↓ Advertise on Defender2 ↓

Home > Technical > Mud flaps- snapped bolts
Post Reply  Down to end
Page 1 of 2 12>
Print this entire topic · 
Bluestu36



Member Since: 05 Jun 2018
Location: Royston
Posts: 18

Mud flaps- snapped bolts
Evening all!
I'm sanding down my crossmember to get it ready for painting, and whilst removing the rear mud flaps, the 3 bolts that connect the mudflap holder to the crossmember have snapped off.

I've tried drilling and I am getting nowhere.

Any ideas on what to do?
Also, are they self tappers or a nut an bolt and if so, how do you get to the nut?

Thanks in advance!
Stuart
Post #731159 25th Sep 2018 5:50pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
leeds



Member Since: 28 Dec 2009
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 8581

United Kingdom 
They will be rivnuts.on the inside of the crossmember.

If the rivnuts and broken bolt are spinning when you drill them out then you may well have to employ Mr Angry.


Brendan
Post #731168 25th Sep 2018 6:21pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
isacs



Member Since: 28 Aug 2015
Location: Leamington spa
Posts: 404

United Kingdom 
They are hexagonal shank rivnuts. So either carry on drilling or use a punch to hammer them into the member. Then you need to buy new 1's and a tool to fit them. Though there is a thread on a home made rivet tool somewhere

Greg
Post #731169 25th Sep 2018 6:22pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Balvaig



Member Since: 19 Feb 2016
Location: Fife
Posts: 730

Scotland 2016 Defender 90 Puma 2.2 Landmark LE Corris Grey
^^^ If the heads have snapped off just use a punch to push them into the crossmember. You can retrieve the bits from inside if you have small hands. If the bolts are spinning, then cut off the heads -I used a Dremmel - and then push through.
I used normal aluminium rivnuts to fit the hole and the home made tool.
Post #731237 25th Sep 2018 8:38pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
zsd-puma



Member Since: 09 Aug 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 2720

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
You don't need a 'tool'. just a suitably sized bolt with a matching nut and washer.

In the factory they just put the whole flap on complete with nutserts loosely on the bolts and buzz them up tight with an air wrench.
Post #731266 25th Sep 2018 10:54pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Bluestu36



Member Since: 05 Jun 2018
Location: Royston
Posts: 18

Thanks all!

ZSD-Puma - How do I tighten the nuts, as I can't get to them?
Post #731357 26th Sep 2018 3:58pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
isacs



Member Since: 28 Aug 2015
Location: Leamington spa
Posts: 404

United Kingdom 
Post #731384 26th Sep 2018 6:25pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
zsd-puma



Member Since: 09 Aug 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 2720

United Kingdom 2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Santorini Black
Bluestu36 wrote:
Thanks all!

ZSD-Puma - How do I tighten the nuts, as I can't get to them?


They're nutserts, use a nut and bolt screwed into it then tighten the nut against the nutsert that crimps it up the same as a tool does.

Either that or do what the factory do, put the bolts through the mudflap bracket screw the nutserts onto the bolts loosely, then push them into the holes while tightening them up, the bolts and brackets will pull crimp the nutserts up. Wink
Post #731393 26th Sep 2018 6:47pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
GoatRider



Member Since: 09 Aug 2020
Location: Herts Bucks
Posts: 16

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 90 Td5 HT Bonatti Grey
TD5 90 Mud flaps swap. How hard can it be?

