Well the odometer is now reading 2083 miles and nothing much else has gone wrong, one of my new ARB clamps has broken, the n/s/f shocker (NOS Armstrong) has sprung a leak, the lower column bush (new from Fitchetts but a standard one) is a bit chewed and the steering stiffness is getting worse steadily, so much so, that I took it all to bits yesterday to sort out these and other matters.
Things didn't start well, as I was jacking the car up, it fell over sideways off the trolley jack (p**y gravel drive!) and the axle stand I was attempting to place ended up under the rack gaiter. The rack is now irretrievably BENT!
It's no great loss, I was considering swapping it out anyway and inspection has revealed considerable slop in the bearings at both ends.
So it's a deader anyway!
Back to the "main event" and I rejacked the car more carefully and this time got the stands in place without drama.
So, wheels off, calipers off (my bigger discs and Ford calipers mean you can't remove the track rod ends without taking them off) and both track rod ends disconnected. The n/s hub then moved freely, the o/s emphatically DID NOT! I did a quick "eeny meeny miny mo" and unbolted the top balljoint from the upper arms, which proved to be the correct choice, the lower balljoint was completely free and the (brand new last year) upper balljoint was seized solid! I replaced it with one from stock, checking carefully that it was free moving first! Changing that and the n/s/f shock for a Unipart one I had in stock occupied most of yesterday afternoon. I have to wait till about 2.30 pm for the car to be in the shade of the house to avoid sunstroke!
So today was rack day and the rack swap itself went better, I think, than doing the same job on a standard Sprint as both the U bolts come out in clean air without lifting the engine. I still had to lift the engine to physically get the rack OUT, but that turned out to be simple too, loosen 4 nuts on the 2 mounts to the ends of their threads, apply a jack and block of wood under the front of the sump and jack away for about 1.5". this left enough room to remove the rack and I didn't have to remove or loosen anything else. Leaving the nuts on a tad made lowering it down easy too!
I fitted the better feeling one of my 2 "quick" racks and also a pair of OE solid alloy mounts that I found on my 1500FWD when dismantling it, these actually hold the rack central unlike the Jigsaw ones I have been using, the main reason I've done this now is because the seized balljoint made the steering so heavy the strain was moving the rack in the Jigsaw clamps!
What I didn't expect to find was that the upper UJ on the (new 3 years ago and barely used) intermediate column was also seized in one plane. Fortunately I had another new spare to hand and also fitted a C Witor lower u/j whilst I was about it. I also took the opportunity to replace the column bush with a Superflex one.
Another thing I didn't expect was that the lower coupling (FAM1718) that I had dug up from somewhere and fitted cos I HAD it all those years ago is still in perfect condition. It's the design that has the screw ends peined over and may be a NOS type replacement that i'd had sitting for years before I fitted it. May do one of you concours types a turn, I won't be using it!
That's all back together now and it only remains to repair the ARB clamp and I can let the front down. I used to get through these quite fast on the Carledo too, I don't there's anything inherently wrong with them, it's probably just my modified ARB mount that's to blame.
Next job is to swap out the rear springs and shox for some NOS ones i've picked up recently (Springs from Fitchetts, shox from Alun) hopefully this will help my slight case of "soggy bottom"! My own fault, the ones on there were there when I got the shell, they SEEMED OK so I left them alone. Should have known better!
What I HAVE found interesting is that the rear spring is THE SAME PART NUMBER for ALL Dolomite models from 1300 to Sprint and 76>. So this story of the Sprint having stiffer (possibly 140 lb) rear springs is just that! Another urban myth! There are other springs available from Rimmers including stiffer standard length (considered these) stiffer and shorter, and "Italian spec" No poundages or lengths available for any of these though, so I stuck to standard ones. I didn't want the back end to end up stiffer than the front!
THe fuel pump is still noisy, i've got used to that, but an in-tank Cavalier one is in development, the trans still misses 3rd every now and then, but does seem to be getting better with use, so i'll probably live with it for the time being. It hasn't blown up yet! Theres a handfull of other less important jobs to do as well, whether they get done before TDCIR remains to be seen!
I'll see you all there!
Steve
_________________ '73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!
Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
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