Rear subframe heel board bolts

[IWmin]

After a bit of advice. I've just started the strip down to repair my boot floor and have encountered a problem trying to remove the bolts from the heel board. Rather than them being solid or shearing it feels like the captive nuts on the inside are spinning when you try to undo the bolts.

Anyone else had this problem. Is it best to just cut the bolt heads off and repair the heel board afterwards or is there any other way of getting to the nuts on the inside.

[mk1]

Hi, Welcome to the forum.

If the bolts are spinning the easiest / best thing to do is as you suggest chop the heads off & sort the new captive nuts later.

M

[Andrew1967]

If you have to replace the sills, you could cut a section off the back of the sills to gain access to the nuts.

Also, if the rear valance closing panels are in situ, it may be a little awkward to get the subframe back far enough to clear the studs. One way is to get the frame back a little after cutting the heads off the bolts and then cut the remaining studs off in the gap between the heelboard and subframe trunnions.

[IWmin]

Thanks for the advice. I cut the bolts off this morning. This job was just supposed to be to replace the boot floor but as ever its thrown up more issues. The heel board looks a bit crusty now the subframe is out of the way so I guess a new one will solve my captive nut problem.

[mk1]

It certainly will. A ball ache to find these sort of issues, but it will be good to get them sorted.

M

[ivor badger 2]

The captive nut is accessible through the rear pocket. unpick the spot welds of the horizontal closing panel above the sill. It is not connected to the outer panel. So lift the trailing edge and you can get at the captive nuts. they are square and inside sheet metal holders. Simply break them out and then make up 3/8" to 1/2" tapped steel plates to replace them. make the 2 holes on the one plate and that locks them for tightening the bolts.

[Dr S]

Ivor Badger, that depends very much on the previous owners of the car. That plate on my car was 4 layers thick in places.

When I got it open I found three sets of captives, the ones on the heel board and two more that had been 'knocked in' and covered from outside.. Should have taken more pictures!

[ivor badger 2]

Ivor Badger, that depends very much on the previous owners of the car. That plate on my car was 4 layers thick in places.

When I got it open I found three sets of captives, the ones on the heel board and two more that had been 'knocked in' and covered from outside.. Should have taken more pictures!

One cannot allow for previous butchery and bodging.