Driveshaft Removal?

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 130

Hi,
I'm looking for someadvice from you Renault Gurus Smile

I am trying to replace the clutch on a 1993 Clio (1.2 8V) We are trying to do it with the engine in using the Haynes to guide us. However! We are stuck! In the Haynes it says to remove the passenger side driveshaft,this is what we are struggling with. The bolts shown on the picutre will just not undo or come off!
Also, is there an alternative to using a ball joint sperator for the bit circled in yellow?

AArrgghhhh!

Looking forward to some advice Confused

Nicola

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

those bolts do tend to be right bastards. can you not get a couple of spanners on there with a large bar over the end of one as a lever? If you really cant get them undone, then i guess you could undo the bottom balljoint and the track rod end, and undo the strut at the top, that should allow you enough movement to get the driveshaft out.

instead of a balljoint seperator, you can just take the nut off and clout it with a hammer, but be prepared to damage something.

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

Yup, and be prepeared to be clouting it with a hammer for a good 15 minutes Laughing

Site Subscriber Joined: 28 Jan 2005 Posts: 3547

dont clout the actual join, clout where the joint goes in and the nut tightens down to, the arm its self, a couple good clouts with a hammer, frees it off, it is a tried and tested way, i was taught to do this in my apprenticeship on classic cars so it cant be that bad!

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

last time i did it by smacking it, a piece of the spring broke off... Mad

FCS Event Manager Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 3680

ahhh the strut to hub carrier bolts can be a right pain in the ass!

replaced one of my struts yesterday due to a cracked top mount and those 2 bolts were solid, soaked them in wd40.
i used a breaker bar with 18mm socket on the bolt and locked it off against the strut itself, then using another 18mm socket on my wheel nut wrench - see pic . .

used that to apply leverage on the nuts to crack them off.
took 15 minutes to undo the bottom one cos it was so tight.
once off i placed bolts and nuts into a plastic container and left them overnight soaking in a bath of wd40.
cleaned them off with a wire brush this morning and back in the wd40 bath until i refitted the strut today.
they went on with no hassle at all Smile

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

eh?

Anyway the 18mm sturt to carrier bolts, 10mm socket on a breaker bar, shear the feckers off. New ones are about a fiver from ren per side.

Before doing that with the car still on the ground loosen the 30mm hub nut.

why are you touching the track rod end? You only need to undo the strut to carrier bolts.

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 130

Hi,
Thanks for the replies! This forum is fantastic isn't it Cool

Spent a large part of Sunday reading all the posts Smile

Anyhow, those bolts in the red circle still won't come off Rolling Eyes

Sprayed them with loads of WD40 yesterday, then it started raining so not tried since.
Chris H - I am just following the Haynes manul and it says to undo those which I've circled? Or am I doing it wrong Embarassed

Yours Gratefully,

Nicola

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

haynes manual, got a dodgy sofa leg? table wobbly? Then shove the haynes under it best thing you can do with it.

wd-40 etc isn't going to help, break them off. No way do I waste time with a wire brush gettign the rust off then a bit of heat then a wee shot of wd-40. Thats half hour labour time, new bolts and nuts are a fiver a side. So get the breaker bar, heave as hard as you can and the bolts will shear off.

if you can't break them get a pole over ther breaker bar or find someone stronger.

Theres no need to undo the track rod end (yellow circle) or anything else.

Of course I am assuming that you have drained the gearbox oil so when you do get it out box oil isn't going to pour everywhere.

if you look in A14LNC's members project I put the price and part numbers of the bolts and nuts in there

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

have u actualy got a breaker bar??

and that wheel breaker type bar is dodgey to use as it has angle to it so it is hard to keep the socket on the nut/bolt in a sound straight position.

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 130

One of these?

What we were doing was holding a spanner over the other end of the bolt to stop the bolt turning then he was trying to undo the nut bit.

Why isn't anything simple? Laughing

We were trying to save money by buying the bits from GSF - our local garages wanted Â£200 to put in a new clutch, perhapswe should have just paid them Embarassed

althought everything was going well until we got stuck getting the bolts off!

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

like chris said...just keep goin...they will either come off or break...its the same that the garage would do.

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 130

Ok Chaps - will have another go when hecomes home from work Smile

will let you know how we get on Smile

Actually, has anyone successfully replaced the clutch on a Clio before?Is there anything special we need to look out for which isn't in the Haynes?
We have bought the clutch kit and cable from GSF and a Clutch Alignment Tool thingie from Tooled-Up.com.

Thanks again guys Cool

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

i have done a few and a few 19's and a few other cars as well

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 130

You seem to be the chief guru here Chris Laughing

You can travel down to Wigan and show me how it's done Laughing

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

no but feel free to come up to glasgow! Not that far to push a car! Do it for a charity! Laughing

if you look in my project Y thread there will be info in there thats of use to you.

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 130

Ha ha push a car all the way to Glasgow from Wigan, about 300 miles I reckon? Avoiding motorways probably closer to 600 miles Laughing

Actually I have a few rellies in Glasgow who I've not seen for a few years - wonder if they fancy a visit Laughing

I will have a look through 'project y' is it in the member project forum?

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

nope progress report section, its a 19 but same principle.

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 130

Yeah I found it, just onto page 2 now. Great pics of the clutch stuff. Will be very useful.

Thanks Chris Cool

FCS Event Manager Joined: 04 Jan 2005 Posts: 3680

Jonnyboy wrote:

have u actualy got a breaker bar??

and that wheel breaker type bar is dodgey to use as it has angle to it so it is hard to keep the socket on the nut/bolt in a sound straight position.

i used it again today to crack off the caliper bolts, i've had no probs using it so far, it gives great leverage and yes there is an angle on it but so do the breaker bars.

however i do agree, a proper breaker bar is the preferred tool for the job but i simply could not get enough leverage with mine to crack off the strut to hub bolts or the caliper bolts.
used the wheel breaker bar and had the bolts freed off very quickly.

Level 6 User Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 130

Mini update: we got the top one off but had to cut the bottom one off Sad