Hub Removal

[agent_zed]

yep you've got big nuts so you can cut them down and gain another 5mm movement or so. If you look in the first picture you posted you can see where the balljoint enters the dummy strut it is at an angle. Don't turn the strut (as mentioned) keep the thicker part of the angled seat towards the car. Just wind the thread in to adjust the camber.

 

Also do you have any other securing bolts? The pinch bolt is fine unless it comes loose at which point your suspension falls apart. The mcpherson on the seirra has a fin on the back through which the pinch bolt goes so even if it loosens it cannot slide out unless the bolt is completely removed. I guess you could weld a fin to the back of the dummy strut but a lot of people (including me) just put a small bolt through the side of the hub into the strut as a safety precaution.

 

hth

 

hahahah beat me too it

Edited January 29, 2010 by agent_zed

[Guest The Modfather]

Zed and Chris.

 

Thanks guys, I keep coming across things that the builder hadn't done correctly. Failing to complete the strut security as you both describe is beyond any comprehension. You state that the thicker part of the stub should be towards the body, which it clearly isn't. If this can be confirmed I'll be happy.

Did the original build manual (video, cave painting ) state that smaller nuts should be used? I will cut them done and ensure that the thicker section of the stub is towards the body. I will also drill the hub and stub and insert a securing bolt.

Should there be a castlelated nut on the track rod end, or is a Nyloc sufficient?

I think there is a nut within the stub which holds the ball joint for the top w/bone. Do I need to split this joint or will the joint simply turn?

 

Sorry to ask but not done one of these before.

 

Regards

 

Darren

[Peter Bell]

Keep the ball joint assembled to the dummy strut, but you may find, like I did that the wishbone is not tapped deep enough to screw in all the way so if you are only after a turn or two you can shorten the ball joint thread.

[Guest The Modfather]

Good idea Pete, thanks mate.

[Longboarder]

There are alternative views as with most things. The large nut round the shaft of the top balljoint is only there to stop it waggling in its thread into the upper wishbone. It can't screw out in use so making it thinner is no problem. If the shaft will not go far enough into the threaded end of the wishbone to give correct camber then the thread should be re-tapped and made deeper if needed. The outer end of this threaded part can be shortened by cutting squarely until it is possible to get correct camber. I personally would not want to shorten the shaft of the balljoint.

I haven't come across nor can remember a failure of the mushroom/dummy strut coming out of the upright clamp. There may have been but I haven't heard. Mine are quite hard to get out with the bolt slackened and the car jacked up. When loose mine tend to try to drop further in, not out. So I don't have a hole drilled through the pinch part of the carrier for a locking bolt. I have concerns that this may weaken an already stressed cast part which is subject to slightly different forces than Uncle Henry designed it for.

A new nyloc and strong threadlock should be used on the ball of the balljoint inside the mushroom. I have heard of these coming loose! They can be awkward to tighten or remove and are out of sight and can't be checked easily without part dismantling the front suspension.

These opinions are not quite the same as others earlier in the thread. Doesn't make them right or wrong although they could be either.

 

Nigel

[Guest Ian & Carole]

 

There you go Nigel and that was just after we came back from the trip to the "ring" in Germany.

 

We had just stopped for fuel South of Scotch Corner on the way to Tan Hill last August.

 

So yes they can and do fall out, mine are now secured with said nut and bolt.

[Guest The Modfather]

I managed to do the driver's side front, the one with the bad camber, and it definately did not have the fatter side of the stub closer to the body. In fact it was over a quarter turn out. I have now got it so that the fatter side is nearer the body. The stub cannot slide downward as it has a collar, which i suppose you know, so I might drill a through hole just in the stub below the hub, rather than go through both.

I'm now stuck because I don't have a 41mm socket to get the rear hub nut off

 

Bloody hell Ian, that was lucky! Did it do much damage? At least you're smiling

[Peter Bell]

Nigel, yes you are right, ideally the thread should be tapped deeper but if the thread is screwed in fully, say 1" by taking a small amount off the end and then screwing it in almost fully the engagement is the same as it was. It is hard to find the right taps too, I think it is 19 x 1.5 or 1.25?

Ian, on your car with the 'conventional' spring set up the spring is trying to separate the wishbones by pushing down on the bottom one whereas on the inboard suspension units the top arm is pushed down into the the upright.

Having said that mine has a bolt through the upright and last year for the first time, at the MOT the tester noted the bolts were not quite long enough to fully engage the nylok nuts. It has taken 14 years but noticed at last. Must change them for March when its due again.

[Guest The Modfather]

I had to use a scissor jack between the lower and upper wishbones just to seperate the TCA ball joint, and then had to use a cold chisel to help the split apart in order to get any free movement so I could slip the stub out. I'll stick a nut and bolt through as stated, it isn't going anywhere with that done.

[Guest gdc]

they do come out so bolt them in , it ant rocket science . the pinch bolt will hold so much then it wont ,

bolt it in and it wont move . if you cant get aspanner in to hold the nut then use a screwdriver and wedge the nut

to tighten , use a nyloc it wont move then .even if it ant as tight as not to move a little at leaste it wont come out

and cause a real prob .

 

graham

[steve in stockport]

I just drilled a 3mm hole through the hub carrier and mushroom and knocked in a hardened roll pin, quick easy and in there until you knock it out with a hammer

[Guest The Modfather]

How hard can it be trying to find a 41mm socket? Really hard

Will someone like Partco sell them? I've just found a Partco 10 mile away, just hope they're open on Saturday.

[Longboarder]

OK so they do. Will be fitting a locking device before mine is driven again!

 

Nigel

[steve in stockport]

Here you go, loads of big sockets here

not the cheapest in the world, there is a branch in Northampton too.

 

I have one I can post out to you if you need it.

[speedtripledan]

Its on my to do list for the winter mods, working from the back fowards so that will be last on the list. They have been there 3yrs but knowing my luck it will pop out at speed!!