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The immovable nut?! :(

Matt Wright

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May 26, 2010
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Hi guys

I have a nut 'n bolt problem it seems.. I recently bought an old box shape BMW convertible and have been doing some restoration work on it. It's like Lego. Literally, not even grown up Lego! So simple but.....

I cannot for the life of me fasten or loosen a particular nut that attaches the control arm to the wheel hub.
It's a bolt that sits in a nylon cup I am told by various BMW forums. The bolt end sticks out and I have a 19 socket sized nut firmly bolted on - clearly not firmly enough
If I try to tighten the nut it just turns but the bolt isn't turning. I've tried all manner of tools and jacking it up etc. The bolt does not move
Trying to loosen the nut and put a new one on yields much of the same
I deduce therefore that the nut is turning around and around ignoring the threads somehow. The threads going on are good. I've tried holding the bolt with vice grips and turning the nut. The nut turns and the bolt is still - but it doesn't go up or down

I rigged up the air socket gun and tried to blast it off but nothing doing. It just turned but didn't go up or down
I've bolted a second nyloc on top of it so hold it but it's not going anywhere either way

The gold stuff is copper slip as the seal is old and broken. put a bit inside to tide it over till I can get replacements. I don't think this is affecting things as the bolt is stiff.

So. I'm stumped and driving like this isn't good!

Ideas include :

Very carefully cutting the nut in half using a small hacksaw or angle grinder
or?

Pics.. No laughing (C***s!) I've had the wheel off 5 times now..
Thanks!
Matt (able to work every evening in shorts and t-shirt till 8pm with natural light outside :)

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That looks like a taper that's not gripping enough to hold the pin to tighten the nut. The cast part that the jack is under, is that screwed onto a shaft? If it is, then it's a ball joint and I'd get a replacement and cut the old one off the hub.

Otherwise, you could try putting more load on the taper by jacking up higher, maybe lifting the whole weight of that corner of the car.

I've had this happen in the past.
 
Thanks guys

Nut splitter. Brilliant, I'm getting those..
It is a ball joint Clive. But the under side ie the part that sits under the control arm does not move at all. I jacked it right up till the point that the spring was near full compression and still nothing
I think replacement is the obvious choice, of course there is a BMW classic rally this weekend coming and I have new wheels, tires and working out what spacer I need to get done + cleaning and a few bits and bobs to do so simply bolting it on would be so much easier!
I'll call around tomorrow about a replacement joint. I've been told that the arm is around £130 to replace!
I'll report back. Thanks for the speedy replies :)
 
Hey Matt

If I can help this side shout as i land in JHB in 12 days so happy to bring out something (small) it that helps.

Warren
 
Was going to suggest a nut splitter, got a set at work and a set at home. It's quite poss stripped the threads. Beemers = toffee nuts and bolts :lol: fight them far too often!!! New ones are worse!!
 
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Looks like whoever tightened the nut stripped the threads and the nut now has an internal cylinder form which obviously will not unscrew. Very often you can split the nut and remove it and then uncurl the nut thread from the ball joint thread as the latter is usually harder. Then you should be able to use just a new nut. The thread of the ball joint will be slightly distorted so you will have to wedge the taper in to grip enough to get the new/tight nut on.

Frank
 
Pig mate.Get a bar and put it between the wishbone and hub. Try it without the jack under and put horizontal pressure on. If it doesn't work put jack under as well. Once you have the nut off I always put a bar on to prise down on wishbone the hit the part of the hub that the threaded bit goes through.

Hope all that makes sense.
 
Matty, come on man this is a five minute job. Just Skype'd you but you must be in the pub again.

You should be ashamed. After all I taught you as well. Ping me dude.

C
 
Thanks Warren :) The sunshine awaits you.. I'll check if I can get the splitters here, if not I'll grab a set on eBay. Oh how I miss eBay.... Life is not the same without her!
 
A ha! One of Chris' not so attentive students! :lol:
 
Yeah, he was hard work, Clive but pleasant enough.

Ohh Maaatt, where are yoooo?
 
Back. Time zone difference of 2 hours and early morning wake ups..

Approach:
Get bolt splitter
Get dodgy bolt off
Check threads
If OK, put on new bolt
If bad, remove control arm (3 more bolts) and get the 2 ball joints replaced

It's not the teacher Chris, it's the students :) But we already know that ha ha ha

I thought my 80 was old / nothing had been changed in there for 19 years. At least it's man sized and built to last. The BM is 22 years old and everything is as it left the factory. Shock absorbers do not last 22 years lol. I thought the car had ben lowered for looks. Er, nope. Just sitting on the springs with zero shock support! New shocks fitted front and rear, new brake discs, pads, front wheel bearings and hubs. To do : complete rad flush, fit new correct temp thermostat, fit rear wheel bearings, new cam belt - just in case. Fit new (BBS RS "Euro / gangsta?!" look) wheels and tyres, full re-spray, start on the interior... Amazing how much work can go in to such a small machine!

A couple more interesting pics..


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Looking good Matt. Just a thought perhaps its the springs that need replacing (as well) since they support the car, the shocks just deaden the bounce.
 
Very gangsta Matt

I hate to ask but how much??? I'm guessing still a good £5k for a car of that age in SA.
 
She's looking really good now guys :)
I replaced the springs with H&R Adrian (these are THE best you can get for this car apparently. price tag to suit!)
Also fitted new shocks all round. Good but not the best. Best later when wallet allows
New control arms, control arm bushes
Full service, radiator flush and new fluid, new thermostat, cam belt change and new water pump

next week having a mechanic friend rebuild the head / gasket as she's overheating a bit / air in the system. Very common on these
also re-doing all bushes and replacing the steering rack (which is leaking) with the e36 one that is apparently better

So far at a rate of 15 (not the crazy 17.4 it is right now), spent £1670 on the car stock and £1600 on parts, new wheels, 6 tyres and mechanic man time. Not bad for what it is
Will post new pics with the much much better (not original) 16" BBS RS mesh style wheels and 45 profile tyres

Got 2 Stand up paddle boards too now so she has the roof racks from the 80 on here and she's carrying 2 x 30lbs boards around every day!

Surfed this morning
SUP yesterday afternoon
Another hard day in Africa

PS, the dog is the best thing in the world. Should see her on the SUP!!! (SUP = Stand Up Paddleboard - google it)
 
PS, Warren, I got a very good price for the car and am very resourceful when it comes to getting good prices! They're normally 30% more than I paid and they start at Euro5000 in Europe.. Bit like the 80 all these years later!
 
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