When is it worth removing the rear clam?

[jammacdo]

Guys

Sorry if this has been asked before...

I need to do all these rear end jobs before the car goes back on the road. I read recently that the cam belt interval time-wise means its now due (the car has been laid up for 5 years in my garage!) So my list of jobs would be as follows:

Cam belt and tensioner replacement
May as well do the alternator belt when I'm there
And suppose I may as well do the water pump as its almost off by this stage
Probably should replace the gearbox oil with good synthetic stuff
Need to replace the broken flexi exhaust pipe
Need to replace the rear section of the handbrake cable as I had to cut the old one to release the handbrake off the rear discs

Will also be changing the oil/oil filter, air filter, fuel filter and spark plugs.

So with all this to do would it make sense to remove the read clam or is this still all more than possible with rear clam in place? The last thing I need is more work. But the front clam is off at the moment since its at the bodyshop getting painted.

The rear diffuser and under tray are already off so I can get access to replace the flexi pipe and handbrake cable. The brake disks and calipers are already off as they are being refurbished by people more able to do that sort of stuff.

So before I start dismantling any more I'd like to know if its a no brainer or not.

Many thanks

[tut]

AFAIK all that can be done with the rear clam in place, but someone may well correct me.

However with the car standing unloved for five years it would do no harm to take the clam off, not a big job normally, but you are going to have corroded/rusty bolts so could be a bit of a bugger. If it was me I would do it, then you can replace all the fixings with stainless ones and it will be easier in the future.

tut

[jammacdo]

I have all new stainless bolts and washers for the front to go back on with so could be a good idea as you say for the rear as well. I'm not sure I fancy trying to take off the crank shaft bolt for the first time in its 12 year history with my head inside the wheel arch which was why I was thinking about getting the clam off. Cheers

[Mikie711]

The rear clam isn't as easy to remove as the front, and for what you have listed it isn't worth the hassle. All of that can be done with the clam on. You need to remove the drivers side wheel arch liner to gain access to the alternator belt and cam belt covers/water pump/cam belts etc.

[Scottd]

I've just done most of that and kept the clam on, it's not too bad and I don't have tons of room in my garage. Engine mount (for cam belt access) is a bit of a pita but wasn't too bad.

I forked the pistons liners now tho, so it may be engine out time. I think that may be the only occasion to take the rear clam off?

good luck!
Scott

[Mikie711]

The engine can come out without removing the clam. You can drop the engine out under the car if you can get it high enough. Clam off does make life a lot easier though.

[jammacdo]

Cheers, thanks for the replies guys. Will take a look once the inner arch is removed.

[Corranga]

I have all new stainless bolts and washers for the front to go back on

Remember to duralac these as you put them on to prevent cross-corrosion.

[jammacdo]

Is grease not good enough? Does it have to be duralac?

[woody]

I have all new stainless bolts and washers for the front to go back on

Remember to duralac these as you put them on to prevent cross-corrosion.

I read it as he has stainless bolts to attach the clam, i.e. they'll be passing through fiberglass and into rawlnuts in places. I would not recommend using duralac on these, or indeed on threads at any time. Duralac should be used on seating faces only, Lotus specify a Loctite compound for threads themselves.

Also would leave the rear clam in place for all of those tasks, having done all with the clam both on & off. Have also dropped an engine out of the bottom, but made much easier as the head & wishbones were already off.

[Corranga]

My (admittedly poor!) understanding is that Duralac essentially creates a barrier between dis-similar metals to stop cross-corrosion.
In this case, stainless steel bolts are being screwed into alloy rawlnuts which is likely to cause cross-corrosion.

Presumably you'd have to cover the bolt in loctite to prevent this?
Does greasing the bolt aid in stopping it vibrating loose?

Alternatively, the factory would fit regular mild steel bolts, maybe BZP, so it's Zinc to alloy, which doesn't cross-corrode (I think?) so no need for anything at all, other than Loctite if required to stop the bolts vibrating out.

Am I just wrong?

[Mikie711]

The rawl nuts that hold on the clams are steel, not alloy, and are bonded onto the underside surface of the receiving panel. All I have ever done is copper slip them.

There are some aluminum rivnuts on the fiberglass booted cars but again I have never used anything other than copper slip for these as well. Over time it maybe an issue but those you can just drill out and refit new ones.

[jammacdo]

Thanks guys, yes looking to just put on the new stainless bolts and use the captive rawlnuts in the body. Liberal application of grease to make removal (hope never needed again) a bit easier. Interesting feedback on the rear clam removal, I will attempt the cam belt change with just the inner arch removed but I admit I'm a bit worried about the 205Nm plus 12 years crank bolt removal process!