bkrantz
Aug 27 2020, 07:28 PM
Success! Too bad I can't upload a video, showing the balance wheel turning back and forth, the the movement ticking along. The "glass" needs a little cleanup and maybe some polish.
bkrantz
Aug 27 2020, 07:31 PM
I also made a trip out, first to the powder coat shop to collect the trailing arms, redone so the bearing cavity is properly bare. Any suggestions for metal treatment before pressing the new bearings in?
bkrantz
Aug 27 2020, 07:37 PM
And then a stop at the body shop. Unfortunately, no progress since last week.
bbrock
Aug 27 2020, 07:41 PM
QUOTE(bkrantz @ Aug 27 2020, 07:28 PM)
Success! Too bad I can't upload a video, showing the balance wheel turning back and forth, the the movement ticking along. The "glass" needs a little cleanup and maybe some polish.
Can't remember if I read it in that article, but somewhere I read that the overload typically occurs when the original lubricant gets thick and waxy. Every time you hear that clock softly rewind itself, you will feel a wave of satisfaction now.
On my trailing arms, I just smeared a very thin film of grease to help the new bearings slide in and called it good. Not sure if that was smart or not.
bkrantz
Aug 28 2020, 08:01 PM
A bit more suspension work today. I cleaned up the axles for the trailing arms. Sorry, I did not get a before picture, but there was a bit of rubber crud stuck on the sections where the old bushings were.
This is after a bit of work with the wire brush, and some 800 grit emery paper.
bkrantz
Aug 28 2020, 08:03 PM
I found a bit of pitting on one end of each axle--not sure if the inboard or outboard end.
bkrantz
Aug 28 2020, 08:05 PM
Next up, the steering rack.
bkrantz
Aug 28 2020, 08:08 PM
I felt quite a bit of play in the rubber coupling.
bkrantz
Aug 28 2020, 08:10 PM
Here's the problem: the holes in the coupler are just a bit larger than the bushings.
bkrantz
Aug 28 2020, 08:15 PM
I was able to loosen the lock rings/bellow supports, but one eye-bolt did not want to budge. It took quite a bit of leverage, with a wrench on the flats of the rack and the eye-bolt in the vise.
bkrantz
Aug 28 2020, 08:17 PM
The rack itself seems solid, with just a tiny perceptible play.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:23 PM
Today, I tackled the rack disassembly. After a visit to the parts washer, it looked a bit cleaner.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:24 PM
First, I removed the the compression cover and parts (compression piston, spring, and shims). Sorry I did not get photos.
Next was the pinion retaining nut and input yoke. Mine came off with strong finger pull.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:26 PM
Here's the pinion shaft seal in place.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:27 PM
I tried to remove this intact, but no dice.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:28 PM
Then I found the retaining ring for the upper pinion shaft shims and bearing.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:28 PM
No problem with snap ring pliers.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:30 PM
I then pried out the pinion shaft. Although even the factory manual suggests prying against the housing flange, I would rather pry against something disposable.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:31 PM
The pinion shaft came out with good news: still lots of viscous grease, and no sign of contamination or drying out.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:33 PM
With the pinion removed, the rack shaft slid out. It also looks in good shape.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:40 PM
I also pressed the old bushings out of the eye bolts.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:41 PM
Easy-peasy with the press. Ready for the replacement bushing kit!
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:43 PM
I also took on the mangled retaining ring/bellows support. Not sure how the PO did this.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:43 PM
Anyway, 5 minutes later.
bkrantz
Aug 30 2020, 07:45 PM
The last thing I did was make some paper templates for the center console pieces. I will probably have these recovered (after I repair the PO speaker holes), and I want to know where the screw holes are.
bkrantz
Aug 31 2020, 06:35 PM
Besides all the garage work, and sending things out for various services, I am also deep into the hunt for replacement parts, both new and used.
Here's a replacement for the throttle crank arm, and the push-rod that was bent on my car.
bkrantz
Aug 31 2020, 06:38 PM
I tried mounting some bushings today, starting with the A-arms. My first attempt involved my bench-top press, and supporting the rear end of the arm with a sketchy arrangement of blocks.
bkrantz
Aug 31 2020, 06:40 PM
Then a bit of garage cooking to soften up the bushings (and heat up the metal parts). Note to married guys: using the camping gear avoids any evil looks in the kitchen.
bkrantz
Aug 31 2020, 06:43 PM
Unfortunately, my first attempt failed. I ripped the inner edge of the bushing (I think the installation tools closed on each other). And my sketchy press support started to bend the flange on the A-arm. Time to think about plan B.
bkrantz
Sep 1 2020, 07:35 PM
Waiting for more stuff before playing with bushings, so I cleaned up the pedal cluster. Happily, almost no corrosion.
bkrantz
Sep 1 2020, 07:36 PM
And some PO already installed bronze bushings.
bkrantz
Sep 1 2020, 07:39 PM
I pondered using the pedals as they are, but..nah, more stuff for powder coating.
bkrantz
Sep 4 2020, 08:08 PM
Back in town, and a bit of time to kill--and new toys to try out. To repair threads on one eye bolt, I ordered a 16 x 1.5 metric die. Fortunately, only the first two rounds of threads are messed up at all.
bkrantz
Sep 4 2020, 08:09 PM
Very quick and easy to cut out any distortion that was binding.
bkrantz
Sep 4 2020, 08:10 PM
Fixed (enough).
bkrantz
Sep 4 2020, 08:11 PM
Then I used my new 16 x 1.5 tap, to dress the threaded hole in the rack.
bkrantz
Sep 4 2020, 08:12 PM
Again, very easy with only very minor torque necessary to bottom out the tap.
bkrantz
Sep 4 2020, 08:12 PM
Mission accomplished. The eye bolt now threads smoothly into the rack.
bkrantz
Sep 5 2020, 07:37 PM
I started working on the trailing arms today, with the pivot bushings.
bkrantz
Sep 5 2020, 07:39 PM
I pushed a bushing onto one end of the pivot.
bkrantz
Sep 5 2020, 07:40 PM
And then pushed both into the trailing arm.
bkrantz
Sep 5 2020, 07:41 PM
That left the other end needing a bushing.
bkrantz
Sep 5 2020, 07:41 PM
So, add some liquid soap...
bkrantz
Sep 5 2020, 07:42 PM
...and shove the bushing in by hand as far as possible...
bkrantz
Sep 5 2020, 07:43 PM
...and finish with the press.
bkrantz
Sep 5 2020, 07:44 PM
All done.
bkrantz
Sep 5 2020, 07:45 PM
I also took apart the tie rods. More to do on these.
djway
Sep 5 2020, 10:57 PM
Some things in life are just more pressing than others
Looking good.
bkrantz
Sep 6 2020, 07:31 PM
QUOTE(djway @ Sep 5 2020, 10:57 PM)
Some things in life are just more pressing than others
Looking good.
Indeed. And some presses are more than others (stay tuned).
bkrantz
Sep 6 2020, 07:35 PM
Time for some 914 wood working today.
Some audiophile PO cut holes in the center console for extra speakers. Because.
Anyway, I want to rescue the console, and started today by filling the holes. I ordered some 9mm plywood. It almost matches the console ply, just a little bit thicker.
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