Hard to remove stanchions

[setron]

Hi

I need some ideas about removing the stanchions from the scuttle. The screws holding them are rusted, so I can drill them out but that leaves the nuts to get at, which are attached to a plate behind is that plate easy to take off?

 

Cheers Shane.

[Don H.]

I would *definitely* exhaust all options involving penetrating oils, soak times, and heat long before I considered drilling out the stanchion plate screws.

[Guest]

I would *definitely* exhaust all options involving penetrating oils, soak times, and heat long before I considered drilling out the stanchion plate screws.

agreed. Plusgas (it still exists!) is still the best stuff.

 

Menno

[stuart]

Soak them/heat them do anything you can think of but whatever you do dont butcher the mounting plates as they are extremely difficult to get hold of.

Stuart.

[Rodbr]

Had some success with

Halfords Shock & Unlock Spray 400ml

 

Apply some heat and the above. Even though captive are hidden you can use an extension tube on a spray nozzle to get some Plusgas on the threads.

 

Most important thing is to get the correct full width and tight fitting screwdriver head. If in doubt walk away and come back later so you do not mangle them in frustration.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Rodbr

[Ian Vincent]

I would use plus gas or similar then heat and finally an impact driver with the right size screwdriver head.

 

Rgds Ian

[mleadbeater]

Shane,

 

if I were doing this I would try the following:

 

Use a large good-fitting screwdriver and adjustable spanner on the flat end of the screwdriver, try to undo with loads of pressure on the screwdriver.

If you feel the slot beginning to shear, stop. Apply some heat to the back of the thread if you can with a small blowtorch.

If still no joy, use an impact wrench, again with good fitting large head, as you strike the driver twist the driver body anticlockwise in the direction of undoing, and hit as hard as you dare, if possible get an assistant to hold a block of metal, say a lump hammer, to the back of the plate inside the scuttle, to absorb the shock without denting the scuttle.

 

If still no joy, centre-punch the screw head as centrally as possible and drill with a small, say 2 mm, drill to the depth of the thickness of the screw head, then use say a 5 mm drill, to open the hole to the screw size, the screw head should drop off. When all screws free and the stanchion is removed, then, using mole-grips, clamp on the remaining screw thread and hopefully remove the remaining threads.

 

If the threads are still stuck, then again drill with a small drill and larger drill to the size of the thread core ( ie tapping drill size) and re-tap the hole. Take care to keep the drilling inline with the screw.

 

Can't remember if the inner plate removes, but if so and the threads are not well cut, you can weld or braze the holes up and re-drill and tap.

 

Hope this helps, good luck

 

Mike

[stuart]

The inner re-enforcing plate sits in a frame welded to the inside of the scuttle IIRC. So if you are absolutely stuck and you are obviously restoring the car anyway then if you look inside the scuttle at that point you will see that the top section of the footwell side panel covers it. You can drill the spot welds out on each end of this panel and then bend the top down sufficiently to access it from behind. I have had to do this before and you can then deal with the captive nuts much easier.

Stuart.