Millipede Monaro (it's a bit leggy!)
Discussion
Cheers 
I've reduced my usage substantially the last few months and been using my winter wheels quite a bit instead.
Should be posting up a pic of the odo passing 220k fairly soon though...
I've reduced my usage substantially the last few months and been using my winter wheels quite a bit instead.
Should be posting up a pic of the odo passing 220k fairly soon though...
99t said:
...and right on cue as I pulled into the drive tonight!
Impressive. keep up the good work, a neat average of 22,000 miles per year so far... can't be all bad news!Good to see the maintenance is being done well, looks so nice when there's a bit of attention paid to little bits.
Well the first year of ownership has flown by and been pretty much trouble free - the air con rebuild aside, which was optional rather than essential.
Before renewing my insurance, I decided the time had come to refresh the front suspension, so the old girl is on SORN for now. Distinct "boinging" sounds when going from lock to lock, combined with a temporary pull to whichever side lock had been applied told me that all was not well with the top mounts, and various other bushes look pretty tired too.
The initial strip down was straight forward, wheels and brakes quickly and easily removed. Then things went downhill quickly. Firstly one of the drop links sheared at the top, and refused point blank to undo from the anti-roll bar, although it quickly succumbed to the angle grinder.
Then the bolts securing the offside strut to the steering knuckle were absolute pigs to remove, needing my full weight plus much bouncing on a long breaker bar just to crack off, and then requiring continued huge amounts of effort to undo the nuts whilst trying to stop the bolt from rotating.
The top mount nut was easy enough though, and the first strut was off and looking a bit crusty...
Then I turned it over
Yes that is the upper spring seat that is corroded through and completely distorted around half its circumference - the rusty remains being the only thing stopping the spring making a bid for freedom. I'm naturally nervous around compressed springs anyway, so this definitely made me pucker a tad!! Got some spring compressors on it very quickly to take the load off.
The next hurdle was the retaining nut which absolutely refused to loosen. The curved top washer prevented me getting a nut splitter onto it, so had to resort to the grinder again to remove the washer before splitting the nut off. Managed to do so without damaging the strut or the Pedders top mount which looks to be in decent condition.
Finally apart. The bearing had already self-destructed in-situ and most of the ball bearings were loose inside the gaiter.
Remains of the upper spring seat.
Really rather nervous about removing the nearside strut now as, if anything, it looks even more crusty from underneath!!
Before renewing my insurance, I decided the time had come to refresh the front suspension, so the old girl is on SORN for now. Distinct "boinging" sounds when going from lock to lock, combined with a temporary pull to whichever side lock had been applied told me that all was not well with the top mounts, and various other bushes look pretty tired too.
The initial strip down was straight forward, wheels and brakes quickly and easily removed. Then things went downhill quickly. Firstly one of the drop links sheared at the top, and refused point blank to undo from the anti-roll bar, although it quickly succumbed to the angle grinder.
Then the bolts securing the offside strut to the steering knuckle were absolute pigs to remove, needing my full weight plus much bouncing on a long breaker bar just to crack off, and then requiring continued huge amounts of effort to undo the nuts whilst trying to stop the bolt from rotating.
The top mount nut was easy enough though, and the first strut was off and looking a bit crusty...
Then I turned it over
Yes that is the upper spring seat that is corroded through and completely distorted around half its circumference - the rusty remains being the only thing stopping the spring making a bid for freedom. I'm naturally nervous around compressed springs anyway, so this definitely made me pucker a tad!! Got some spring compressors on it very quickly to take the load off.The next hurdle was the retaining nut which absolutely refused to loosen. The curved top washer prevented me getting a nut splitter onto it, so had to resort to the grinder again to remove the washer before splitting the nut off. Managed to do so without damaging the strut or the Pedders top mount which looks to be in decent condition.
Finally apart. The bearing had already self-destructed in-situ and most of the ball bearings were loose inside the gaiter.
Remains of the upper spring seat.
Really rather nervous about removing the nearside strut now as, if anything, it looks even more crusty from underneath!!
Ok, the nearside strut is now off and if anything it all came apart slightly more easily then the offside. Just as crusty as the first mind you.
The dampers, despite being original, aren't leaking and feel extremely firm in both directions when operated by hand. Not the most scientific test, granted, but allied with the fact that the front end didn't feel floaty or under-damped on the road and I think they are still good to reuse.
Started stripping out the lower arm support rods now and guess what - the nuts on those are absolutely solid too!!
