Time to replace 30 year old suspension - little help please?

[frankc]

While reviewing my previous post, I realized that I forgot to mention installation of the front wheel bearing inner grease seal. The grease seal is tapped in using the same method as the races.

The first photo below shows the grease seal (gold color) inserted - the inner bearing must be seated in its race before installing the grease seal. Note that the rubber lip on the grease seal faces outward, away from the hub, to seal against the spacer pressed onto the stub axle (2nd photo) . The lip prevents grease from escaping at the OD of the spacer, and is greased before sliding the hub assembly onto the axle.

To prevent grease from escaping at the ID of the spacer, there is an O-ring that slides over the stub axle before the spacer. To replace the O-ring, the spacer must first be pulled off the stub axle. My car was not leaking grease at this point, but I purchased new O-rings anyway since it was easy to replace them once everything is apart. However, I noticed that the powder coater painted over the edge of the spacer (I should have removed the spacers before having the struts powder coated), so even if the O-ring were to fail, there is no way for grease to escape. Given this, I decided to not pull the spacers and to leave the original O-rings.

[85911]

Frank: Thanks for the extraordinary quality of your posts. Your communication skills match your auto repair skills.

I don't recall seeing a resolution to the adherence issue between JB Weld and either bare metal or the paint you wanted to apply in the torsion tube. Did you get an answer on the ring with the holes?

Also, you mentioned in one post using POR15 and Wurth Undercoat (I assume it was Underbody Seal). I visited both websites and it appears they are similar. Under what applications would you use either?

Again, thanks for all the time you have put into your documentation. I have learned a lot, especially about metal preparation and finishes, and will definitely be using your thread in the future for reference.

[proffighter]

Is there powder coat on the seat for the brake discs? It looks like. Not a good thing then, as the seat is very sensitive to be within specs, otherwise discs wont run strait, chattering etc. is the result

[frankc]

Originally Posted by 85911

I don't recall seeing a resolution to the adherence issue between JB Weld and either bare metal or the paint you wanted to apply in the torsion tube.

Sorry, I had planned on going over this soon when I cover the rear suspension work. I ended up applying the JB Weld directly to metal just to be on the safe side. I would think that the JB Weld would provide comparable protection to POR15 in this area. Plus, I don't see a way that water can easily get past the Rebel Racing rear bushings to enter the torsion tube, like can be done with the factory rubber bushings (once they fail). After the Rebel Racing outer races were epoxied in place, I sprayed the inside of the torsion tube with CorrosionX to reduce the chance of corrosion even further.

Originally Posted by 85911

Did you get an answer on the ring with the holes?

I never determined if there is a part number for them. IIRC, the holes started appearing after a certain year, and their orientation is consistent. But what purpose they serve (if any), I do not know. I discovered that mine weren't as rusted as I thought they were once I cleaned them up.

Originally Posted by 85911

Also, you mentioned in one post using POR15 and Wurth Undercoat (I assume it was Underbody Seal). I visited both websites and it appears they are similar. Under what applications would you use either?

There are many discussions on the correct undercoat/schutz/SKS products to use over on the paint & bodywork forum (a couple of links below), and I have posted some of my results over there. If the panel is exposed to road debris, then I use some type of chip guard. Otherwise, I use POR15 by itself. But I would suggest that you post any questions you have in that forum as well, to get opinions from the paint gurus.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/paint-bodywork-discussion-forum/792484-correct-colour-underseal.html
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/paint-bodywork-discussion-forum/538184-another-wurth-stone-guard-question.html

Originally Posted by 85911

Again, thanks for all the time you have put into your documentation. I have learned a lot, especially about metal preparation and finishes, and will definitely be using your thread in the future for reference.

Thanks for reading - I have so much more to learn myself.

[frankc]

Originally Posted by proffighter

Is there powder coat on the seat for the brake discs? It looks like. Not a good thing then, as the seat is very sensitive to be within specs, otherwise discs wont run strait, chattering etc. is the result

Thanks for bringing this up - I assume you are referring to the surface where the front brake rotor mates with the hub? I was also concerned about the powder coating on the hub in this area, so I used a flat file to remove most of it and to ensure that the surface was flat, before installing the rotor. However, I did not take it all the way down to bare metal, so if I notice any issues with the front brakes after I get it all together, this is what I will suspect first. Fortunately, removing the front hubs is not too much effort.

[kangl7]

Hi Frank, loving this thread as I am also doing my suspension refresh at the moment as well.

I am also located in Austin, TX and was wondering who you use for the yellow zinc plating and whether you would recommend them. Thanks!

[frankc]

Kankl7,
Sorry for the delay in responding - I was spending all my free time last week getting the car back on four wheels for the Hill Country Rallye.

The first batch of zinc plating was done by Consolidate Metal Technologies, up in Round Rock. They did a very nice job, but unfortunately decided to no longer take non-commercial jobs several years ago.

When I had the bottom of the chassis painted by Jeff's Resurrections (in Taylor), I asked the owner who he uses for plating services, and he recommended Taylor Metal Finishing - just around the corner from the restoration shop. TMF plated the remainder of the parts spread over 5 or 6 jobs. The owner is also a "car guy" and very friendly.

Because TMF does these type of jobs between their normal work, they can't always predict when the parts will be ready. I've had them take anywhere from one to three weeks, but the quality is usually nice - and largely depends on how well the parts are prepared before dropping them off. The smoother the metal, the glossier the zinc plating will be (if that's what you want).

Let me know if you have any questions, or need any help with the suspension work.

[kangl7]

Frank, just saw that you replied to my question, thanks!...I just saw this...almost 2 months late...

I actually almost ended up the exact same route that you took with the plating. I talked to Consolidated Metal about doing my plating, and they agreed to do my small job, but the cost to do the post bake for such a small job drove the prices way too high. Jeff's Resurrections also painted my car and you guessed it, he also recommended TMF. I spoke to TMF, but they didn't do post bake treatments so I ended up sending my spring plates along with some hardware to Elephant Racing for the plating.

Just got my last torsions bar in yesterday(back ordered) and got the rears almost buttoned back up tonight. Tomorrow, the car comes down and hopefully I've indexed the height correctly!

What part of town are you located at? I'm located around Mopac and Anderson Ln. I'd like to take a look at your car!

[Liam O]

Frank,

Can you tell me the torque settings for:

1. The pin in the front ball joint.
and
2. The nut securing the top of the strut insert.

Ive been reading through your post in relation to the front suspension, very informative and helpful.

thanks in advance.

Liam.

[AutoXer23]

WOW !!!!! Such an impressively detailed build. Your page has me motivated and well informed . I'll be following a lot of your steps.

[superninety]

Talk about a thread resurrection.....

[Tobra]

No kidding

[AutoXer23]

LOL I was researching wooden chassis dollys and came across this page. There's a lot of info on this thread.