Step by Step Roto Flex replacement guide???
Discussion
Hi,
Right I think am going to replace the Roto Flex rather than change to Swing Spring, however as a cash straped 20 year old student I can not afford the £600 bill from a Triumph specialist.
Can it be done in ones own garage?
Is there a Step by Step guide anywhere?
I think the rear trunions are seized, is this an easy job to fix?
I live near Perth in Scotland is does anyone on the board live nearby as I would be prepared to pay them if they would give me a hand with it.
Thanks William
Right I think am going to replace the Roto Flex rather than change to Swing Spring, however as a cash straped 20 year old student I can not afford the £600 bill from a Triumph specialist.
Can it be done in ones own garage?
Is there a Step by Step guide anywhere?
I think the rear trunions are seized, is this an easy job to fix?
I live near Perth in Scotland is does anyone on the board live nearby as I would be prepared to pay them if they would give me a hand with it.
Thanks William
Hi William
I changed a rotoflex on my Vitesse early this year, and with one or two special tools it is was quite easy. You would be best getting the Vitesse MK2/GT6 workshop manual as it covers the steps clearly. The first special tool you need is a “spring lifter”, the details of how to make one are in the manual, I borrowed one from my local TSSC branch. It is basic a bar which hooks over the spring to hold it up.
Notes about removing the suspension.
1)Jack up the car so that both rear wheels are off the ground, use stands, block the front wheels etc. to make sure that it can't move.
2)Unbolt the drive flange from the diff (4 nuts and bolts)
3)Loosen the upright to spring bolt, the upright to radius arm bolt, and the inner wishbone to chassis bolt.
4)The six bolts on the rotoflex were very tight and I used a long spanner and a jack to loosen them all a few turns. I used the handbrake to stop the drive shaft turning.
5)Disconnect the brake pipe from the wheel cylinder, and the handbrake cable.
6)Fit the spring lifter and jack up the car (making sure it can't move see step 1). I then put the spare wheel upright under the end of the sprint lifter and lowed the car so that it was taking the full weight of the corner. This is quite stable, but don't get too far under the car. This is the reason for loosen all the bolts first.
7)Remove the damper and the radius arm from the upright.
8)Remove the inner wishbone to chassis bolt and then support the upright with a jack before removing the upright to spring bolt. The upright, lower wishbone and drive shaft can then be pulled out, but it is a lot heaver then it looks.
All that took about 4-5 hours and it was the first time I had done it. There is not much space to use a socket set, and I could only get a bit of a turn on each bolt with a spanner so undoing the nuts and bolts was slow. I brought new bushes, but found that it came apart without damaging any of the original ones.
The next stage is to remove the rotoflex from the drive shaft and replace it with a new one. This requires that the outer drive shaft is removed from the hub, but I could not do this with a normal hub puller. The 2nd special tool you need is the correct hub puller. I ended up taking the whole lot to a triumph specialist who fitted the rotoflex and replaced the hub for about 40 quid.
As usual refitting is the reverse of removing, but the following notes should help.
When refitting the rotoflex, only do the six bolts up a few turns, and do not remove the metal band yet.
I used a jack under the wishbone to line up the holes for the wishbone to chassis bolt.
Tighten up the mounting bolts with the spring lifter still fitted so that the weight of the car is on the suspension. Then bolt the flange to the diff before removing the band from the rotoflex and tightening up the six bolts to the drive shafts.
If you tighten up the rotoflex bolts to start with you will be fighting the rotoflex to get the lower wishbone bolt in.
Again putting it back took 4-5 hours, but I had to wait a week for the hub to be removed and refitted by someone else. If I had the correct hub puller it would have been a long day to do one side.
It would be useful to join the TSSC (Triumph Sports Six Club) as they cover Vitesse based kit cars. You may also be able to find some one to help in person as I'm way down south.
