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OKR
Jul 18, 2021 2:38:38 GMT
Post by 1800heap on Jul 18, 2021 2:38:38 GMT
Made a start on the rear arm. Pulled it apart and did some sand blasting. The sand blaster is very very messy but the results are worth it. It is way quicker than any other method I have used. I cut a little more out too. This is a bit of a weak area I believe and the piece had some holes in it, so out it came rather than try to repair it. I am going to make the strengthener it a little larger I think and tuck it under the cross member for the aluminium section, top left of the picture. I will release the two little flaps and tuck it under there plus go up a little higher over the spot welded join. probably end up finishing where the left edge of the picture finishes. So a bigger one of these. Nick
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OKR
Jul 18, 2021 14:44:43 GMT
Post by andrewa on Jul 18, 2021 14:44:43 GMT
We're sweltering in 27 degree heat so I thought I'd come into the shade to check on your progress! Can't go out as charming individual has parked their 30 ft motorhome across our drive (it's basically a one and a half car width lane) - while they go to the beach. It's gone mad down here (South Coast) and look's like it'll continue like this until we either lockdown again or - hopefully - get the usual British summer of lots of rain. According to the media here Aus is overrun with mice and living with snap lockdowns so I understand why you're making such good progress. If you car's going to be a daily driver I imagine aircon will be on the list at some point - apart from the classic mini's that went to Japan with aircon I don't know where you'd start - although I recollect Vintage Air do a "one size might fit all with a helluva lot of work" kit. Cheers for now Andrew
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OKR
Jul 19, 2021 2:49:02 GMT
Post by 1800heap on Jul 19, 2021 2:49:02 GMT
Hi Andrew Its funny how your perspective changes in a hotter country. 27 degrees is a nice sunny winter day here! I am the opposite now and I am shivering when it is 16 degrees these days . That's funny about the mice story, I have not seen that on the news but my wife was at work and was surprised to see a mouse looking at her the other day. Maybe it is true! We have a cat who is a keen hunter and mice do not last long at our house if they show up. You are quite correct about the aircon it is indeed in the pipeline. In fact I have already done several mods to help with the install. I will be using an electric compressor and 120 amp alternator will have to be squeezed in. It will be tight in the engine bay but I think I can make it all fit. Nick We're sweltering in 27 degree heat so I thought I'd come into the shade to check on your progress! Can't go out as charming individual has parked their 30 ft motorhome across our drive (it's basically a one and a half car width lane) - while they go to the beach. It's gone mad down here (South Coast) and look's like it'll continue like this until we either lockdown again or - hopefully - get the usual British summer of lots of rain. According to the media here Aus is overrun with mice and living with snap lockdowns so I understand why you're making such good progress. If you car's going to be a daily driver I imagine aircon will be on the list at some point - apart from the classic mini's that went to Japan with aircon I don't know where you'd start - although I recollect Vintage Air do a "one size might fit all with a helluva lot of work" kit. Cheers for now Andrew
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OKR
Aug 1, 2021 0:18:59 GMT
Post by 1800heap on Aug 1, 2021 0:18:59 GMT
Cut out some more as it was all a bit thin and getting in the way of the fit of new section. Plus I can now get to the inside to clean out the surface rust with the sand blaster. As I said before I decided to make a larger gusset plate to strengthen the area a bit. I decided to tack the cuts in the repair section as it didn't want to hold its shape. Bit too much flex in it. I want to weld the cuts up in the inside using the copper trick from Chris, which I can't do with it attached to the car. I figured it would be a bad idea to do it without setting the proper shape exactly first. I don't want to have to make another one! Before I attach it to the car I am going to check the clearance with the displacer housing as the Ute rears only just fit in the bulge and the join of my repair may protrude a bit. Now you can see what I wanted with the strengthening gusset tucked under the cross member. Nick
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OKR
Aug 1, 2021 1:50:11 GMT
Post by 1800heap on Aug 1, 2021 1:50:11 GMT
The rear arm has now been sand blasted and I made a tool to help get the new Slipflex DX back in straight. Only one chance to get it right so not risking it with this rather rare new one! You can't see in the picture but the large round washer is welded to the long hex nut after being carefully centered. The washer fits exactly in the arm and holds the threaded rod in the center to make sure the first rubber bush goes in straight. Here I am pulling in only one side with the pivot pin over the threaded rod and the second bush not present. The big washer and hex nut is where the second bush would be at the back where you can't see it. Unfortunately I neglected to take a photo of that side! This is the first side in. I found the instructions for setting the position by measuring the increase in the bulge in the rubber impossible. I tightened the puller until the rubber touched the radius arm surface then released the pressure. After releasing the pressure I found the bush moved back and there was a small gap. The bulge measuring is supposed to allow you to set this position correctly and seat the