Rebuilding subframe. Upper control arms.

Installing new bushings.
I don’t have access to a press, so a hammer had to suffice. To install them, start with positioning one bushing in place, then slide the shaft into the inner sleeve, then position the other bushing with the other end of the shaft going into this inner sleeve. I used one the my old bushing shells to hit these new bushings as it was a good fit, to hit the metal flange and not the rubber.

 

Here it is all done.

 

Installing new ball joint.

 

If not already done so the old holes for the rivets of the old ball joint need to be opened up to allow the new bolts to fit. Also the surface should be smoothed.

 

Install the rubber boot on the ball joint and place through the upper control arm opening, then put the metal boot over the rubber one. The instructions say to have the metal boot on the ball joint, then press through the hole, but no way would this fit.

 

I found the only way to be able to install the four bolts (nuts on top) is to install 2 bolts in 2 opposite corner with no washers… this would pull everything together allowing the other 2 bolts with washers to be installed and then the first 2 installed correctly.

 

Done.

 

Installing rubber bumper.
This just pushes (and twists) into place.

 

Installing control arm onto the subframe.
To tell left from right is pretty simple… it’ll look wrong if it is wrong. The ball joint won’t line up with where the lower one will be.

 

Place the bolts through the subframe mounts. Slide the shaft over the bolts and install the original shims, then put nuts on the bolts.

 

Lastly, install the bushing end cap and bolts into the shaft.

 

All done.

Rebuilding subframe. Steering center link.

Rebuilding the steering linkage.

 

Started by bolting the steering gearbox to the subframe. This is held on by 3 bolts.

 

Then I found the old tie-rods and assembled the new ones to roughly the same length.

 

Then attach them to the centre-link.

 

Last bits to attach to the centre-link are the pitman arm and the idler arm. Once these are on the centre-link it is just a case of offering the assembly to the subframe, slide the pitman arm over the gearbox shaft (there is only one orientation that will work with the idler arm and centre oriented correctly as in the picture). Then put the large washer and bolt over the steering gearbox shaft and bolting the idler arm to the frame (the new idler arm does not come with new bolts so the old ones could be reused if in good condition or new replacements).

 

Now, ready for the control arms. All the bolts just installed need to be torqued to spec, but I’ll do that once a) I have a torque wrench, and b) when there are more components installed and more bolts to torque.

Painting. Painting. Painting.

Work in progress.
Should be updated soon…

Degreasing engine bits.

Work in progress.
Should be updated soon…

Dismantling cylinder heads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepping more parts.

Prepping batch of parts for POR-15 paint.

The latest batch of parts to be painted. Sadly not the last.

 

1 – Marine Clean applied by spray bottle. 2 – Jet blast Marine Clean off. 3 – After degreasing.

 

Forgot about the axle, so time to degrease that.

 

Nice picture showing the colour of the degreasant being blasted off, obviously works.

 

Drying after being degreased.

 

Time to pre-prime with Metal Ready. Again applied by spray bottle.

 

After Metal Ready application. It leaves a zinc coating (white) on the metal. This is apparently the best surface key for POR-15 paint to adhere to.

Removing crank shaft.

To remove the crank shaft, the crank shaft clamps/bearing caps must be removed.
1 – Bearing cap bolts all loosened. 2 – Gently knock the cap free. 3 – The 5 bearing caps.

 

Now the crank shaft can simply be lifted up and out.

 

Now with the engine stripped… you have a very big, very heavy paperweight…

Removing cam shaft.

With the timing chain, gears and cover all removed (see previous posts) removing the cam shaft is very simple. Just undo the thrust washer and it’ll slide out (carefully).

 

 

Removing timing chain and gears.

With the timing chain cover off, it is just a case of unbolting the camshaft gear…

 

… And pulling the gear and chain off.