diff --git a/src/grid/grid_mech_FEM.f90 b/src/grid/grid_mech_FEM.f90
index 534cf952f..6500f30ce 100644
--- a/src/grid/grid_mech_FEM.f90
+++ b/src/grid/grid_mech_FEM.f90
@@ -351,15 +351,8 @@ subroutine grid_mechanical_FEM_forward(cutBack,guess,Delta_t,Delta_t_old,t_remai
     rotation_BC
 
   PetscErrorCode :: err_PETSc
-  PetscScalar, pointer, dimension(:,:,:,:) :: &
-    u,u_lastInc
 
 
-  call DMDAVecGetArrayF90(mechanical_grid,solution_current,u,err_PETSc)
-  CHKERRQ(err_PETSc)
-  call DMDAVecGetArrayF90(mechanical_grid,solution_lastInc,u_lastInc,err_PETSc)
-  CHKERRQ(err_PETSc)
-
   if (cutBack) then
     C_volAvg = C_volAvgLastInc
   else
@@ -408,10 +401,6 @@ subroutine grid_mechanical_FEM_forward(cutBack,guess,Delta_t,Delta_t_old,t_remai
 
   call VecAXPY(solution_current,Delta_t,solution_rate,err_PETSc)
   CHKERRQ(err_PETSc)
-  call DMDAVecRestoreArrayF90(mechanical_grid,solution_current,u,err_PETSc)
-  CHKERRQ(err_PETSc)
-  call DMDAVecRestoreArrayF90(mechanical_grid,solution_lastInc,u_lastInc,err_PETSc)
-  CHKERRQ(err_PETSc)
 
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ! set module wide available data