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Time for an update, lots of effort, but I'm not sure there's a lot to show for it at the moment. Like decorating, all the effort goes into the preparation.
We had a 4-day public holiday weekend last week, and great weather to get outside into the garden and crack on with the parts cleaning. Bit of a chore, but necessary and quite therapeutic...podcast on and get on with it. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...B474F65EAA.jpg In more interesting news, I finally got around to removing the steering rack from the car, then starting the cleaning process in readiness for shipping it off to Western Power Steering (it seems that a number of folk Stateside are also shipping it across the pond to them). The rubber donut seal used around the input spline was absolutely shot... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9482.jpg Emailing with Gary at WPS, the refurb process all sounds very straightforward. They'll dry media blast the case, then burnish it for protection before lacquering it. They did offer to do the same on the pipework, but I'm instead going to use POR-15 to give a longer term protection. After cleaning them up last night, thankfully they're mechanically fine, no pitting to the point of being unusable. The case itself has been tank cleaned once the ends and input spline were sealed. It actually came up very well - lots of factory wax protector still on there. Before....I've noticed previously that there was Pentosin fluid being leaked by the RHS of the rack; there's plenty of evidence of this on the outside, but also an unhealthy amount inside the gaitor. From doing some research, this seems to be a common failure points on this model rack. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9484.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9483.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9485.jpg The rack has been fitted with the factory stops, used when 18" wheels are fitted. To the left is the rubber joint which the Elephant Racing single-piece arms will eliminate. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9486.jpg After some scrubbing... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...G_9541%202.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...G_9540%202.jpg The hydraulic lines came off ok last night as well. I spent a few minutes removing surface corrosion from the banjo bolt heads and then running a craft knife around the join. A hex bit with a 1/2" drive and a breaker bar was used, not because it required massive torque but you can certainly feel what's happening moreso, when you don't need to heave on a shorter ratchet/bar. Another case of gently springing/bouncing each bolt until they cracked open. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9552.jpg |
The suspension structures were collected last Friday by my local vapour blasting company, then returned to me on Monday. Needless to say, I'm absolutely delighted with how Steve has got these to come up....
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9493.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9494.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9495.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9496.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9497.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9499.jpg In addition, I also asked Steve to blast the trailing arm spring plates, ready for plating.... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9502.jpg There is some pitting on one face of each - thoroughly expected, but with the peened finish that the blasting leaves, these should electroplate nicely. |
That's about where we're up to at the moment. Lots of planning and research; a new can of Dinitrol arrived yesterday, as did the POR-15 products I ordered. A little wary about using this stuff again; my first/last encounter was 5-6yrs ago when working on the Exige and not having time (I thought) to have a load of brackets powder coated, whilst doing a radiator swap. I bought their kit including all the marine clean liquids, but the finish I got was absolute rubbish - looked like a 5yr old had had a go with nursery school brushes. In the end I sent it for grit blasting and waited for the powder coating to get done. I think the ambient temps didn't help, I know that conditions have to be "just so" to apply it. Anyway, we'll give it another go, this time using their brush on base paint (not UV stable) in grey, with their top coat (chassis black) as an aerosol. In addition to the steering rack pipework, I'm planning on also using it for the front uprights once they've been wire brushed, the back-side of the front and rear hubs as well as some small brackets that hold the ABS wiring in place on the trailing arms.
We'll give it a go this weekend. I may well also rig up the plating kit and try some stuff out. Will report back soon. |
Little bit of a tardy start today - needed to do another lathe job, rigging up a patio heater head to a new heavy duty tripod stand that was delivered yesterday....got to have some evening heat while chilling outside. Looks like we're going to be confined for a good while yet, may as well make the most of it!