Click image to enlarge

Sunday morning quick job on the Landy, or so I thought.
Just remove the front mud flaps and reinstate using new stainless steel brackets. One hour, tops.
(DeepCreep penetration oil and Kano Aerokroil Penetrating used all week in the build up to help loosen everything)
Four hours. Four Hours!!! and finally they are off after using every f*^^%ing tool:
Three socket sets.
Power impact driver
Wire brush.
More oil.
Ratchet spanners
Regular spanners.
Some swearing.
More oil.
Crow bar.
Lump hammer.
Lactic acid in the arms.
A big swear.
And finally the grinder. The final solution on a spinning captive nut. Now unusable.
I mean really. They are only mud flaps FFS!
Next week, the rears. Wish me luck.
Nick


Last edited by GoatRider on 9th Aug 2020 8:02pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #848827 9th Aug 2020 12:28pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
macfrank



Member Since: 05 Nov 2015
Location: somewhere in the north
Posts: 1076

Germany 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Keswick Green
Laughing And the wife wonders what the hell is he doing again... Wink Seems to have been easier to cut off the outrigger and weld it back on Laughing

I was lucky as our Defender came without front mud flaps and I didn't know LR used rivnuts. So I just used nuts and bolts. Involves some proktological skills, though...
Post #848853 9th Aug 2020 2:09pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
markb110



Member Since: 22 May 2010
Location: Guildford
Posts: 2634

England 2002 Defender 90 Td5 HT Epsom Green
Re: TD5 90 Mud flaps swap. How hard can it be?
GoatRider wrote:

Click image to enlarge

Sunday morning quick job on the Landy, or so I thought.
Just remove the front mud flaps and reinstate using new stainless steel brackets. One hour, tops.
(DeepCreep penetration oil and Kano Aerokroil Penetrating used all week in the build up to help loosen everything)
Four hours. Four Hours!!! and finally they are off after using every f*^^%ing tool:
Three socket sets.
Power impact driver
Wire brush.
More oil.
Ratchet spanners
Regular spanners.
Some swearing.
More oil.
Crow bar.
Lump hammer.
Lactic acid in the arms.
A big swear.
And finally the grinder. The final solution on a spinning captive nut. Now unusable.
I mean really. They are only mud flaps FFS!
Next week, the rears. Wish me luck.



Tip, when you replace the rear mud flaps, note the drain hole in the chassis that the mud flap bracket covers up. Drill a hole in the bracket to match.

Good luck

Thumbs Up
Post #848888 9th Aug 2020 5:17pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
GoatRider



Member Since: 09 Aug 2020
Location: Herts Bucks
Posts: 16

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 90 Td5 HT Bonatti Grey
Yes I spotted Land Rovers clever design trick to prevent my mud escaping the rear cross member. Although I've just sprayed my new ss brackets!! I'll now have to find a cutter to recreate the wide diameter drain hole. What's the best/ cheapest/one use hole cutter for stainless steel?

Last edited by GoatRider on 9th Aug 2020 7:54pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #848896 9th Aug 2020 6:06pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
markb110



Member Since: 22 May 2010
Location: Guildford
Posts: 2634

England 2002 Defender 90 Td5 HT Epsom Green
I used a step drill bit, but that was on the original mud flap bracket and not stainless....

I also used a strip of adhesive backed neoprene to act as a barrier between the chassis and bracket to keep the metals apart.
Post #848908 9th Aug 2020 7:46pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
GoatRider



Member Since: 09 Aug 2020
Location: Herts Bucks
Posts: 16

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 90 Td5 HT Bonatti Grey
I was wondering about that and came up with just brushing on some waxoyl. It's definitely a moisture trap.
Right now, having just discovered rivnuts for the first time, I'm trying to find the right ones. I've ground and tapped out the existing and the hole fits my 9.5mm drill shank perfectly. Is that an M7 rivnut, the sellers online are a bit vague. Again, I'm going to go stainless.


Last edited by GoatRider on 9th Aug 2020 8:02pm. Edited 1 time in total
Post #848911 9th Aug 2020 7:54pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Pacha



Member Since: 23 Feb 2020
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 772

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Stornoway Grey
^^^^^

They are originally M6. Rgds.

Chris
Post #848913 9th Aug 2020 7:59pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Post Reply  Back to top
Page 1 of 2 12>
All times are GMT

Jump to  
Previous Topic | Next Topic >
Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



Site Copyright © 2006-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
DEFENDER2.NET RSS Feed - All Forums