Lurk mode off - suspension refurb....
Discussion
Got the track rod ends off today - I don't have a blow torch but my daughter has a mini one for doing sugar on the top of a creme brulee (she is a chef!) - the nut was also cut with my trusty dremel and then chiseled off. Pig of a job...
Just got to do the brake lines (change them for braided).
Any tips on getting a new steering rack boot on - there must be a knack to putting one on, without having to resort to removing the steering rack!?? Any advice?
Big day tomorrow, as hope to get all the wishbones onto the car etc etc...and finish it almost....
Cheers
Nosh
Just got to do the brake lines (change them for braided).
Any tips on getting a new steering rack boot on - there must be a knack to putting one on, without having to resort to removing the steering rack!?? Any advice?
Big day tomorrow, as hope to get all the wishbones onto the car etc etc...and finish it almost....
Cheers
Nosh
Well, what a day....
Started at 08h00 with Andy the nex door neighbour (without whom I would not been able to do this, to be fair) and soon run into problems - the first being was missing bolts - or so I thought. I had got the bolt kit from Racetech and phoned a guy called Mark who has been massively helpful (as well as patient!). After he stated how many bolts I needed, I realised I actually had enough.
I had either lost some, or they were not in the kit - Mark had kindly sent some more that I would need to replace the missing ones. Stupid me, I simply had put the new bolts he sent at the beginning of the week with all the others in a jiffy bag and THEN forgot I had done that...
So, a hour or so was wasted looking for bolts I already had.
WTF???!?
Here it was mid installation, near side.
And almost there, just a couple of bolts to tighten up on the top ball joint into the top wishbone. The Cossie discs look lush as does the caliper assembly - I didn't need the spacers that came with the kit - just a 2 mm washer did the trick!
So, both sides done and some quick thinking once the showers came today.........
Both sides are done and tomorrow I will just recheck bolts and torque up where I need to.
Absolutely exhausted but really pleased with the results....
Nosh
Started at 08h00 with Andy the nex door neighbour (without whom I would not been able to do this, to be fair) and soon run into problems - the first being was missing bolts - or so I thought. I had got the bolt kit from Racetech and phoned a guy called Mark who has been massively helpful (as well as patient!). After he stated how many bolts I needed, I realised I actually had enough.
I had either lost some, or they were not in the kit - Mark had kindly sent some more that I would need to replace the missing ones. Stupid me, I simply had put the new bolts he sent at the beginning of the week with all the others in a jiffy bag and THEN forgot I had done that...
So, a hour or so was wasted looking for bolts I already had.
WTF???!?
Here it was mid installation, near side.
And almost there, just a couple of bolts to tighten up on the top ball joint into the top wishbone. The Cossie discs look lush as does the caliper assembly - I didn't need the spacers that came with the kit - just a 2 mm washer did the trick!
So, both sides done and some quick thinking once the showers came today.........
Both sides are done and tomorrow I will just recheck bolts and torque up where I need to.
Absolutely exhausted but really pleased with the results....
Nosh
portzi said:
The question is Nosh would you do it all again. You have saved quite a few quid on labour charges and VAT, would you bite the bullet and pay someone to do it in less than half the time?? By the way l totally agree its looks fantastic work you have done.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmy immediate answer is, "well, there is no need now, is there - all looking good for a few years...." - but would I tackle something this big again on my TVR?
The answer is probably yes - I could afford to have someone else do it - but I wanted to do it.
I have found a wealth a knowledge here on the PH forum - and I forgot how many times I mentioned to my neighbour, "what would you do without the internet??!!". And that is so true....
I have used Cokes' Katie rebuild as a great reference post - I found all the torque settings I needed in another helpful post.
I bought some shockers off one of the PHers here who happens to be a very nice guy, who is immensely helpful. And when he couldn't help, he put me in touch with someone else, who happens to to visiting 'Chez Nosh' on Sunday to help with brake bleeding and casting a fresh set of eyes over the latest Nosh-Labour-Effort". Fantastic stuff...
So, with such support and help, why can't you tackle these type of jobs? I also get a real sense of achievement as well - the Mrs can't see it (or understand it), but I think it was one of the main reasons I bought a TVR - and that is to work on it...
So - the answer is yes! I would do it again!
Nosh
It felt like finishing day today.....sort of...on all four wheels is a milestone me thinks........
I had done a check of the bolts I had to tighten but I had actually missed one - and only remembered just as I was lowering the car onto the ground with it wheels on (must say the refurb of the wheels looks stunning and the disc almost fills the wheel!)
The nut was on the front offside lower balljoint - which needs 88nm allegedly - so that took some graunching!
I got to see a lot of the wheels as I kept taking the driver side on and off a few times, as I noticed that the steering was way off when I got the car down - and I mean way off!! With the nearside looking balls on straight and the offside pointing off to the right!