So, proper preparation of the front uprights and hubs. Time to use the angle grinder with wire wheel attachments. Apologies to the neighbours, not the quietest of jobs. The new paint also arrived yesterday, so I'm keen to get this underway. For those who haven't heard of POR-15, it's "Paint On Rust". However, the state of the uprights was nowhere near just painting straight over it, not that my OCD would ever allow that anyway.... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9574.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9576.jpg A heady mix of genuine rust, some remaining factory black coating (looks to be an epoxy, with a cream base layer) and other areas with Dinitrol still over the top. Not much of that, mind you, just some areas on the arm connecting to the ARB's. 4-5 hours of hard slog (I really should've got Steve to vapour blast these last week; partially forgot, but also didn't think it'd be quite the job it turned out to be), and this is how they look. Not perfect - they don't need to be, so long as the epoxy is off (it is) and any surface corrosion is smooth. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...901314FFF7.jpg As mentioned above, I've gone with their grey base coat but the way you apply this is to paint on a thin first coat, then when that is tacky (a slight drag to the finger, usually 4-6hrs later), apply the second coat. Wait for that to harden, use 350 grit w&d to sand it off if required, then spray the UV stable satin black top coat. This top coat can also be applied direct to the metal (or rust), it doesn't need the base coat, but offers more corrosion protection with both layers, naturally. Interestingly, the curing of this paint is actually quicker in humid/damp conditions - it uses air moisture to harden, the opposite to regular paint. My plan is to use primer on all surfaces other than machined faces, but then a thin layer of black top coat onto these faces (not bearing faces obviously) to protect them. It's currently 22.30, so the timings don't work out for doing it tonight, instead I'm going to try and install some of the Elephant Racing bushes into the front control arms. They've been in the freezer for over 24hrs now, so gentle heating of the arms should allow these to go in relatively simply. He says, fingers crossed. |
....and 2hrs later....
100% success. Nerve wracking, I'll admit. Unless you get very lucky with a removal, you only get one shot at getting this right, and new parts for me are literally weeks away. And, of course, they're not pocket-money to buy again. First ones to go in were the rear split bushes. A lot smaller than the front single piece bush, so not quite so daunting.
1) The "key" on the mushroom head of the bush has to be aligned to the front casting mark on the arm. 2) The mushroom goes inwards, pointing towards the rear bushes. 3) The outermost face (the one you're pushing down against with the press) must sit dead flush with the wishbone casting. To assist, I drew a marker pen line with an engineers square, all the way down the length of the bush, so I could ensure nothing was twisting as it was being pushed in. Not vital, perhaps, but gave me peace-of-mind. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9580.jpg This is where I used my new seal insertion kit; a 65mm OD press tool is perfect, small enough that you can see what's happening, but big enough not to have to mess about carefully aligning it, once you're ready to push it in. Apology for lack of photo's at this point - no time to take them and nobody else here to assist. Anyway, this is what it looks like when finished. Chuffed to bits, time to call it a night and finish on a high..... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9581.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9582.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9585.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9586.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9587.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9588.jpg |
Final update for the weekends activities;
The front and rear hubs, as well as the uprights were all prepped with the POR-15 preparatory products today. This was stuff left over from my not-so-successful first effort on the Lotus a few years ago. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9590.jpg First step is to use their degreaser. This coupled with an Ikea dishwashing brush is perfect to give them a damn good scrubbing, then wash in water and allow to dry. Then use their Metal Prep; spray on and keep it from drying out for 10-20mins. This will remove any remaining surface rust (or I guess neutralise any non-removable rust). Wash everything again and allow to dry. All the hard work from yesterday is now undone, as the parts looks pretty grim with whatever that prep liquid is doing. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9592.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9593.jpg Parts now ready for painting. The grey paint I'm using as a base layer is super thin, no way you're getting good coverage with a single coat, and even two coats would be nowhere near what I'd be happy with - but this is just an undercoat for me, so happy so far. First coat... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9594.jpg Second coat... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...C2D31C8F29.jpg I was told to apply the second coat before the first coat fully cured, about 4-6 hours...actually, it was a lot quicker than this, and perhaps it'd gone off a little too dry, but the second coat did seem to go on okay. It's now drying overnight, ready for a quick sand (keying) tomorrow and a top coat in satin black. Not a particularly interesting post, just a case of moving things along. The key selling point for POR-15 is how tough it apparently is - the videos you see show the guy absolutely laying into a section of pipe they've coated in it, and the thing is buckled before any any paint damage is seen. For sure a healthy dose of sales BS, no doubt, but even if it's half that durability, it'll beat anything else I've found this side of powder coating. |
Nightly update....