Carl
I changed a rotoflex on my Vitesse early this year, and with one or two special tools it is was quite easy. You would be best getting the Vitesse MK2/GT6 workshop manual as it covers the steps clearly. The first special tool you need is a “spring lifter”, the details of how to make one are in the manual, I borrowed one from my local TSSC branch. It is basic a bar which hooks over the spring to hold it up.
Notes about removing the suspension.
1)Jack up the car so that both rear wheels are off the ground, use stands, block the front wheels etc. to make sure that it can't move.
2)Unbolt the drive flange from the diff (4 nuts and bolts)
3)Loosen the upright to spring bolt, the upright to radius arm bolt, and the inner wishbone to chassis bolt.
4)The six bolts on the rotoflex were very tight and I used a long spanner and a jack to loosen them all a few turns. I used the handbrake to stop the drive shaft turning.
5)Disconnect the brake pipe from the wheel cylinder, and the handbrake cable.
6)Fit the spring lifter and jack up the car (making sure it can't move see step 1). I then put the spare wheel upright under the end of the sprint lifter and lowed the car so that it was taking the full weight of the corner. This is quite stable, but don't get too far under the car. This is the reason for loosen all the bolts first.
7)Remove the damper and the radius arm from the upright.
8)Remove the inner wishbone to chassis bolt and then support the upright with a jack before removing the upright to spring bolt. The upright, lower wishbone and drive shaft can then be pulled out, but it is a lot heaver then it looks.
All that took about 4-5 hours and it was the first time I had done it. There is not much space to use a socket set, and I could only get a bit of a turn on each bolt with a spanner so undoing the nuts and bolts was slow. I brought new bushes, but found that it came apart without damaging any of the original ones.
The next stage is to remove the rotoflex from the drive shaft and replace it with a new one. This requires that the outer drive shaft is removed from the hub, but I could not do this with a normal hub puller. The 2nd special tool you need is the correct hub puller. I ended up taking the whole lot to a triumph specialist who fitted the rotoflex and replaced the hub for about 40 quid.
As usual refitting is the reverse of removing, but the following notes should help.
When refitting the rotoflex, only do the six bolts up a few turns, and do not remove the metal band yet.
I used a jack under the wishbone to line up the holes for the wishbone to chassis bolt.
Tighten up the mounting bolts with the spring lifter still fitted so that the weight of the car is on the suspension. Then bolt the flange to the diff before removing the band from the rotoflex and tightening up the six bolts to the drive shafts.
If you tighten up the rotoflex bolts to start with you will be fighting the rotoflex to get the lower wishbone bolt in.
Again putting it back took 4-5 hours, but I had to wait a week for the hub to be removed and refitted by someone else. If I had the correct hub puller it would have been a long day to do one side.
It would be useful to join the TSSC (Triumph Sports Six Club) as they cover Vitesse based kit cars. You may also be able to find some one to help in person as I'm way down south.
Carl
Hi Carl,
Thanks for your reply. Is the manual the Haynes one or the TRIUMPH GT6 MK 1/2/3 + VITESSE 2 LTR WORKSHOP MANUAL ( The latter is on Ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=27383&item=2488087647&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW )
Does this give a step by step picture guide?
Thanks William
Thanks for your reply. Is the manual the Haynes one or the TRIUMPH GT6 MK 1/2/3 + VITESSE 2 LTR WORKSHOP MANUAL ( The latter is on Ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=27383&item=2488087647&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW )
Does this give a step by step picture guide?
Thanks William
Hi William,
I have got the book on ebay, and also the Haynes one. I find it useful to look at both as the details are not the same between them. There are no step-by-step photo guides in the manuals, but there are clear drawings of the rear suspension and instructions in them both. If you are still not sure the best thing is to join the TSSC (Triumph Sports Six Club) and go along to one of the local meetings for some help.
Carl
I have got the book on ebay, and also the Haynes one. I find it useful to look at both as the details are not the same between them. There are no step-by-step photo guides in the manuals, but there are clear drawings of the rear suspension and instructions in them both. If you are still not sure the best thing is to join the TSSC (Triumph Sports Six Club) and go along to one of the local meetings for some help.
Carl
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