The dampers, despite being original, aren't leaking and feel extremely firm in both directions when operated by hand. Not the most scientific test, granted, but allied with the fact that the front end didn't feel floaty or under-damped on the road and I think they are still good to reuse.
Started stripping out the lower arm support rods now and guess what - the nuts on those are absolutely solid too!!
So, after much swearing and battling with rusty nuts and bolts, I've finally finished the strip down, as far as I'm going anyway. Not much steering or suspension left..
Couple of parcels of bits arrived, mostly from Monkfish but have got the drop links from Rock Auto (Pontiac GTO) as they were cheaper, even including the postage from the US!
Bit of a difference 220k miles makes..
..and the lower arm bushes not much better
Lastly the purchase that made the front end refresh rather more expensive than planned (albeit unavoidable due to badly leaking seals)
Hopefully things will go back together easier than they came apart. Fingers crossed...
Couple of parcels of bits arrived, mostly from Monkfish but have got the drop links from Rock Auto (Pontiac GTO) as they were cheaper, even including the postage from the US!
Bit of a difference 220k miles makes..
..and the lower arm bushes not much better
Lastly the purchase that made the front end refresh rather more expensive than planned (albeit unavoidable due to badly leaking seals)
Hopefully things will go back together easier than they came apart. Fingers crossed...
Edited by 99t on Saturday 12th April 20:39
All back together without any drama. Just a couple of nuts to get to their final torque settings once I get it on a ramp as torquing them on the driveway proved too much for my right shoulder joint, which is now kaput!
Moog GTO drop links look suitably beefy.
Also had one front wheel straightened and refurbished as I needed to replace a tyre for the MOT. Will do the other ones when they need tyres (which isn't far off TBH), but they do look a bit tatty in comparison now!!
Just need to adjust the handbrake and then it'll be MOT time...
Moog GTO drop links look suitably beefy.
Also had one front wheel straightened and refurbished as I needed to replace a tyre for the MOT. Will do the other ones when they need tyres (which isn't far off TBH), but they do look a bit tatty in comparison now!!
Just need to adjust the handbrake and then it'll be MOT time...
Edited by 99t on Friday 9th May 21:32
The last few journeys have been even more enjoyable than usual, given my main objective was to finish off the barely legal rear tyres in style!!
Job done
the rear wheels duly went off for stripping and powder coating and new tyres were ordered from t'internet.
My choice of tyre may be controversial.
To be honest they aren't a tyre I would normally have chosen, BUT they are what have been on the back of Mille since I swapped them from the front after the first week of ownership and I have never once found them to be lacking in any conditions.
And at £108 for a pair including delivery from Germany I simply struggled to justify spending more.
Note that I wouldn't put them on the front though. The reason for swapping them to the rear in the first place was severe outer shoulder wear, so they appear to struggle with the loads imposed by the Monaro's front end. Once moved to the rear the remaining tread has worn evenly.
One wheel left to refurb - can you tell which one?? Actually the pic is very flattering, it's in awful condition!!
Job done
the rear wheels duly went off for stripping and powder coating and new tyres were ordered from t'internet.My choice of tyre may be controversial.
To be honest they aren't a tyre I would normally have chosen, BUT they are what have been on the back of Mille since I swapped them from the front after the first week of ownership and I have never once found them to be lacking in any conditions.
And at £108 for a pair including delivery from Germany I simply struggled to justify spending more.
Note that I wouldn't put them on the front though. The reason for swapping them to the rear in the first place was severe outer shoulder wear, so they appear to struggle with the loads imposed by the Monaro's front end. Once moved to the rear the remaining tread has worn evenly.
One wheel left to refurb - can you tell which one?? Actually the pic is very flattering, it's in awful condition!!
Interesting note about the tyres. Without wanting to start a whole "budget tyres" sub-thread, I did find with my Monaro VXR that when I changed the tyres away from OEM (and I really can't remember what I went for now; possibly Proxes based on happy experiences on another car), it distinctly fubared the ride and handling. In the far recesses of my memory, ISTR it was related to the sidewall loading. Hopefully yours will be OK, sounds like you have been running these without incident anyway.
CAPP0 said:
Interesting note about the tyres. Without wanting to start a whole "budget tyres" sub-thread, I did find with my Monaro VXR that when I changed the tyres away from OEM (and I really can't remember what I went for now; possibly Proxes based on happy experiences on another car), it distinctly fubared the ride and handling. In the far recesses of my memory, ISTR it was related to the sidewall loading. Hopefully yours will be OK, sounds like you have been running these without incident anyway.
Tyres can make a very big diffrence on a Monaro from to Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff