[The Gorilla]

Hi,

Here are the pics taken which show
the metal tube that is welded in to
the bottom of the boot floor where the
subframe bushes sits against and the
middle section of the 3 sheet layers.

Centre picture shows it the best.

The bolt that aligns with the std subframe tube was my
''guide' bolt for welding on my plates with
dowels as I used the original subframe
bolts as my template for setting up the
way I have now done the rear subframe and
suspension etc.

As I said before its a work in progress and
a radical move away from the std set up,
but the issues reagrding the std subframe
fixings are illuustrated and can be rectified
without ripping out the boot floor even if
the sheet metal has suffered fatigue etc.

The main reason that the metal fatigues
and tears is that the subframe bolt thru the std
bush is only fixed at the bottom of the
tube it screws into, and thus when the
subframe moves around [sawing action]
due to the elongated hole in the bush for
subframe fitting, the sawing action tears
and rips at the bolt fixing which
in turn loads up and splits the surrounding sheet.

If the subframe bolt was also fixed at the top, then
the bolt would be unable to move around
like it does and hence the subframe bush
would do its job correctly, and absorb the
load and lateral forces etc.

As I mentioned by recessing the top skin
and welding in a plate, then fitting a longer
bolt and having a flange nut tightened also
from above the whole tube bolt arrangem,ent
would have to bend [shear] before any deflection
was absorbed into boot floor skin to start the
tears etc.

As you can see I have gone in a totally different
direction and now have all four subframe bushes
with 'dowels' which fit inside the subframe bush
inserts, M12 HT bolts with clamps across the
bushes, and then hold it all in place.

Ripping out the boot floor skins is counter productive
as its not the floor skins which are the issue, its
the design of the mounts and how the subframe
bolts fix a flat bush without dowel.

The foam is really a nonsense, in that its not
the floor skin sheet metal that is the issue.

Regards,

The Gorilla.