAHqsT9

A good way to find the location where to cut the floor is to find this spot weld in the floor and to cut the rear door side of it.

https://goo.gl/photos/NA2qRTVY83WGA6wH7

My first hole was a little bit on the small side, as you can see

https://goo.gl/photos/dPhgnRDmfgeVoHoWA

This quickly expanded. As I needed more space.

Here you can see housing that encases the square nut in the chassis leg -

https://goo.gl/photos/G7oYnn4RrRkAEHHYA

My axle mount was pretty far on as you can see here

https://goo.gl/photos/qbMT8gUGxN1WTiq6A

I jacked it up under the axle and then hell it in place with two axle jacks but I put them udner the body on some wooden bloacks to that the axle could move freely. 

https://goo.gl/photos/49QcSWvBYfgCQnoB7

https://goo.gl/photos/QeaBcBvXuiNv24uSA

This is the position of the two hole when I was done

https://goo.gl/photos/VYHWHaYjShJt1US48

Some of you might think that they're too big but its as easy patch up a big hole as a small - plus once this is welded up and painted you'll never know that it was touched.

[gilbertotron]

There are the mounts out, they were really not in good shape.
To remove the bolts I used a bit of heat as they were seized in the nuts. The extra room helped with this too.

https://goo.gl/photos/pafSPzcv7QZc25TA9

The second hole much bigger and with the bolt removed

https://goo.gl/photos/5xcdt3RdkGreuTUV8

The new mount in situ and about to be offered up to the chassis.

https://goo.gl/photos/vHZfB4CCitLqHvrB8

Its all in now and tight and tomorrow will be weld and paint day. I'll put up some more pictures when it's done.

[Johny555]

Thanks for letting us know how u did it,but I can't see any of your pics?