Subframe bushing mounts, now what?

[Beatty, Robert]

-----Original Message-----
From: cobram at juno.com [mailto:cobram at juno.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2001 10:41 PM
To: quattro at audifans.com
Subject: Subframe bushing mounts, now what?


<snipped>

Some silicone and an exhaust holder and the new bushing slides right
in...nice.  Put the bolt in, lines right up with the nut in the frame.  
HAND tighten with ratcheting box end,  can hear the nut in frame clacking
back and forth.  Get bolt head up to big washer and F(*&, it just spins
and doesn't tighten.  Take the bolt out.....and the threads of the new
bolt now contain the wedges from the frame nut.  There is a small hole in
the front of the frame, where you can almost get your finger in, can't
even feel the nut.   

NOW WHAT?  From what I can see, I'm going to have to cut a hole in the
frame to get to the nut and replace it.  I'm thinking of tapping it one
size larger, but would have to remove the subframe, and the way the nut
in the frame moves up and down I don't think I'll be able to do it.

BCNU,
Cobram at Juno.Com
http://www.geocities.com/cobramsri/index.htmlRJ 



Cobram,

I have an 87 5ktq and have seen this problem before in my car.  In the
86/87/88 5k there is an access hole in the frame horn where it bends upward
after the subframe mount.  It is possible to get a wrench in there.  What I
had to do was superglue a 15mm nut into my box end wrench and manouver it
over the bolt hole, lining it up visually 1st and then sliding a new bolt up
in there and tightening it down.  It was surprisingly easy to do when i did
this, i had already jacked up the subframe against the car and just had to
line up the wrench/nut correctly and it tightened right up.  If you dont
have this access hole, the only thing i can think of is cutting a hole for
access into that part of the frame.  I dont know if you could just retap it,
someone else here on the list may have that wisdom, perhaps Phil???

Good luck

Rob