Adjusted the track rod end and have the wheels as straight as I can get them (by eye).
Also, tackled the rear suspension again once the front was sorted and adjusted the rear near side wheel a little more centrally in the wheel arch - I remember it looking central before, so I am just trying to get it as close to 'norm' as poss. Cleaned all the copper grease fingerprints off the powdercoat as well
So......next steps will be:-
1) Flush and bleed the entire brake system - hopefully Sunday.
2) Fresh set of eyes looking over the handiwork - check of all that has been done! Again, on Sunday...
3) Install the Steve Edwards front light conversion - hopefully next weekend...
4) MOT the vehicle - (and then on the same day....)
5) Get the 4 wheel alignment / tracking sorted
6) Book in and drive over to the Chim Setup Guru (you know who he is) to get the alignment done properly.....
.......and then hope for a hot Autumn and Winter!
Nosh
I had done a check of the bolts I had to tighten but I had actually missed one - and only remembered just as I was lowering the car onto the ground with it wheels on (must say the refurb of the wheels looks stunning and the disc almost fills the wheel!)
The nut was on the front offside lower balljoint - which needs 88nm allegedly - so that took some graunching!
I got to see a lot of the wheels as I kept taking the driver side on and off a few times, as I noticed that the steering was way off when I got the car down - and I mean way off!! With the nearside looking balls on straight and the offside pointing off to the right!
Adjusted the track rod end and have the wheels as straight as I can get them (by eye).
Also, tackled the rear suspension again once the front was sorted and adjusted the rear near side wheel a little more centrally in the wheel arch - I remember it looking central before, so I am just trying to get it as close to 'norm' as poss. Cleaned all the copper grease fingerprints off the powdercoat as well
So......next steps will be:-
1) Flush and bleed the entire brake system - hopefully Sunday.
2) Fresh set of eyes looking over the handiwork - check of all that has been done!
Again, on Sunday...3) Install the Steve Edwards front light conversion - hopefully next weekend...
4) MOT the vehicle - (and then on the same day....)
5) Get the 4 wheel alignment / tracking sorted
6) Book in and drive over to the Chim Setup Guru (you know who he is) to get the alignment done properly.....
.......and then hope for a hot Autumn and Winter!
Nosh
Alex popped over today and flushed the brake system in no time! Fecking awesome - thanks matey! And the crap that came out was, well, disgusting - as well as enough air to launch a small zeppelin! Brake pedal now rock hard...awesome - great job mate and really appreciate your help and time!
Shame you and my Oculus Rift didn't get on though!
AND........hope you got home safe
Nuts and stuff checked out and Alex's keen eye spotted a few things that need (and needed) sorting - as well as giving me ideas on the next 'sensible' upgrade, which will be PAS as a winter project!
After a clean, she sits proud waiting for the headlamp cowls to be fitted - shiny shiny
Nosh
Shame you and my Oculus Rift didn't get on though!
AND........hope you got home safe
Nuts and stuff checked out and Alex's keen eye spotted a few things that need (and needed) sorting - as well as giving me ideas on the next 'sensible' upgrade, which will be PAS as a winter project!
After a clean, she sits proud waiting for the headlamp cowls to be fitted - shiny shiny
Nosh
Edited by Nosh on Sunday 6th September 16:47
over_the_hill said:
A slight thread hi-jack if I might be be so bold.
Could someone tell me what size are the two nuts and bolts that go through the top ball joint.
I was attempting to change my final shock-absorber yesterday (other 3 done OK) but the bottom bolt proved stubborn. So to try and get better access I decided to disconnect the ball joint and drop the wishbone to get better access.
Unfortunately the nuts started to round so I decided to stop there for now before doing more damage.
15mm is too small and both 16mm and 5/8 seem a bit too big and don't grip.
Although the bolts could be monkey metal or might have been butchered in a previous life as they have never been touched since I have owned the car.
thanks
Only one nut is attached to the top ballpoint - u got a pic of what you are looking at?Could someone tell me what size are the two nuts and bolts that go through the top ball joint.
I was attempting to change my final shock-absorber yesterday (other 3 done OK) but the bottom bolt proved stubborn. So to try and get better access I decided to disconnect the ball joint and drop the wishbone to get better access.
Unfortunately the nuts started to round so I decided to stop there for now before doing more damage.
15mm is too small and both 16mm and 5/8 seem a bit too big and don't grip.
Although the bolts could be monkey metal or might have been butchered in a previous life as they have never been touched since I have owned the car.
thanks
Nosh
QBee said:
Egg on face time. Popped out to the man cave to check, no 16 mm socket. 13, 14, 15, 17, 19 etc.....