This evenings job was to scuff the surface of the grey paint - seems a shame given how glossy it is, but more important the top coat keys correctly. This paint has set HARD - it feels very durable indeed, I'm starting to change my opinion on this stuff. The odd run of paint needed to be cut off with a sharp blade; 180 grit paper was barely touching it. Red Scotchbrite to scuff the surface was fine. Some masking up of the bearing surfaces, and carefully applied grease to the inside faces where the balljoint taper fittings will go (easier than fiddly masking tape and will wipe off afterwards). https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9598.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9599.jpg This is just the first coat, now drying overnight. Pleased with how these have come up; the hydraulic pipework has come up nicer, as it's been sprayed directly onto the prepped metal, no grey base coat. The finish on the hubs and uprights looks identical to what a powdercoated finish would give. Some of the "fidelity" of the markings is not quite there - it's bound to happen with 3 coats (so far), but it's more important that it does the job being asked of it, to remain durable to wear and not to allow rust back. Second black coat tomorrow night, then let it harden for 48hours before fitting the new wheel bearings. |
Pics of the power steering lines....found some perfectly sized washers to mask the sealing surfaces for the O-rings and banjo bolts...handy to also use for hanging...
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9600.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9601.jpg Rack is getting sent across to Western Power Steering very soon; sending it ahead of plating the banjo's - by agreement with Gary at WPS, I'll do that once the rack returns. Takes the pressure off to rig up the plating system and experiment. |
Spenny, lovely work. I'm no longer a fan of POR15, but you've clearly gone the proverbial extra mile by using all of their products in sequence (most people don't) and the results look excellent. You just have used a decent respirator because you're still forming cogent sentences (Deadly fumes.) Best as always, John
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Hmm, interesting about the fumes....I had to do last nights painting in the workshop, in my makeshift shanty-town spray booth. Erm, box. T'was right by the door (opened, natch) but even so, that was a heady mix. I very quickly opened the big front garage door to give me my usual wind-tunnel, and blow it through! Needless to say, all of this evenings second coats have been done outside in the fresh air. I think tonights plan has got to be to fix the ruddy hydraulic press pump. Bloody thing gave up on me again when I was millimeters from seating one of the control arm bushes - thankfully it worked just enough to finish it, but no chance I'm going to risk putting a wheel bearing in like this. Bloody thing. Time for another sub-project teardown... |
This evenings work was to install the Elephant Racing trailing arm bushes. I have to say, this was an absolute joy to do. Very easy, everything just fits. Elephant supply the various press mandrels you need, with the kit. These are designed in such a way that:
a) You can't over-install the initial bush (ie, push it through too far) b) You don't damage the underside of the arm, as there's a slug "base" to use underneath https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9603.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9602.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9604.jpg c) The second stage with the outer bushes have their own mandrels, 2off, that are shaped to the profile of the rubber, so no damage to the part. The second one is then used underneath when installing the second outer bush. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9605.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9612.jpg d) The core (pivot) is just a very nice push fit to get it most of the way. They supply a lubricating grease to smear on the rubber. A quick nip up in the press and it seats both halves nicely into the outer bush. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9608.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9609.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9610.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9611.jpg It's beyond easy, so hats off to Elephant for putting together a really nice kit. Seeing how successful that little job was, I was going to have a go at installing the wheel bearings, but getting a bit late now to be doing that; save the fun for tomorrow night. |
That vapor blasting is amazing.
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With these guys literally being on my doorstep, it's a no-brainer for me now. Some idiot did comment a few years ago on the engine parts I had done, that the whole thing now looked "over restored". Can't remember who it was now, but it did make me laugh; it's an 89k mile car, not exactly concours bodywork (although very nice by anyone's measure) and it's lived a life - how can that be "over restored"?! Compared to what, another 89k mile car that's looking very tired, greasy and with rusty parts where the Dinitrol is no longer protecting anything?! I swiftly moved that person into my mental "bell-end" compartment. |
I really want a vapor blasting cabinet!!
Normal media blasting leves aluminium to rough so it will stain really quick. As an experiment I had a few parts blasted and then tumbled, that left a really nice finish the pores where sealed without it being polished. A bit like the vapor blasting but smother. |
Yup, I also want a cabinet as well mate!! Unfortunately, until I can optimise my workshop layout, there's no room for one - well, not one that's a decent size to be able to get things like trailing arms into it.
If I did have the room, I have to be honest, a mill would be more useful to me, especially with this service so local to where I live. |
Knew it was too good to be true....
