Day 22 – 22/2/11 Jacks back

My third replacement jack for the engine crane arrived today and as soon as I got home I was in the garage setting the jack in place. I crossed my fingers and started pumping.....Yup there she rises! I hooked up the engine and yup! It lifted, let’s hope it stays that way.

Now everything is in the garage for the first time in weeks I can start breaking the major components down for restoration. I was like a dog with two tails I didn’t know what to start on first.  I decided after having numerous corrosion related problems with the back end of the donor car I decided to make a start on with the rear sub-frame assembly.

First was the off side Brake splash guard.  The near side had already been ripped off by a previous owner and the remaining guard was so rotten I put my finger through it.  It wasn’t bolted to the hub assembly it was spot welded.  I ripped it off with a screwdriver.  It literally disintegrated.

 

I cracked the two nuts holding the rear of the differential to the sub frame one nut loosened and the other loosened the shaft inside the diff.  Then I went to work on the Diff nose mount cracking the nuts under on the underside and then the bolts on the side. The bottom plate came free and the whole nose mount came away. Not sure what I do about the taking off the bottom plate on the Nose mount.  The nuts are well rusted I might do better cleaning as much and painting over them.

I was then able to undo the suspension arms on both sides of the diff and with that the sub frame was free.  The rear hubs now need the arms removing.  First the trailing arms and then the arms lower arms.  I was looking at the rubber washer/grommet that were used to fix the sub-frame to the car.  The washers may brush up but the rubber grommets were perished and I’m not sure I can use them again.

I cracked the suspension arm bolts and eventually freed them from the hubs. The next problem was the handbrake cables and ABS sensor cabling.  They were attached to the trailing arms and arm mounts with corroded brackets and bolts.  I managed to get the fixings off the trailing arm but the mounting bracket will need some extra attention.

 

Looking at the suspension arm bushes I noted some were fine and would handle a bit of cleaning.  But others were showing their age.  I think basically they are all within tolerance since that the donor passed its MOT in October and there is no movement in them.  However how much life there is left in the shabbier bushes is another question.

I think I will need to have a quick word with Graham.  A brief look on t’internet told me full set of poly bushes will set me back £400 online and then there will be the trouble of removing the old bushes and fitting the new ones, some of which may require a press.

The majority of the rear sub parts separated, except for the hubs and diff, I took one of the trailing arms and cleaned it up with a wire brush head on an angle grinder and then coated it in rust remover gel to see how it comes out.