Heh - this made me chuckle!Edited by QBee on Monday 7th September 19:15
I had to buy a 16mm spanner and borrowed a 16mm socket to complete the job....
Nosh
PS - my tool kit cost a lot less - best buy recently for me were these.........
So, I thought I would do a final update to the thread here....
The last step of the refurb was to get a specialist to do my 4 wheel alignment, ride height, suspension setting etc...
I took the Chim over to Mat Smith to undertake the job, as he had come highly recommended by a number of peeps here in the Chim home at PHers.
I also had issues with the clutch slipping in 4th and 5th, so thought it prudent to change the clutch as well - and not sure if it was the original - Mat agreed to undertake this work for me as there was no way I could have done this on my drive (and thanks again to all the ramp offers!!)
Dropped off the car on Wednesday morning - and then picked it up on Sat AM.
Mat did contact me on Friday evening (1830 ish) to say he couldn't start the car - but I had faith in the guy, and as I owed him a lump of dosh anyway I still made my way over to Downham Market on Sat AM.
The car was running lumpy when I dropped it off - and I hoped Mat could have a chance of at least giving me a steer what to look for first...
Arrived Saturday - car started ok in the AM after Mat found an issue with an earth (which, incidentally, I would never have found!). Paid my dosh, had a natter and then drove home.
Mat did say the alignment, steering, camber etc was crap when I delivered it to him - and not really surprising, I suppose, with the amount of work I had done - but the drive home was just unbelievable....night and day.....
The car felt planted - and as the drove more miles (and more corners) I found myself getting more feeling of the car actually doing I wanted it to do than ever before - and hey! Even the steering wheel was straight! (it wasn't when I dropped it off!). The pull from 4th and 5th was spot on - no slip!
The rough running was still there, but Mat gave me some great pointers - and on the way home, dropped into Alex's and managed to pick up some parts for the winter project (cheers matey!).
List of things to sort for the winter is thus:-
Fit new fuel pump
New Fuel filter
Fit Subaru Impreza PAS rack
So, the work I had done on the car in the past few weeks was really rewarding - the car feels completely different to drive in a very good way - and the addition of the headlight mod, refurbished wheels, new bushes all round, new balljoints (and it goes on......) and it means I have a sorted car that needs a couple of little tweaks....
And here she is
Nosh
The last step of the refurb was to get a specialist to do my 4 wheel alignment, ride height, suspension setting etc...
I took the Chim over to Mat Smith to undertake the job, as he had come highly recommended by a number of peeps here in the Chim home at PHers.
I also had issues with the clutch slipping in 4th and 5th, so thought it prudent to change the clutch as well - and not sure if it was the original - Mat agreed to undertake this work for me as there was no way I could have done this on my drive (and thanks again to all the ramp offers!!)
Dropped off the car on Wednesday morning - and then picked it up on Sat AM.
Mat did contact me on Friday evening (1830 ish) to say he couldn't start the car - but I had faith in the guy, and as I owed him a lump of dosh anyway I still made my way over to Downham Market on Sat AM.
The car was running lumpy when I dropped it off - and I hoped Mat could have a chance of at least giving me a steer what to look for first...
Arrived Saturday - car started ok in the AM after Mat found an issue with an earth (which, incidentally, I would never have found!). Paid my dosh, had a natter and then drove home.
Mat did say the alignment, steering, camber etc was crap when I delivered it to him - and not really surprising, I suppose, with the amount of work I had done - but the drive home was just unbelievable....night and day.....
The car felt planted - and as the drove more miles (and more corners) I found myself getting more feeling of the car actually doing I wanted it to do than ever before - and hey! Even the steering wheel was straight! (it wasn't when I dropped it off!). The pull from 4th and 5th was spot on - no slip!
The rough running was still there, but Mat gave me some great pointers - and on the way home, dropped into Alex's and managed to pick up some parts for the winter project (cheers matey!).
List of things to sort for the winter is thus:-
Fit new fuel pump
New Fuel filter
Fit Subaru Impreza PAS rack
So, the work I had done on the car in the past few weeks was really rewarding - the car feels completely different to drive in a very good way - and the addition of the headlight mod, refurbished wheels, new bushes all round, new balljoints (and it goes on......) and it means I have a sorted car that needs a couple of little tweaks....
And here she is
Nosh
britpower100 said:
Nosh,
Did you get the diff bushes done, got mine back on Friday apparently they are much fun to get the old ones out.
I am back in MK this friday are you about for a breakfast.
Bushes will need doing in the next 12 months, Andy so they can wait....Did you get the diff bushes done, got mine back on Friday apparently they are much fun to get the old ones out.
I am back in MK this friday are you about for a breakfast.
I will be around Saturday - always up for a visit to the SuperS
Nosh
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