Evening was going ok; installed the front bearings absolutely no problem. No heat on the upright, just bearings that had been in the freezer for a few days. Rig it up on the press, and they went in without even troubling the pressure gauge - very light pressure required to push them home.... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9617.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...sizerender.jpg Then onto the rear trailing arms. For some reason, both started off slightly cocked for the first few mm....on the first arm I kept going, a slight bang as it snapped straight, then it went in like a dream. The second did the same, no matter how much fiddling I did on the rig to try and get everything square. I should've just used the bearing removal/install kit and not bothered with the press.... This niggled me, so I then quickly set about removing the second bearing to inspect the bore, BEFORE the bearing thawed out....in my haste, I grabbed the fcuking 78mm mandrel, instead of the 80mm.....5mins later, the bearing came out, no damage to the bore other than slight scuffing that can be Scotchbrited out....and then I found that the mandrel had buried itself into the back of the bearing, pushing in, and fcuking-up, the seal. Beyond pissed off - I should've trusted my instinct and bloody well left it alone. Now I'm back to square fcuking one, in lockdown and unable to just go and get a replacement. Was about half a twitch away from launching the bloody thing across the workshop. £110 down the fcuking shute and another delay. Thankfully, good old Chris can still get them and send one across with another few bits that were due to be sent anyway. . |
The rear wheel bearing installed on the RH trailing arm...
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9628.jpg And the buggered bearing from the LHS....:mad::mad: https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9627.jpg Thankfully OPC Tonbridge had one left in stock, and now the means to ship it out. Hopefully it may arrive either tomorrow or Saturday. In other news, the steering rack was collected today and en route to be rebuilt. Securely wrapped to within an inch of it's life, both rack ends and input shaft carefully protected - paranoid about this leaving my possession, the cost of replacing is eye-watering. Normally I hand deliver this kind of thing...hmmm. Night off tonight, a tonne of other stuff around the house needs sorting. |
New bearing arrived - what they look like before you bugger them up...it's currently in deep freeze...
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9629.jpg |
Hi Spencer,
Although I am used to reading with great pleasure the restoration of your toy, I am continually amazed by your skills and meticulousness, It’s caviar to read and admire, keep it up! |
Can you point out the buggery here? It looks like the new bearing but perhaps I am blind.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9627.jpg |
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I had a cunning idea the other day, however - I'll re-purpose it for a use in a rotating platform, use it for spraying and (when I get around to it) will be useful for welding. Another job for the list. S |
Okay, so lots of activity since the last update....some serious hours going into this, however, a lot of it is just cleaning, preparing and detail jobs.
The most significant achievement for the last week or so has been the reworking of the inner wheel arches, ridding the chassis of the rubberised coating that has never set solid. The disgusting sticky surface has just been a magnet for any road grime and ended up looking worse than it ever did when I first got the car. Im pretty sure I know why - whenever I went to work to remove the tired factory coating (Cosmoline?) I *think* I used Gunk....it's a cracking product for degreasing and general cleaning, but what I think I did (5-6yrs ago?) was assume that it left it clean enough to paint without then going over everything with brake cleaner. I have to say, it's most unlike me NOT to clean everything with brake cleaner before painting, but it's the only explanation I can think of. In reality, I think the residue from the Gunk was still present and has then had an adverse reaction with the fresh rubberised paint being sprayed on top. An example of “before”... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9683.jpg Behind the arch, should be factory light grey coloured… https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9684.jpg Dirty inner arch liners... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9720.jpg |
Then the cleaning….
