Winter work

[Mudhen]

Aren't I going to need some of these thing-a-ma-jiggers?  If so, why don't they sell them as part of the set?

[MPlayle]

There are slightly different versions of the knuckle joint.  Some have a thicker "step" from the gaiter to the shaft, some have a thicker shaft.  It depends on the vintage of the car for stock trumpets (thick or thin step) and the style of hi-lo kit (thick or thin shaft).

[MiniDave]

You can reuse the ones you have unless they're damaged, or as Michael says -they're different and won't fit the hi los you have. I would replace the plastic cups tho. I've had a couple of those fall apart on my car after not a whole lot of miles.....much easier to do them now than after you put it all together and are driving it some.

I think it's pretty funny how compressed those rubber cones get! 

[Mudhen]

Guess I thought the old ones were all one piece.  You'd think if you were ordering HiLos today you would need whatever knuckle joint fits the ones you're ordering so they'd be supplied with them.

So the ball comes out of these?  They're not worth anything are they?  Was going to just bin them...or should they be saved...



Ordered that radiator, Dave...and then all the other cooling system stuff (from Minispares) except the silicone hoses which were way cheaper at MiniSport.  Going to weld on some strengthening plates where the bump stops hit (switching to the hydrolastic style), top shock mounts, and front tie rod mounts, per HTMYM.  And might finally put on the roundels I got - originally were going to go on rear quarter panels but they're too big so maybe the doors instead.

[94touring]

Order yourself new knuckle joints and throw that trumpet and joint in the trash.

[Mudhen]

You guys ever use these lower arm bushings before?  They wouldn't go into the arms very much, so I used the vice to squeeze them in.  I guess what that did was shrink the insides...so now I can't get the pins in - I've started to slowly drill out the insides more and more but wondering if I should just go with a different style at this point.




Got the shock mount (13ga) and bump stop plate (16ga) welded in/sealed/POR'd...looks like someone had already done the front tie bar gusset.  Stuck that little bolt in the bump stop hole just to keep it clean in case I want to go back to it since I'm going to try the progressive mounts that go the other way.

[94touring]

I have vise pressed bushings into those before too, but with the pin in the bushing ahead of time

[MiniDave]

are you sure those require the metal sleeve? Maybe they're supposed to be used without the sleeves?

[Mudhen]

are you sure those require the metal sleeve? Maybe they're supposed to be used without the sleeves?

Good question...they didn't come with metal sleeves like the ones I removed...and I didn't put them in, they're just the plastic.  Once I put the arm in the vise and used a 1/2" drillbit I was able to just give it a little wiggle and got it big enough to get the pin in - it's tight but moves still.  Will give it a go and see what happens.

[Mudhen]

Started to put the new cup in and backed off...is there anything I need to do?  Just push them in as far as they go and then the first big bump will seat them?  Or use the vice again and press them in or something.

Feels like I should be over the last hurdle on the fronts - the good news is after doing it once I typically only need help the second through tenth times then I'll have it down.   

Thanks again!

[Willie_B]

If you have a small wire brush that will fit on a drill hit em with that. Make sure the small hole in the bottom is open. Put a swipe of grease inside that MAY make it a bit easier to install the cup.

[ADRay]

I think I had to tap mine in with a rubber mallet.

[MiniDave]

If you clean all the rust out like WillieB says, it should slide right in. I also add a smear of grease - and like WB says, make sure that hole is open.....it's pretty small, maybe 1/8"?

[94touring]

Probably closer to 1/16 I bet.

[Mudhen]

Tiny hole in the plastic cup or the arm?  Thought you guys had a screw loose until I turned the arm over and saw a little dimple in my new paint!  Opened those up.

Got my new thing-a-ma-jiggers, too - assume the cups that came with the hi-lo's were just for the old ball style trumpet ends and I will now only use the new ones - this is probably not right:



Looks better:



Trying to fit things up now - my compression tool stinks, with the T-bar handle.  It sits down in the body too much so can't turn it with everything in the way - if it had even just a simple nut on it I could at least get a wrench on it.



Got an idea a spacer might work...but what would fit?



Oh ya...



Happy new year gents!

[94touring]

Looks like you were trying to double cup the knuckle joints

[MiniDave]

Great spacer idea!

[Mudhen]

Hoping to be nearing completion of the fronts now...welding/sealing/painting is done, just a few more issues to work through.

Was struggling with how to access the lower bolts and brake line on the drivers side - conveniently enough someone on the mk1 forum had just posted about cutting the inner wing to give access, and how the works rally teams would actually cut it all away.  I ended up cutting just an opening with a little cover with riv-nuts and thumb screws so I could get in there but still try to keep some of the dirt out, even though it's still all open underneath anyway!




My current issue is with the balljoints going into the new lower arms.  Which now that I've gone out with a micrometer I've stumbled onto the taper and the fact that these adjustable arms *look* like they can go on either side but the ends can't!   

Why couldn't I have just gotten lucky and grabbed the correct one...sometimes I'd like it to NOT be a learning experience.

Everything else on the arm should be swappable, though, right?  I'm just going to switch the ends...



Watched a video on the rears - wow, don't even need the tool?!!?!  Easy peasy!  Ya, on the right side of the guys car with only 1 tank - da fak!  Hopefully I can just loosen the tanks and move them a little for the top shock nut?

[94touring]

Haha yes there's an orientation because of the taper. Duh 

[Mudhen]

Haha yes there's an orientation because of the taper. Duh 

Don't have to worry about it on stock arms because they only go one way!  Too many adjustments will just make more ways I can get it wrong.   

I'm thinking of cutting the rear bulkhead on each side to make openings to get to the shock tops.  I mean, I DO have to remove the tanks, correct?  No real way around that currently?  Although I probably won't want to put the cutting disk in there with the tanks in place, anyway - maybe a sawzall...

[94touring]

Tanks are pretty easy to move out of the way, usually without undoing hoses.

[MiniDave]

Yes, you can usually move the tank enough to reach in there and remove the top nuts. Remember, they're usually double nutted, a thin lock nut on top.

[Mudhen]

Unfortunately, I don't have a much play because the hardline kit I used doesn't have a lot of flexible hose.



Discovered that the rally teams would also cut away the rear bulkhead for access...used a hinged flap over the hole.  But with the cage and seats I can't see that it will be a whole lot easier.



Think I'm going to hold off on the rear suspension for now - I have rebuilt swingarms to go in and apparently to use the hydrolastic progressive bump stops they need to be welded on, which I assume will mean more welding of the body, too.  Just signed up for the first rallyx of the season which is 1/18 so not much time left, anyway.

[Mudhen]

Hit me this am that I could just do the cones/hi-lo's and leave the shocks in place for now.  But of course, foiled again!  I can take the nut off the bottom shock bolt but it won't fit between the shock bolt and subframe anyway.

Anyone else's rear subframe need to be notched out for the lower shock mount bolt?

[94touring]

I've never had to do any notching.