209 replies to this topic

[TimS]

Iv now got the top arms out. One side is fine, all free and moving, the other has turned the needle rollers into a bush, so I shall be purchasing a rebuild kit and trying to get the bu99er out. Thanks again for your advice Ed.

[TimS]

Another update and another £190 and I have two new cones for the front suspension, two new radius arms, new ball joints for the hubs and some little bits and bobs, sadly though I forgot the hand brake adjusters






I am going on holiday for a week now so rebuild of the subframe will have to wait for next weekend, but hopfully I shall get it all built up then.


Im also stuck at the moment with the front subframes upper arm. The old needel roller bearing won't come out at the moment, even with a blow torch,so i shal have to get the dremel on it as iv got a rebuild kit for it with new axel, bearings and nuts.

[TimS]

After a week off on holiday I'm back on it now and here is yesterday work.


I managed to rebuild the radius arms with new adjusters, shoes, springs, quadrants, quadrant pins and arms themselfs. The only thing I'm wating for now is the wheels bearing seals ans they have worn through the rubber.





Now that im stuck with the radisu arms like this I thought I would build back up the top arm and have a go again at taking out the bearing from the other arm. Sadly I failed at taking the bearing remains out on one arm even with using heat so im going to have to think about this one. The other top arm on the other hand was simple to build.



So next was the hub. I have bought all new ball joints for it, which after cleaning and painting the hub, I spent an age setting them um perfectly with the shims. I have also managed to get the first new drive shaft in and so thought I would mock up the new brakes








Just cant wait to get them attached to the subframe now!

[The Matt]

Good choice with the calipers Tim! Same as mine

Looks like yer making some nice progress too mate.

[TimS]

Cheers Matt

Yeah Im starting to get somewhere now. Problem is that I go back to uni next week stupid thing, they don't relise I've got mroe improtant things to be doing like building Winston.

[TimS]

Just been and picked up a rear wheel bearing kit from halfords for £11. Cheaper than Minispares at £13.51. So I shall now get down in the garage and get fitting it and the seal so I can get the rear subframe built back up!

[TimS]

Finally managed to get the old bearing shell out of the top arm using the dremel, and have put two new bearings in by heating up the arm and a bit of gentle hammer action.

The radisu arms are not fully built too and the other side front hub is apart and I'm currently waiting for the paint to dry on it. I hope by mid day tomorrow the rear subframe should be built back up and the front hub should be all built up with brakes and drive shaft and the top arm to be fully built. All im waiting for now is a cone spring compressor

[TimS]

Here is a quick comparison from the old brake and hub to the reconditioned one.



Also I have built up the rear subframe ready for it to go back on.







I have come up to a small isure with the brakes. I am using discs and drive flanges used by minisport and have found that the discs foul the hub. Any ideas?

[GraemeC]

Are they 'S' discs? The drive flanges don't look like they are sat into the disc fully which, if they were, would pull the disc outboard slightly. They also look like they aren't running central in the caliper?

Someone else had this issue a few weeks back and, although convinced they were seated properly it eventually turned out they weren't - they are usually a very tight fit. Try using some old wheel nuts and washers to pull them together more?

[miniboo]

yep it looks like teh flange isnt seated correctly.

[TimS]

Got it all sorted now you were right the flange wasn't sat fully in the disc. Took a fair bit or hammering and a bit of patience to get in, but they did finally get there.



I was going to attach the top arms and the hub assemblies to the subframe, but I have found that the Allspeed subframe takes two of the larger washers on the top arm.

No problem thoough as I shall get some later this week.

[TimS]

It's getting a bit more exciting now. I have mocked up the hubs on the subframe. Got the top arms in but they will have to come back out to fit the rubber cones. So now I have both subframes nearly done I’m going to crack on with the welding and try and get them bolted to the car so I can trial fit the engine

[Tangoâ„¢]

coming along looks nice anc clean! which i had the money to buy a subframe

keep the gud work!

[TimS]

Cheers. Yeah it's a little eye watering to think how much money is sat there, and thats before the engine and throttle bodies go in it

[TimS]

Now that I have the subframes pretty much ready, theres nothing else I can do but continue on with the body work. So thismorning I have managed to get one sill on and the boot area undersealed. Im going to stone chip the whole underneath of the car to protect it from water and grime. This afternoon I am hoping to get the other side floor and sill welded on and a couple of patches made for the wheel arch areas.

Pictures to follow later.