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9685.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9694.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9648.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9649.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9668.jpg Of course, done properly with inner arch liners being removed, and all the bracketry/clips/pipes also being removed for access. This actually takes far longer than the cleaning of the arches, once you find the knack...which is basically to low pressure spray the entire area with white spirit, with a very big plastic tray underneath, and lot of newspaper everywhere else. Getting it wet enough so that it can soak in and start dripping "black", then use miles of paper towel to scrape it off. Once done, this time lots of brake cleaner (and ventilation...) to get it spotlessly clean. Any residue on a clean cloth and we go again until the cloth is clean. Having tested a piece of ally outside cleaned in the same way, then sprayed with the Teroson SB3140 paint, I knew that this method allowed it to set exactly as described on the can; 2-3mins flash dry, then dry to touch in an hour. One final cleaning mission was scrub under where the front undertray sits; although I did the majority of the underside years ago, I never did get around to doing this and the recess where the front differential on a C4 would sit. A lot harder to do than the black paint - this was original factory brown Dinitrol wax plus 27 years of grime. After another couple of evenings on this, it now looks pretty damn good - not like a freshly resprayed chassis, but representative of somebody spending many hours looking after the car. Spencer=happy. The painting itself was only a handful of minutes per arch - very quick indeed once everything is masked correctly....and I have to say, I'm chuffed to bits with how it's come out. The perfect platform onto which I can now rebuild the sparkly clean suspension components. I know it'll only look like this for the short time until it gets wet, but hey, it'll photograph well for the family album. After…. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9695.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9696.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...1264696CCB.jpg See the filthy and rusty state of the power steering lines... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9682.jpg The wonky battery lead grommet into the drivers footwell….easily fixed, just sloppily left by somebody in the past… https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9681.jpg So....many evenings later, getting absolutely filthy and using litres of white spirit, the arches were back to how they were previously. Even getting the white spirit wasn't that straightforward due to most businesses being furloughed. |
Time to start rebuilding – all the inner arch liners were scrubbed a few days previous, and although socially clean of mud/grime, they weren’t up to my standards for refitting. They’re the originals, all date stamped as 1991 and in need of some “detailing”. A thorough going-over with Auto Glym Intensive Tar Removal fluid and a gentle scrape got all the tar spots off, as well as some of the ground-in grime. Then a couple of coats using silicone spray to try and assist with cleaning and stuff not sticking to them in future. I know this will have to be reapplied often in the future, but for the time being they do feel nice and slippery. And very black again.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9721.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9722.jpg Another job which I needed to do, as I couldn’t bring myself to spend £60 each on them, is to strip and re-paint the small brackets that attach to the trailing arm, holding the ABS and pad sensor connectors, and the brake lines themselves. Fiddly bloody things to strip off, especially with the weak paint stripper we have to buy….disproportionate amount of time to clean them, but now they’ve been POR-15’d, they look pretty good I reckon…. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9724.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9746.jpg The hydraulic lines tidied up; rubber hoses degreased, rigid lines Scothbrited and the steel fittings wire brushed, then also treated with POR-15... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9725.jpg |
Next job, in a bid to try and start clearing my house of car parts (!!!), was to install the new KW dampers and Elephant top mounts. This was a decision based on pure excitement rather than logical thinking, but I couldn’t see any downside, so starting at the back it was time to torque the damper strut into the mounts and install (having also spent an hour or so thoroughly cleaning the inside of the damper “turrets” – impossible to get to properly once the dampers are in). Naturally, the KW springs are installed with the printed text the right way up. A quick realignment of the top mount studs was required – and it really is a tiny amount. I think I read that Rob G also had to do this on his builds, over on Rennlist. The way I did it was to fit some old M8 nuts to each of the three studs and use my large bench vice to ever-so-gently nip them in to each other. An almost indiscernible amount, and it proved to be sufficient – no problem at all.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9697.jpg With all the intercooler and intake parts removed, getting to the back of the engine bay was relatively simple, although working single handed to hold the damper in position until the first nut was on was a little sketchy! https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9750.jpg I think I may invest in 3 more adjuster keys; KW supply one with each kit, but I have seen somebody permanently install them into the top of each damper rod, to allow quick adjustment (and reduce the risk of dropping one in the engine bay) The front struts are obviously far easier to install, remembering to fit new foam insulators between the top mount and the chassis. They’ve been sat in my office for I guess 6-7 years, so it was nice to finally get them gone. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9749.jpg Once the struts were installed, it was obvious that the super-cunning upcycling of my old GT3 spring top hats wasn’t going to work, at least, not without some modification. The angle of the hat is too shallow to allow much angular movement, and rather than risking a metal-to-metal realisation that all wasn’t well, I addressed it straight away. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9748.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9747.jpg A shame really, but that’s the game with projects like this. So, two choices, I can either make some steel spacers (I sold my genuine factory ones as part of my aborted plan to run Bilsteins)….or I can rework the KW original top hats. I went with the latter, to save any guesswork on the depth of the spacer. It was only a 2 minute job to open the ID of the KW items to the OD of the strut rod; same theory as before, but the KW top hat is already plastic, so I didn’t need to make an insert this time. My only concern now is whether I’ll have sufficient range for ride height adjustment. We’ll see, once the car is back on it’s wheels. |
In an example of perfect timing, I received a notification from Western Power Steering saying that my rack was on its way. Excellent! I had spoken to Gary @ WPS a few days previously, chatting through how it was all going. Like everyone, he’s been challenged by the lockdown situation and operating the business with minimal staff, and implementing the distancing rules. Immensely difficult to try and plan this stuff, and I know he was swamped with things like Ferrari racks to also get done. Skip forward to the next day and the shipment arrives, rack beautifully packaged with tonnes of protective material – no way that this was going to succumb to even the most brutal of courier handling!
