Practically Classics Forum

So... today's attempts: Spent a while trying to get the ball joint out "properly", using tips from Triumph dude mentioned above. Didn't work. Cheated and took it out by using the bolts. Can't get the one attached to what I think is the track rod end off at all.
So. Before work started:

One hour later:

So I gave in and tried cooking instead....


Also bought some shock and unlock freeze style stuff, as I can't convince dad not to buy WD40 - even after reading him these things and a Triumph guy from the club explaining why it wasn't much good on stuck bolts

If it's the ball joint on the track rod end (ie the one from the steering rack), the "bolt" will be tapered and won't just pull out. There are two "easy" methods, but beware, both may damage the rubber boot.

1/ Put large hammer on one side of the housing on the arm and get a second hammer, knock seven bells out of the joint! This shocks the pin out of the hole. It sounds crude, but it usually works for me (with practice, you can avoid damaging the rubber!)

2/ Get a good ball joint seperator. The small ones with a bolt sticking out of the bottom of a "tube" are OK. Again, the secret is to tighten the bolt up to the thread on the ball joint and then hit the bolt with a hammer - sharp wacks rather than gentle taps! Don't tighten the seperator's bolt as far as you can - some "DIY expert" borrowed one from me and did that - I was left with some scrap metal and a bent bolt!

With either method, make sure you leave the nut on the ball joint - with some gap between nut and housing - otherwise the track rod will fly around in a spectacular manner (dangerous in confined spaces!). It also saves the thread from damage if using the seperator.

You will probably find a "Power Bar" a better alternative to a ratchet for really tight bolts - a nice 500mm long swivel bar (the Halford's one is good!) will move a lot of tight bolts - I have many on the tractors that need it!

So; Trunnion Dissembling:
First I thought it was far more difficult than I expected. Then I realised I was simply hammering the concrete floor away from underneath

So moving onto a plank of wood I dissembled it; cleaned it out and it's now drying ready to be rebuilt. Any ideas on what grease I should use?

Aa

NEVER use grease in these trunnions, they must be lubricated by straight, heavy oil such as 140 weight, though with the newer trunnion kits that use something other than brass, you'd be fine with EP90.

The last Reliant Rebel I had was treated by its previous keeper to grease in the trunnions and the end of the o/s vertical link simply sheared clean through as I turned in to the drive one day. It had seized solid. Fortunately, this usually happens at slow speeds but don't take the risk.

This thread, from the TDC board, shows only too graphically why grease is a big no-no.

Ooof! I meant for the bushes; I've seen enough scary pictures to use heavy oil in the trunnion itself!

Phew, that's ok then. Don't use a lubricant on the bushes though, the rubber won't like it.
A little copper grease on the bolt shanks before you pop them through the steel sleeves is good for future dismantling purposes.

Ooo! Another thing; that's Howard's Spitfire; he lives opposite dad's flat!

Yep, small world, isn't it.

So; front anti-roll bar is off and is sitting in a bucket of Rust-Killing-Solution that I got at a 99p store ( ). Front wheel bearings coming along nicely now; just need to get the races out. Bought some red paint from my local-but-soon-to-be-closed Motor Factors; £2 a can you can't go wrong; especially when he matched the paint so well! I'll be back there tomorrow to grab the rest of his stock! Wheel arch is shite; to put it bluntly; the fillers just been slammed over rust and crapply painted. Filler has it's place; BUT WHY DIDN'T THEY SORT THE RUST FIRST?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Grrrr.
Worse because I know this is a NOS rear wing that was fitted in 1994. And you can't get NOS wings anymore. Still; rather happy with my masking job at the back; I don't want amazing paint; but I want something to keep out the rust for a couple of years (spot the rusty spots where the previous owner didn't put rubber washers to prevent rubbing against the bumper mounting points. Actually; it probably wasn't him; I bet it was his local garage. I bet they bodged the exhaust too. But nevermind.)

My mate James popped round (well I say popped round; technically I drove round to his then did a "road-trip" to Petersfield; Guildford then Haslemere to pick up car parts then back to my house; but whatever ) and we masked up the car (masking tape from the Chi pound store) and set about it with rust-killing stuff (pound store stuff is rubbish and I'm glad I only bought one packet). Cleaned up the anti-roll bar and painted it (Thank you James) then visited my local independent Volvo specialist to borrow a press to finish off the trunnion. Being the amazing bloke he is he popped it in in about a minute and then talked cars for about ten, showed off his 591bhp Volvo (that's now in print) and told me I had to visit him with a working Spit asap. (Bringing the list of people I need to visit to show off my car to to about one hundred!). Discovered that the drill has a grinding attachment and did a bit of grinding at the rear of the Spit; and hit the bearings a bit. Won't budge.
Pictures:





















Aaron
P.S: What should I do with the pictures scratches? Stopper or filler?