Bottom Engine Mount Replacement

[shed_racing 0]

Morning all,

 

Hopefully a quick one - I've got a complete replacement bottom engine mount ready to fit on this weekend; I understand that I have to pull the driveshaft out of the box to get it off - that I'm with.

 

question is, to get the old mount off of the driveshaft at the gearbox end, can i drop the strut out of the wing and loosen the bottom swivel hub bottom ball joint (easiest one to split !) or is that not going to give me enough play to get the other end out of the box completely ?

 

As you can gather, I'm looking for the least amount of disturbance to do this - primarily as it just cost me about £50 to get the alignment done, and I would like to try very hard to avoid having to pay them to adjust it again once I've disturbed everything !

 

 

(Forward-thinking ? moi ?! never let it be said . . . would've been easier if I'd have done this when I replaced the driveshaft in December - d'oh ! Oh well, every day's a schoolday, eh ?)

 

Many thanks,

 

Shed

[j_turnell 137 3 Cars]

All you need to do is to crack off the hub nut, then knock the hub off the strut, to do this slacken off the pinch bolt on the hub, 16-17mm then slide an 8mm allen key or sump plug key down the split in the back of the hub and twist through 45 degs which opens it up, then few taps with a hammer and its off. This allows you to remove the shaft from the hub. Then undo the 11mm nuts on the intermediate bearings and twist them so the hockey sticks are facing outwards. Few taps with a hammer and chisel and the shaft pops out. Then its just the bolts that hold the mount to the block and the bottom fork x4 16-17mm.

[davev 1]

thinking about it, you might be able to clear enough room to take the mount off just by removing the lower arm ball joint. but im unsure.

 

personally id remove the hub nut also and remove the drive shaft completly, as for the sake of one extra nut you get all the room you need.

 

and as there is no adjustment in the ball joint, when you put it back together the tracking should not have moved.

[MerlinGTI 3]

No need to undo the top mount.

 

With the lower arm balljoint out (possibly the track rod end too) you will be able to move the strut/hub assembly enough to remove the drivehaft from the box. No need to remove the stacked hub nut either. It would be handly to have another pair of hands to hold the strut/hub/shaft assembly out of the way while you play engine mounts.

 

Be careful with the driveshaft oil seal in the box, try not to seperate the CV's, use only pug box oil (I think its total 75/80w).

 

None of these things will disturb your alignment settings

[shed_racing 0]

Thanks all for the prompt replies.

 

You would not believe the amount of grief I had doing the driveshaft (getting the swivel hub off of the strut almost broke me !) and I'm more than reticent to attack that hub nut again - It's a bit like safe-cracking, lifting the stake out !! Wish i'd used nylocs now . . .

 

Thankfully, got another driveshaft oil seal to hand, so I don't have to be THAT careful although seperating the CVs sounds painful (read: expensive)

 

Looks like I'm going to have do it properly after all (kinda thought as much, but thanks for the confirmation)

 

Cambelt and pump today, so I'll see how I get on with that - if I still have patience, enthusiasm and feeling in my fingers after that I'll give it a go later.

 

If not, it'll be tomorrow (when all motor factors are shut, and you know something's going to go wrong at 4.05 pm when even halfrauds have gone home )

 

Thanks again for you help guys appreciate your input.

 

Wish me luck : I'm going in . . .

[welshpug 1,666]

no need to take the hub carrier off the strut, just off the balljoint.

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

I pushed my Group N bush in with the mount still attached to the engine and to the car.

Lots of grease and a wooden mallet did the trick.

[j_turnell 137 3 Cars]

no need to take the hub carrier off the strut, just off the balljoint.

 

 

Either works fine, the advantge of knocking the hub off the strut is theres no chance of catching the ball joint rubber gaitor which often happens.

[nick 3]

Buy a powerflex one for £30 and they come in two halves.... 20minute job and you don't even need to take the wheel off!!

 

Nick