The guys very kindly took some photo’s of the refurbishment work; I didn’t immediately find any pics of the ZF racks when I was searching a few weeks ago, I think because it’s accepted that to get the job done right, it’s a task best left to the experts with the correct tooling….so, here are those pics for those who are curious…. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v..._0175%202.jpeg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v..._0176%202.jpeg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v..._0177%202.jpeg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v..._0178%202.jpeg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v..._0179%202.jpeg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v.../IMG_0180.jpeg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v.../IMG_0181.jpeg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v.../IMG_0182.jpeg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v.../IMG_0183.jpeg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v.../IMG_0186.jpeg |
Gary went one step further than I was planning, and did reinstall the hydraulic hard lines, then lacquered the whole thing 3 times. I was originally planning on re-plating the banjo bolts but it’s not a problem given how protected they now are, and frankly how good they look. The rack will be sprayed with Dinitrol once everything is installed anyway, adding even more protection.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9730.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9731.jpg They even took care to mask off the info plate riveted on to the body....attention to detail, love it... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9732.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9733.jpg A tip worth noting for anyone removing their steering assembly is that the small bung underneath the centre section of the rack is used to gauge the central position. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9734.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9739.jpg The bung itself becomes very brittle with age and is no longer available. Thankfully WPS did have a spare one in stock, so thoughtfully bagged it and cable tied it to the hard lines. New ones feel very pliant and rubbery but be warned, if you need to re-centre the rack, be mindful of this part. The hole is actually threaded, so worst case I guess you just Loctite a grub screw in there. New rubber doughnut pushed onto the pinion shaft housing, and the new Rothsport Racing rack mounts popped into place, and it’s ready for fitting back onto the car. Another tip – the plastic rack bushes come with a small tube of silicone grease – use it on both sides of the sleeves, as getting the rack brackets back on isn’t the easiest. A bit like reinstalling ARB brackets with longer bolts to pull everything into place, this was the same. To start with you can’t get the mating faces closer than about 25mm and even then, massively misaligned. A GENTLE tap with a rubber faced mallet onto the saddle brackets helps a lot, just to get them snugged onto the rack, then some heaving to align the holes. At the same time, I was initially trying to get the pinion splines engaged into the UJ of the column inside the footwell. Mistake. Far easier to undo the top bolt of that UJ and slide it up the column, out of the way for the time being. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9740.jpg Once the rack is in place, then you can a) ensure it’s still centred, and then b) make sure the steering wheel is also centred before sliding that UJ back down and onto the steering rack. If working in a garage the width of mine, then it helps if you’re also a contortionist. I’ve not yet hooked-up the hydraulic lines from chassis to rack, as the banjo bolts need replating, then it’ll be job done…almost… |
I also ordered Rothsports rack brace kit, intended to fit between the outboard-most pair of mounting bolts. It does warn that the hydraulic lines may need some subtle adjustment to allow the brace to install….however….I guess there’s either been a significant design change of the rack or the LHD US-spec racks are different from RoW RHD racks. The central hydraulic line mounting boss is absolutely in the way [face/palm moment].. I'm going to have another look this evening and see whether I can reverse the brace and get it to work - in the photo it does look as though it'll go, but whatever I tried yesterday, it fouled that boss.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9742.jpg So with a cup of tea in hand, I think there are two options, assuming it really won't install... 1) Make some 25mm spacers that would fit inbetween the rack mount saddle and the brace, moving it further out and missing that hydraulic boss… https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9743.jpg 2) Mount the brace up-top and behind the rack… https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9744.jpg I’ll mull that one over later on. Part of me also says that if mounting this behind the rack, why not then fabricated something stronger akin to a 935 style “X” brace used in the frunk. A fully triangulated 4-point X brace mounting to all 4 saddle mounting positions would be even stronger and easily accessible. Hmmm. |
Next job is to continue to clear my house, and mount the front-to-rear (longitudinal) braces which hold the lower control arms….all this is a dummy-build using the old (but cleaned) fixing hardware. I decided to order all new fixings from Porsche. OCD got the better of me, meaning I’m not going to purchase fastenings from places other than Porsche. Most significantly, however, was a conversation I was having with my pal Costa (CostaP) about the chemical cleaning I’d been using and my plan to re-plate everything at home.
