Hey guys have a bit of an issue with the front subframe. Earlier today I was rolling the front fenders when I noticed that one of the front subframe bolts, the 19mm one right before the hub assembly wasn't sitting flush to the subframe, (Car is an AP1). As it currently sits the bolt spins freely and will not catch threads or come out. Last year at Palmer Motorsports Park I put the car into a wall in which the motor mount from the same side also pulled itself apart. My fear is that this crash also caused the nut and bolt to pull itself apart from the frame and now its sitting dead in the water. I did see a previous thread in which Billman suggested one possible method of fixing this would be to cut an access hole and then proceed to weld in a new nut. Not sure if anyone has had experience with this method or not. No other subframe bolts appear to have this issue, so just the one. At this point, am I looking at replacing the subframe, or is there an alternate method of fixing this issue that I haven't considered? Thanks for the help guys.

 

The subframe isnt the problem. That nut is trapped in the, um, frame, frame. To fix, you would cut the head off that bolt. Remove all the other bolts to remove subframe. The cut hole in frame to access nut. Then cut it out, and weld in a new nut. Then weld up the frame hole. Then just bolt your old subframe back in place.

This is...not an easy job. Not diy unless you are a competent welder, and competent mechanic.

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Subframe does not need to be removed. But an access hole will need to be cut in from the side of the car frame to access the nut-sert.

Old nut is cut out, new welded in. Done properly the repair will be 100% good as new.