Esprit Turbo project car - part3 - the further continuation

[Lotusfab]

Had a hell of a job trying to remove the driveshaft allen head bolts on the LHS. Still can budge them, may have to try the heat method. Any ideas? Both driveshafts will need a full rebuild! 

[910Esprit]

What are you using?  I use a set of 'professional', short, straight,  Allen keys that are driven by a 1/2 drive socket.   These can shift with ease what seems impossible with standard 'bendy' allen keys 

[Andyww]

Yes these are a bit of a pain. On my other car I can shove a big screwdriver in the disc to lock the shaft but you cant do this with unvented disk and you dont have a way of dropping the car on its wheels (presumably).

If you can lock the shaft somehow a big bar with hex bit should do it. Some people I believe use impact air drivers on these but never owned one.

The hex in the bolt needs to be cleaned out then bash the bit into it with a hammer to make sure its right in before fitting the bar and trying to turn.

 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Chaps, I was using a spanner on a bendy Allen key and a vice clamped onto the hub. No joy so have ordered a half inch drive socket Allen, 8 mm. If this doesnt budge them its heating, hammering then sawing and drilling! 

Just put the fuel pipe I made on and thought I just bolt on an earth braid, silly me should have know mr chaoman would change the chassis threads! What size nut fits on the end chasis thread? UNF metric? Just going to get a pic!

[Lotusfab]

xwa

 

[Lotusfab]

You see what I mean by Chaos Theory! Throw all the parts in a Radom manner and somehow they turn into an Esprit after reordering themselves! ????????

[Andyww]

Engine mountings upside down?

[Lotusfab]

Thanks will check! They're not secured yet. Chaos Theory? Was just thinking if Schrodingers Cat turns up this projects doomed! 

[Lotusfab]

Does anyone know the nut size for the earth strap on the left of the picture in the corner?

[Andyww]

48 minutes ago, Lotusfab said:

mr chaoman would change the chassis threads! What size nut fits on the end chasis thread? UNF metric? Just going to get a pic!

Mr Ferrari does the same thing, they use a mixture of metric standard thread and metric fine. Dont know that that is, need to check with a thread gauge probably.

[Lotusfab]

Need to invest in one!

[Lotusfab]

The studs on the chassis edge change diameter! I tried M8 and it didn't work? Probably UNF?

Can't find it in the parts manual either?

[silverfrost]

Great work Fabian,  Nice to see all the bits getting bolted back on the chassis    Regarding the driveshaft hex bolts, sometimes they are siezed solid,  I hate the things !   Worst case scenario is love the joint in a vice,  and use a hammer and chisel to smack them,  hopefully that will free them off !    If the allen key face wears off, the smack a decent torx bit in and hopefully that will bite.   

I have had a couple of these seized in so bad the bloody bolt actually sheared off !  Then it is a case of drilling out sadly 

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Dan just need to get the bits the correct way around, I'm not worried I have you eagle eyed chaps checking it for me! I tried a chisel and ended up smashing a bit of the Allen bolt head off! Who designed this thing! Hopefully this is the last nightmare part! My new Allen hex socket is on its way. Also have to buy a 200ft lb torque wrench fir the hub☹️☹️☹️

[silverfrost]

Did not know they even had a torque for the rear hub nuts !      I have always just done them up FT  fucxxin tight    But best to use the proper kit and figures if you have them i suppose     Shame the chisel did not shift the allen key bolts,  I think you may even struggle though with the allen key socket if they are properly seized.   

But that said worst case scenario, grind the heads off the ones that you cant budge,  pull the driveshaft off and then cut the remaining bolt shaft that sticks out of the hub flange flush,  then drill the little buggers out. pain in the backside but sometimes the only way sadly.  

Or if you cant be arsed to do this or it all goes pear shaped,  lotusbits sells the inserts 60 iirc,  so you can pop a new one in when you do the bearings in the rear hubs. 

[Lotusfab]

If Lotusbits were closer would have given it to them to sort! Hope they aren't seized, drilling without a bench drill takes hours! 

[silverfrost]

One thing you could do Fabian that would be an extremely quick way of doing this,   take the hubs with the wheels attached to a local tyre fitting firm.

Take your allen key socket just in case,  but they will probably have the impact style allen key socket set to use i.e the hardened ones.  You hold the tyre and let the fellow ra,ta,tat,tat with the air gun.  If one of those airguns does not shift them nothing will.   Bung the bloke a drink and hopefully happy days 

[Choppa]

On mine I used one of those impact hex keys with a cheap electric version of those air guns, and they came off no problem. You really need to bash the hex key in fully before trying to undo them to avoid mashing over the bolt  heads.

[Lotusfab]

Thanks Chaps will,tryball these things  if they don't budge!

[TAR]

I agree with Dan's idea. I used a local tyre fitters to get my stubborn wheel nuts off. It took them 3 goes with the gun on its highest torque setting but it worked. I reckon they would be able to remove them.

 

[Fridge]

Agree, not worth messing about. Use a windy gun.

I had to. It still took a bit of doing though.

[Rolls]

Gun is definitely the go along with some heat, then blast the head with aerosol keyboard air cleaner. Works a treat.

[Lotusfab]

Right I'm going to buy a gun, as I already have the compressor.

[Lotusfab]

The chassis studs that run around the engine bay and corners are metric 8 mm and 10 mm on the corner.have almost finished the front suspension!

[silverfrost]

Never mind the chassis studs Fabian,  we are all waiting to hear if you got those driveshaft allen key bolts out yet lol