I won’t go into detail with his employment, suffice to say that it’s very cool, and he’s in the (engineering) position to witness first-hand the effects of hydrogen embrittlement. I have to confess I was unaware of what this was, but long story short, embrittlement can be brought on by both chemical cleaning (like I’ve been doing) and the plating process itself. It’s not necessarily isolated to one or the other. It’s also really only a problem on high tensile fixings, marked 8.8 and above. Which of course, these are. I believe that post-plating the trapped hydrogen can be relieved by baking the parts, but after reading the whitepapers he sent, and the spec sheets of very well regarded fastening manufacturers and how they don’t supply BZP coatings on their 10.8 / 12.x range, it was enough to convince me to buy new. Side story for context….many years ago when I had a GT3, I suffered a catastrophic suspension failure on (what turned out to be) the ARB drop-link mounting to the rear damper. This was on 2-lane public highway, “moving respectfully swiftly” but not irresponsibly and just exiting a roundabout. The drop-link mounting failed, followed by a 180º spin, missing an untold amount of lamp-posts and road signs, skipping over the central reservation and facing up the road in the opposite direction. How I didn’t hit anything or barrel roll, I have no idea. Naturally, this has made me very conscious about suspension integrity – far more than anything on the engine. Thankfully, it also failed when there was a window in the traffic – a few seconds later and that would’ve been absolutely awful for me and the poor victims I would’ve hit. So….fitting new fasteners is perhaps paranoid and way OTT, but I don’t know the history of those fastenings, they’re 28yrs old, and the processes I was planning on using would’ve potentially resulted in embrittlement. All to save £500-600. Just not worth it, in the grand scheme of things. Anyway, that’s why you’re seeing less-than-stellar fastenings in the photos. I have been told by Dan at OPC Tonbridge (again, another shout out to the guys in the parts store there – Dan has been nothing other than extremely responsive and communicative in keeping me abreast of what’s happening throughout the lockdown). I know that my order has now been submitted, so as soon as the backlog is dealt with and parts start coming into HQ in Reading, they’ll be with me shortly after. “Longitudinal” links now on, time to test fit the newly upgraded control arms…. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9751.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9752.jpg …and they fit like a glove. Next job is to machine some spacers for the lower damper strut fixings. This is a well-known “issue” with KW dampers for the 964, insomuch that they were designed for the 993 which uses M14 bolts and not M12. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9753.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9754.jpg KW actually supply eccentric bolts and eccentric flange nuts for the top mountings, so it’s only the lower bolts that need these spacers making. I have a bar of stainless, so that’s tonights job. |
Okay, time for some detail on the steering arms from Elephant Racing.
As mentioned previously, ER market a bumpsteer correcting steering arm kit for the 964, removing the need to either install OE RS uprights or aftermarket parts from the likes of BBi. I’ve no experience with any of these solutions, so I can’t honestly say how effective one is versus another, but again, this isn’t a race car so I’m not looking for the last degree in mathematical chassis perfection, just something that moves the game on in the right direction. The ER arms are single piece items, removing the rubber coupling between the stock inner and outer rods, further assisting with feedback and feel. However, the slight snag was that although listed as a valid part for a “965”, when they arrived they were clearly far too short, intended for the narrow bodied Carreras. Not a problem though, the guys from Elephant very quickly resolved everything and made a set of tie rods within 24hrs, onward shipping them to Chris for inclusion with another UK bound parcel of goodness. So, in only a few days….in this very difficult climate, Elephant had stepped up brilliantly and resolved the issue, and I had the new parts in my hand. Top stuff, chapeau to the Elephant team and to Chris and Molly at TurboKraft. Thanks guys. These are about to be fitted to the rack, along with the steering stop nuts, resused from the old arms. I think, however, that’ll be as far as I can go on the front assembly without having the new hardware. I don’t want to fit the old press-in stud to each control arm (used to tighten the lower balljoint), and without that of course I can’t mount the uprights/hubs/stub axles/brakes. I really do think that the time has now come to start the re-plating work….not least of which the rear trailing arm camber/toe plates. Maybe this weekend is the time I’ll start clearing the decks and finally doing it. Gulp. I'm planning to do lots of experimentation first, but once the plates are done I can then assemble the ER monoballs into them and get the rear trailing arms in place. |
The Elephant Racing arms now in place, although the steering stops aren't yet positioned accurately.
