Chassis cleanup and suspension re-build is underway

[M@H]

So I've been puting off the chassis cleanup for too long and thankfully a good friend of mine who is a professional mechanic has started doing work from home too so I neatly passed the job on to him to keep him busy.

What started as a "lets just brush the rust off and get some waxoyl on it" is getting a bit out of hand though.



Good news is that having had a good poke round there are no signs of any major corrosion anywhere on the fifteen year old chassis. The usual places have taken a bit of a hammering from stones etc but all in all its very very solid.

Shiny metal on the front outrigger (the blue liquid is rust converter):


Other side with primer over rust converter underway:


It made sense to take a few bits off to get to the chassis a bit better, so knowing that my lower wishbones were a bit crusty I bought a complete set of four from SC Power to go on the car. Then Leigh (mechanic friend) reported that there was some play in a couple of the balljoints and one thing lead to another so the new parts haul for the front is:

New Wishbones top and bottom
Nwe Upper Balljoints
New Lower Balljounts
New track-rod ends
New Steve Heath ARB droplinks
New Ployflex ARB Bushes
New Racing Red Monotube Shock absorbers (x4 so I have them for the back too)

Basically I'm replacing everything from the chassis mounts outwards
A bit over £1300 so far mind you !

more photos to follow.
Matt

[portzi]

looks like a good job Matt, very satisfying.

Mark

[M@H]

Thanks I have just this morning bought a set of braided brake hoses too.. must stop buying bits soon!

[Barkychoc]

While you're under there disconnect that steering UJ from the shaft (mark it first) and get a steering gaiter over it and get some grease on it to protect it. Looking good.

[M@H]

Good idea, thank you

[M@H]

Minor "useful" bit of info for you all. Those odd wishbone "long" bolts are Imperial 5" long 7/16 UNF and are available from your typical Agri store for about £1.50 each.

Cheers,
Matt.

[haircutmike]

Make sure they are high tensile steel!

I renewed all mine with a set from Steve Heath.

[graeme4130]

Looks good
I'm going to do the same over this winter.
How stable is it on just two axle stands. I only have two, so was planning on buying a couple more as I thought it would ge more stable, but looking at your pics it looks like an easier solution ?

[Ribol]

graeme4130 said:

I only have two, so was planning on buying a couple more as I thought it would ge more stable.........

Good idea

[haircutmike]

Make sure they are decent and go high enough.

Check out Machine Mart, I have 2 sets of their quick release red ones, very good!

[M@H]

These ones are pretty pricey but have plenty of height and are rated to four tonnes each, you can happily put a discovery on them.

[M@H]

haircutmike said:

Make sure they are high tensile steel!

I renewed all mine with a set from Steve Heath.

Yes they are

I looked at Steves ones when I bought droplinks from him but thankfully I have a good bolt store nearby so can get what I need a bit cheaper.

[Al 450]

Wow you are lucky to have such clearance between outrigger and the body. Mine are touching on both sides making inspection of the top impossible. I'm not sure which is normal!

[carsy]

I think both are normal from what i`ve seen and somewhere inbetween, its a TVR.

[quattrophenia]

Looks like you discovered the hydrate 80 too! It was recommended to me by a mate who use to rally lancia's years ago and he swears by it.
This all looks familiar, I did the same job last February (apart from the shockers).



very rewarding it was too.

ps - I now have heat shielding fitted over the top wishbone bushes nearest the manifolds. Looking at those manifolds, I think I have found this winters job.

Edited by quattrophenia on Thursday 15th September 19:37

[M@H]

Very smart! I hope to post some similar photos in a few days, although I'm not fitting new discs at the moment, I might just give the calipers some paint now I've seen yours

Have you seen the suggestion from Barckychoc about putting an old steering rack giater on your steering joint?

[quattrophenia]

M@H said:

Very smart! I hope to post some similar photos in a few days, although I'm not fitting new discs at the moment, I might just give the calipers some paint now I've seen yours

Have you seen the suggestion from Barckychoc about putting an old steering rack giater on your steering joint?

That sounds a good idea to keep the damp/crud out of the joint.
I did buy some new Power steering gaitors to replace the old ones whilst I had the rod ends off, but as you would have it I was sent the manual steering ones that dont fit, so out with the new and on with the old (I think thats how the saying goes in the world of TVR)!

[SILICONEKID340HP]

Don`t forget to do this ,since fitting my custom mud flaps there as not been one stone or any dirt mud etc stuck in the vulnerable area..I can lift to inspect clean etc .so happy with it did the rears

[haircutmike]

Bet you stuck that with silicon.

[M@H]

I thought about this but concluded they'd get in contact with the tyre so discounted it ! ? Can you do a full lock reverse turn ok ?