bush in the right place. The bush was not seated properly in other words at this point but I was taking it slow. I re tighten a little more and released again. After a couple of tries I got it so seat. Really I guessed it! This is an important thing to not over or under do though and is why the book indicates measuring is required. The slipflex joint can be ruined if this step does not go right for you! Bit by bit is the key. The completed slipflex could end up too tight or loose and a torque test is supposed to be done at the end to check this. The second side is not so easy to do because the pivot pin hits the thrust washer and you can't get any more pressure on the bush to push it all the way in! You must use a suitably sized washer in place of the thrust washer set so you don't distort the rubber. It must fit over the pivot pin as the bush nears being seated unlike the thrust washer which is stepped and does not. Also I forgot to mention about putting a little rubber grease on to help get the bush in! Hopefully here you can see what I mean. The bearing surface fits over the pivot pin and the thrust washer does not because the hole is smaller. Take these out and use something of a similar size to the bearing surface piece (top in pic below) so that the bush can be pushed in that final amount to get it to seat. The bush will then spring back at which point you can put the washers back, bolt it up and check the torque. This is as far as it gets without the extra push. With a bit of care at this critical point I managed to get the bush pushed in enough to where I was happy with the torque required to move it. See WM. Note that it is not easy, if not impossible to push the bush back if you go too far! The book suggest to swage the washer on then check the torque. I did not swage the joint to finish it. This is against the advice of the WM and I am not suggesting anybody should follow me in this. My justification to myself is this. Swaging prevents the pivot being removed if you want to re grease at any point or need to push the bush in fractionally more to get the correct torque. As the bushes are so rare I am departing from the manual at this point. My advice is swage it to finish it AFTER you are happy with the torque setting! Because my joint will not be swaged it will be difficult to fit the radius arm into the displacer carrier. The preload on the joint is maintained by the swage when it is not fitted to the carrier. The slipflex is a bit wider without the swage but once bolted in the preload/width is normal and provided by the bolt so I am happy with this. Nick
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OKR
Aug 2, 2021 10:45:34 GMT
Post by Penguin45 on Aug 2, 2021 10:45:34 GMT
Fascinating insight, Nick. Thanks for posting.
So, there's an outer sleeve with the bearing shells in, then a centre tube running against them, then the 5/8" bolt goes down that?
Chris.
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OKR
Aug 2, 2021 13:30:40 GMT
Post by dave1800 on Aug 2, 2021 13:30:40 GMT
You are brave and skillful Nick! Back in the 1970s my crab was my daily driver and when a rear slipflex failed I chickened out and took it to the local BMC/BL agent who quoted me around the same price as the bearing to fit it. I couldn't risk not having the car on the road. The bearings were quite expensive parts back then. Despite assuring me they had the correct tools they managed to screw it up and had to fit another so I think I made the right decision. Well done!
David
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OKR
Aug 2, 2021 22:56:58 GMT
Post by 1800heap on Aug 2, 2021 22:56:58 GMT
Hi Chris. Yes correct. The rubber part of the bush has a metal sleeve molded in it, then there is a bearing shell pressed into that. That bearing shell consists of a metal outer and a plastic liner which is the yellow bit you can see. Then the center pivot tube goes in that. The bolt then fits through the pivot tube. Eventually the center tube has two thrust washers swaged to it either side but before you do the installation swage only one is attached. The pivot pin is seen here removed from the joint. This is the main advantage of not swaging one side. You can get it apart again! Outer thrust washer removed. Swaged side. Not swaged side. So you can see that the outer thrust washer sits on a step on the pivot pin and the swage just holds the thrust washer on to the pivot pin. The thing is when you put in the bolt and tighten it the washer is pressed firmly to the step anyway by the bolt! The bolt provides the thrust really when fitted to the carrier not the swage. The swage would be too week, all it does to my mind is maintain the thrust while the arm is removed from the car and helps you install it in the carrier. Like I said follow the WM except use the bolt tightened in to set up the thrust and then test the torque. Once you are happy it is OK then swage! Once swaged there is no opportunity to adjust it again. Just to clarify there are two parts to the thrust arrangement. The inner washer with the yellow plastic surface and the outer washer that swages to the pivot pin. This can be seen clearly in the first picture above. Here you can see the bush on this side with no thrust washers fitted. You can make out the bearing shell and plastic liner. The metal liner bonded to the rubber part is not so easy to see. This is the other side of the arm which still has the inner thrust washer fitted in place. The second of the two bushes one each side. You can see inside the gap between the two bushes. That gap is what you are trying to get right when fitting the unit. A very rare part indeed though! Nick Fascinating insight, Nick. Thanks for posting. So, there's an outer sleeve with the bearing shells in, then a centre tube running against them, then the 5/8" bolt goes down that? Chris.