The absence of the 2-piece stock steering arm coupling.... https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9755.jpg Very nice rod ends, and usefully, Allen key hex's to assist with tightening/loosening, no longer just relying on the friction of the taper. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9756.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9757.jpg |
Change of plans for this evenings work, I decided to have another look at this steering rack brace and see whether it would fit, after some "remodelling" of the hydraulic lines.
I have to say, I thought I'd be posting a humble-pie message, as it did look as though it would fit, once the pipes were pushed clear. And by the way, those pipes take some force to move, obviously being careful to not crush them. In the end I gave up and removed the longer one so I could safely manipulate the short/top one backwards using a long screwdriver and plenty of padding wrapped around it. Then, refit the long pipe which needs to come outwards, not backwards. It looked marginal as to which direction it should go, but I'm sure it would foul the other pipe if you also push that backwards. Unfortunately, my original suspicions were confirmed, the brace wasn't going to clear the hydraulic "banjo" in the centre of the rack. At this point, however, it did only look like a fraction would need removing to get it in. So, many many back-and-forth trips to the vice and carefully filing it with a half-round file, and eventually I got it clearing nicely. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9764.jpg https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...n/IMG_9765.jpg Slightly annoyingly, when everything was torqued back up, as opposed to just offering it up, a load more clearance suddenly appeared. But, as it is in the photos below, there's perhaps 1-1.5mm all around, so I reckon that's just about perfect. https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...5147990725.jpg Next job is to tighten the steering arms onto the rack and put the gators on. |
Addendum to the above; slight rethink on finishing the steering rack. The end-stops that were fitted to the OE tie rods were the original 6mm thick items. Later on in the 964 lifecycle they were superceded to 10mm items (actually with a 4mm counterbore) to prevent cars with 18" wheels from rubbing the inner arch liners.
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...2001.11.27.jpg (thanks to Metal Guru and his thread on Rennlist) Look carefully at my previous photos above, and you'll see that this is exactly what's happened in a previous life. The car came with aftermarket 18" anchors, and clearly the PO "didn't get the memo" about also needing to retrofit these spacers. Or maybe he did and couldn't be arsed. Of course the Cup 1's I'm running are only 17", but just in case I or somebody else in the future decides to go large, it'll be taken care of. So, while I'm at it I'm going to fit the later stops instead of my 6mm items. An online chat with Elephant has given me the confirmation that these are installed butting up against the back of the balljoint housing. The factory manual says to install the spacers with a 5mm gap between the spacer and the shoulder of the U joint of the inner tie rod. Of course, these solid tie rods don't have the U joints but do have a nice square face to tighten up against. I could add these spacers to the pending shopping list with Porsche, but at £53 for the pair, even I'm not willing to shell that out for them. So, a quick online order for a 38mm x 500mm length of bright mild steel, and I'll make my own, probably plating them once done. |
Excellent posts Sir Spencer. You set a high bar, good for the rest of us (at least, me) to motivate doing the best work possible. The steering rack shop looks good; more often, such facilities seem to do quicky clean>reseal>unmasked coat of (bad) paint, Bob’s your uncle, with a predictably high defect rate.
Scary story about the GT3. Best, John |
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Yes, they were a great company to deal with, thoroughly recommend. I was also fearful that a refurb shop would do what you said, quick squirt of BS spray and off it goes again. Having done some research on WPS, the feedback was universally great, both generic Joe Public and some of the threads I found on Rennlist (and I think also here on PP), so I was confident that I was dealing with the right folks before even engaging them. Progress is going to slow down a little now, got scaffold being built around the house tomorrow. Time to make use of the lovely weather and do some maintenance and painting, something that was always in the plan and thankfully despite lockdown for most of us, the building trade have been allowed back to work. I'm also still waiting for Porsche GB to be back up and running, to get my shopping list of fasteners. Still not got around to rigging up the plating kit! |
Quick note: Looks like PhotoBucket are having issues with their subscriber service (of which I am one) at the moment...hence missing photos. Terrific. [tut]
Edit - Service is up and running again but if the pics aren't showing there may be some Photobucket cookies that need deleting from your browser history - then it works fine. |
Hi Spencer,
Your work is always perfect and pleasant to look at. :) |
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