Trouble removing stub frame

Cazman

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well, this morning disconnected everything according to FSM in order to remove stub frame. I am keeping the fenders on.

Having trouble. All 10 big bolts are out, all small stuff is disconnected. I have the car on jack stands and the rear crossmember supported with a jack. The stub frame should drop down, but it only comes down about a half inch. Any tricks here?
 
Check the ground strap hooked to the back of one of the bell housing bolts or to the rear of the head. Easy to miss.

Dave
 
You say rear cross member is supported by a jack? Are we talking the transmission cross member? It too will come down with the frame.
Another thought, the inner fenders are connected to the radiator support, are they undone from the frame too?
 
I think that I missed two bolts. The FSM says to remove two fender to sill bolts - did that. But it shows another bolt, called fender to cowl, right above the other two. I cannot find those. Anyone know anything about these? I have looked behind the fender, in the door sill, still cannot locate them. There is a fender to cowl bolt at the top of the fender - did that. These are supposed to be down low.
 
You say rear cross member is supported by a jack? Are we talking the transmission cross member? It too will come down with the frame.
Another thought, the inner fenders are connected to the radiator support, are they undone from the frame too?

Yes, rear cross member is supported by a jack (also have a dolly ready). The cross member is coming down about an inch. It's the rest that seems to be hung up.

The outer and inner fenders are still intact. I removed the bolts that I could find that attach the fenders to the cowl. The radiator support will come out with the stub frame, right?
 
Yes, rear cross member is supported by a jack (also have a dolly ready). The cross member is coming down about an inch. It's the rest that seems to be hung up.

The outer and inner fenders are still intact. I removed the bolts that I could find that attach the fenders to the cowl. The radiator support will come out with the stub frame, right?
The radiator support is also connected to the fenders, best to undo the two bolts holding the radiator support to the frame, easiest way to do it all. The inner fenders each have about 4 to 5 little bolts each side holding them to the frame. Also the battery tray is attached via a brace that can hold things up.
 
But won't everything come out together? The rad support, fenders, everything.
 
But won't everything come out together? The rad support, fenders, everything.
They can, with that in mind, are we talking leaving the fenders on and only the inner fenders coming down? There will be about three bolts along the center of the inside of your inner fender bolting into the inner edge of your fenders. I'm trying to visualize all this in my head from my bed at the moment, too sick to go downstairs a look, lol.
 
On my car there were two bolts on each side that attached the inner fender to the frame, forward of the wheels.


Alan
 
Radiator support must stay with the fenders,

Steering disconnected?
Shift linkage?


Alan
 
Success!!

I got it apart. It was hung up for some reason. I had to shimmy it out by raising and lowering the cross member and radiator support in cycles. Also, I had to play with jacking heights on the body.

Thanks for the help all.

IMG_0090.jpg


IMG_0091.jpg
 
I've always wanted to drop the stub frame so I could do everything right all at once. Congrats on your success without anything broken. The car and you.
 
Yes, the only casualty was a bent tab on a fender.
However, the stub frame has more rot than I thought. Just in this one spot. I think that I can have this section cut out and then a new piece welded back in.

Anyone welded up their stub frame before?

IMG_0093.jpg
 
Lots of people weld up their stub frames. As long as it's done properly you should be fine. If I were you I'd check to see how thin it is everywhere else as well.
 
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