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I think the rack may have a little play at straight ahead although this could still be geo set up but I have ordered a new rack from Burtons as a precaution and then will rebuild my current one or have it done as spare.
I have ordered a new center bearing for the rear prop as I think there is a bit of play in my current one.
I took the car to Basingstoke today so about 25 miles each way and it performed really well, it was very wet so I only used low boost setting. I am having a slight modification done to the exhaust now that it doesn't need to pass between the box and the anti roll bar.
When I put in the prop shafts I used a second hand rubber donut which I didn't like the look of, I went to change the centre bearing today and i think I had about 10 miles left in the donut. Now, where do I find another and aren't there 2 types?
In anticipation of the rear beam arriving I have stripped out the rear beam and diff today.
I found 2 of the star drive, drive shaft bolts loose and the drivers side engine mount had 1 loose bolt and one missing which lead to bending of the upper 2 and the engine had moved....so, just goes to show that a regular spanner check is wise.
Managed to buy a new donut on eBay...doh I gave away the last one.
I wonder if it is worth making a 1mm thick steel ring for each side with a little play in the holes to tighten the donut up and stop it coming apart? Or maybe lock wire to limit movement?
I have worked out that the play in the centre bearing may have caused this and am fitting a new one plus making a better mount for it as I think mine was 2mm too high and putting the donut under pressure / vibration.
That doughnut did the same in mine. Couldn't find a readily available replacement so had to move onto the later type. This for me meant sourcing a new output shaft for my box to replace the existing one as someone had cut the spigot off required to fit the new type doughnut to fit the old.
Then a later spec front section of the rear 4x4 prop sourced and fitted and it now means I have the newer doughnut type which is readily available. I think I put some photos up of the two types and changes I made on my thread if that's any help to you.
If your box doesn't have the right output shaft, instead of changing the output shaft (which was nearly impossible to source) or getting a new box I believe GEARS (I think) have made a handy adaptor where all you do is swap the drive flange but for their type which has a spigot machined onto the new nut. I would have done this if I had known before I got the output shaft replaced.
Worth a little research as it's a very simple fix for the box!
Mine wasn't quite as bad as yours but the rubber had split away from the aluminium in 3 places. Even old stock must be coming close to 20 years old now so not surprised they're not lasting, especially with the higher power we are all pushing.
The good news is that if they all fail then someone will remake them. I was reading old threads on here and it seems a BMW one might fit, assuming they are still made. I bet somewhere in this country or USA could or does make them....might have to look in to a batch and then sell them on eBay?
BEAM UPDATE: Mark has been in touch and has suggested that he will drive the beam down to me to avoid the powder coat being damaged in transit and has agreed to come next weekend. I have previously said that he can have my old beam so he can take that away with him. Will post pics of it when it arrives.
Today I made much better mounts for the centre bearing, I have left the last bit unfinished so I can adjust the bearing so I can be sure to be bang in line with the prop once the new doughnut arrives.
I have made the mount so that it also ties in to the old harness mount holes as well as the normal ones to stop it moving.
Tomorrow I will pop out at lunchtime and get the new bolts for the engine mount.
BEAM UPDATE: Mark has been in touch and has suggested that he will drive the beam down to me to avoid the powder coat being damaged in transit and has agreed to come next weekend. I have previously said that he can have my old beam so he can take that away with him. Will post pics of it when it arrives.
Depending on how much of a hurry you are in and how much of a bufty you are, it might be worth getting the tube nuts used for adjusting the rod ends Zinc plated.
Mine were bare steel and would soon rust under a car, so I had them done.
Haven't found a source for plated 7/8 unf rod ends though as they are bare steel also.
They would be difficult to plate conventionally, this kind of thing might do them - just don't want to spend Ł70 to find out
Thanks, I am amazed by how the compression struts have tarnished, I am going to powder coat them.....I don't want to hide it away, if it snows I still take it out so the salt has an impact.
My new doughnut arrived today, I added some adjustment to the gearbox support so now I am certain that it is 100% straight.
A lot of people told me to do away with the donut and solid mount it, whilst looking at the old, broken donut I realised that with a little bit of work I could just line up the 3 prongs on the output flange, straight through the same line as the prop, I had to remove a bit of metal and all of the rubber but now it bolts straight through and on to the prop. I have t lost any strength from original and the centre bearing is still in place.
Now I can sell the mint replacement doughnut that I bought (once this has been properly tested)
Badges look good what about having them with clear coat.
Beam looks good not sure about the colour thoe must be a smurf thing
I did think about clear coat but car is very much black and red, smurf colour has actually now gone, pics to follow, all black now,
The parts underside are now either black or red and seeing that the stone chip is all black I thought red might contrast well....I know what you mean though....will just have to see how it looks, if it looks crap I will go black colour next time around.
22-01-2017, 08:04 PM
