Subframe Lowering Bolts

[al0x 0]

Hi!

 

new member here! loving my $1200 fortwo I found in a farm field--recently discovered the source of no heat all winter -- my thermostat is failed open! Anyway, Looking for anyone in the GTA/southern ontario that is willing to rent/lend me a set of the subframe lowering bolts so i can do the thermostat job--hard sell to buy them outright for a 12 year old car at MB  prices--let me know if you've got some!

 

Regards,

 

Alex

[MikeT 744]

I have a set but I am 4300 km away.  Someone local may have a set.

[tolsen 630]

You can lower subframe without the special lowering bolts.

 

Here is how:

 

1) Rear end on axle stands.

2) Release last mount holding ABS sensor cables and brake pipes on left side inboard.

3) Place trolley jack under bell housing and take up load of engine.

4) Unscrew diagonally opposite subframe bolts and fit the long rear bolt in front hole.  Repeat same on other diagonal.

5) Source two suitable pieces of stick wood about 600 mm long by 40x40mm.

6) Knock nail into end of stick wood and bend over.

7) Hook nail into rear subframe holes.

8) Gently lower subframe on trolley jack.  Adjust stick wood length to suit.

 

 

More details here:  

 

 

 

 

[smartdriver 49]

tolsenilution!

 

Very nice

[tolsen 630]

I wonder if anyone noticed the important missing step?

 

Forgot to state the two normally seized torx screws at bottom of rear panels must come off. 

[smartdriver 49]

3 hours ago, tolsen said:

I wonder if anyone noticed the important missing step?

 

Forgot to state the two normally seized torx screws at bottom of rear panels must come off. 

 

I recently had to take my car to a local mechanic who stated that he had to "free them from the inside".

 

The result was that the long 2 front bolts holding the rear fenders on are still restrained in the panels themselves and no longer have any threads remaining in the frame to screw into. They simply plug into the chassis.

 

It appears to be a non-issue because the fenders are firmly held by the remaining 5 bolts and the 4 nylon body clips which plug into the frame.

 

On my car some of these clips had lost their retention plugin strength and I ordered some new ones from MB. They are of a different design with much greater holding retention into the frame. $1.13 Canadian each. 

 

The rear fenders are much easier to remove now that the 2 front bolts are merely plugins and I don't anticipate any further issues.

 

Although I don't feel that any extra measures need be taken to secure the front 2 bolts, one thought that I had was to cover their exposed threaded ends with heatshrink tubing to increase their diameter and force them onto the now unthreaded holes in the chassis.

 

 

Edited April 11, 2017 by smartdriver

[tolsen 630]

You can bore out and fit stainless steel rivnuts for the long front bolts to screw into.    

[al0x 0]

Thank you Tolsen, that is an excellent writeup!

 

I assume the wood blocks are wedged underneath on an angle, with the bent nail locating the wood in the subframe, since there is no long bolt left for the rear?

 

I'll take a stab at this on the weekend.

 

Regards,

 

Alex

[tolsen 630]

Purpose of the nail knocked into end of wooden stick is simply so stick can be suspended from rear hole in subframe. Nail may not need to be bent. A flanged screw also works if screw head is large enough but no more than 12 mm in diameter. 

Purpose of wooden blocks or bricks is just to have something to drive the Smart onto to slightly lift the car initially. You may not need that if you only wish to lower subframe.  

[LooseLugNuts 557]

atv jack works great too for lowering the sub-assembly...(more stable and less worry about things moving around than a floor jack)

 

 

Edited April 15, 2017 by LooseLugNuts