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OKR
Aug 2, 2021 23:04:40 GMT
Post by 1800heap on Aug 2, 2021 23:04:40 GMT
Hi David Not sure about brave and skillful! I would probably have done the same as you if there were any such service department left to fit it for me! Sadly I am it! Nick You are brave and skillful Nick! Back in the 1970s my crab was my daily driver and when a rear slipflex failed I chickened out and took it to the local BMC/BL agent who quoted me around the same price as the bearing to fit it. I couldn't risk not having the car on the road. The bearings were quite expensive parts back then. Despite assuring me they had the correct tools they managed to screw it up and had to fit another so I think I made the right decision. Well done! David
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OKR
Aug 18, 2021 7:42:03 GMT
Post by 1800heap on Aug 18, 2021 7:42:03 GMT
The rusty section is starting to come together now. It took quite a bit of tinkering, welding and grinding but I got a fit that I was happy with with the main section. I didn't like my chances of welding along the top edge so had a play to try to get a good spot weld on a cut out section. After a bit of a fiddle with settings on the welder I found I could get a reasonable spot weld on the scrap bit. I thought it better to punch the holes for the spot welds first rather than drill them as the metal on the car is quite thin. The inside shows where I have welded all the cuts used to help form the shape. On reflection I made quite a bit of work for myself putting in so many cuts! The flame proof paint makes it look a but rougher than it actually is. A few pics of the other sections getting put back in. Nice thick bits for extra strength. This photo is from today where I have started to weld in the main section. Its nice and solid even though I have only done about half the welding. Last bit to go in is the plate for the boot floor that the Aeon bump stops contact, which will be well and truly welding in. Should be nice and strong attached to the extra long plate I put in. Nick
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OKR
Aug 18, 2021 17:06:36 GMT
Post by Penguin45 on Aug 18, 2021 17:06:36 GMT
Looking like a good solid job. As for the "rough" bit, what the eye doesn't see etc.
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OKR
Aug 18, 2021 22:44:47 GMT
via mobile
Post by 1800heap on Aug 18, 2021 22:44:47 GMT
I am being a bit fussy considering where the repair is yes! I suppose I am making up for the filler and rivet jobs I did the first time round! How are you going Chris? Nick Looking like a good solid job. As for the "rough" bit, what the eye doesn't see etc.
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OKR
Sept 2, 2021 5:55:53 GMT
Post by 1800heap on Sept 2, 2021 5:55:53 GMT
Once I had the main section welded in while in the area with the fuel tank removed thought I would put in a reinforcing plate ready for Aeon's. These are normally bolted as Chris has shown but I want a bit of a stronger section so have welded them in instead. Spots to the boot floor from inside the boot to make sure! One of the spots may not have very good penetration looking at the bottom as there is no mark on the gal but its not like I need it Finished with a small gusset to the fuel tank flange that should have been there but disappeared on a previous repair. Slightly excessive welding but it won't be falling off in a hurry! Sealed in to stop water getting under the plate. Once I am done in the area it will get a good coat of under seal. I have also attacked another area which needs to be fixed along with the back end of the sill. I was going to fix the other displacer housing attachments without too much cutting. You would think a fellow would learn to have a good look at these things first! I am going to have to hack it out to get behind and fix it properly as I am not happy with just an external repair. Nick
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OKR
Sept 2, 2021 8:09:11 GMT
Post by andrewa on Sept 2, 2021 8:09:11 GMT
Ah Nick this takes me back....I went completely overboard with the re-enforcing in the boot and added some box section as well! This was after reading about some fellow who rallied his car and the bump stops did punch through the floor...this was off road, airborne many times hard landings etc. Those corrugations you have over there can be pretty punishing though! Off to Scotland and Northern Ireland for a drive around - was supposed to be going in Bristol but it's still in hospital - delay is mainly the time it takes to get some parts and workload of engineering shops and similar - all very busy down here. Cheers for now Andrew
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OKR
Sept 2, 2021 23:16:07 GMT
Post by 1800heap on Sept 2, 2021 23:16:07 GMT
Hi Andrew Shame you can't take the Bristol for a run. Sounds like an interesting trip. I was tempted to put something in the boot for a bit extra support but I am not going to use the car for anything too drastic. I would hate to smash it up. I was thinking about some of the poor roads we have here though like you said, especially if you get a bit off the beaten track! I probably will go nuts on the Oz car I have but that is a project that is not going to happen any time soon! If I am lucky I will get to it while petrol is still readily available . Bit of a problem with the Oz car is the asbestos I suspect is has in the roof liner. I have a nasty feeling the insulation is asbestos which will be a very expensive exercise to get rid of. I am not game at the moment to have it tested so it is being left well alone! Chopped out the mounting. After a good old poke around I found rust here which I didn't notice before. The rust was under the doubled section where the bracket attaches and the bracket needed some work too. Plus there is a strengthener in the floor section that needed repair. All in all a bit hard to do without removing the whole piece. This picture is inside the car in the foot well looking at the back seat base. It actually came out without that much effort which tells me it was not well attached so I am glad I decided to go for it. Yep bit nasty behind! The bracket is just good enough to save with a bit of work on the thinner sections. It is a nasty shape to make so I will weld in some new metal to repair the bracket from the inside. The cardboard section then fills in the hole. I didn't take a picture with just the cardboard in place but it replaces some of the floor section and will be welded both sides. It also helps join the inner sill original section with the new bit. As you can see circled the two sections are not strongly connected which was hidden by the bracket. I will put some welds in then the new bit will go over the top as an extra.
Nick
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