When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Thanks for the 'Heads Up' as stuff like that is easily forgotten, except that this was just a Trial Fit to get the Brakes and Rotors Centralised as well as to gauge the opinion of whether I've done it right or wrong so far
The slightly too big brake pads being an example, which I may decide to cut down a bit but if you look down by the Hammer, you will see a new set of 'Lock Tabs' already to go on
Made some really good progress today but I'll save the biggest update until the Weekend, as Weather permitting, as I want to finish Painting the Cage which is looking pretty good already
And so while I was waiting for the Paint to dry on the inside of the Cage, I had an idea for making a 'Lock Wire Twister' for Locking the Bolts that go in the Top of the Diff but just to show you how it works, I'm just using Fuse Wire for the 'Demo' instead of the Stainless Steel Wire that I'll be using on the real thing
Step (1) Find a Screwdriver with a hole through the Handle just like this one
Step (2) Drill a small hole through the Top of the Handle all the way down to the Hole that is already in the Screwdriver Handle
Step (3) Thread the Locking Wire through the Holes of the Bolt that you want to Lock and then thread both ends of the Locking Wire, through the Hole that you drilled in the Top of the Handle, making sure that each end of the Locking Wire comes out of each side of the Hole that was already in the Handle
Step (4) Snug the Locking Wire up nice and close to the Bolt as in Photo above
Step (5) Hold both Wires Finger Tight against the sides of the Handle and Start Twisting the Screwdriver and then as you do so start paying out more wire from both sides of the Handle, depending upon just how long you want the Twisted Locking Wire to be
With Zero Practice it's easy to achieve a neat tight twist the first time round
You do get Prizes for neatness, so an obvious Talent going to waste 'me thinks'
This is so much easier than rebuilding those darn Calipers, so maybe I will take up Wire Locking instead!
I've found a slightly easier, and definitely quicker way to twist wire. It's necessary to have twisted pairs of wire especially, for electronics where cross talking of computer signals can be a problem. So If I need to create a twisted pair. I simply take the 2 wires (any size), and pinch one end of them gently in a wise, etc. Then stretch them out gently, for as long as I need. I then take the other 2 ends, and stick them into the chuck of my variable speed cordless drill tighten the chuck, and pull back to snug the wires, and then pull the trigger. It will twist them in virtually seconds, and you can vary the tension, and speed to make the twist as tight, or as loose as you want. Try it, you won't believe it's that simple. But it is. As long as you can tighten the drill chuck on to the wires, it's like Magic!
I wasn't trying to one up you. I was replacing a section of twisted 14 gauge wire on a school bus, and it was several feet long and I started the old way doing it by hand after a foot or so, I thought this sucks. So there I was standing at the end of the bench, and there sat the cordless drill???? HHHmmmmm !!! I already had the one ends stuck in the wise to hold them, and the Light Bulb went on! I said stick those wires in the drill "Dummy" and viola! Twisted wires! I was blown away, I can't tell you how many times I did it the old manual way, years and years.
Jack
Last edited by 89 Jacobra; 04-09-2021 at 07:29 PM.
OB looking sooo good.
Love the wire twisting options... aren't we a smart bunch... I would not have thought about either options.. LOL
Back to the hand brake tabs... mine had spring washers and must have been that way for a while, cage out I would be using the tabs.. cage in - spring washers and locklite!
Your cage is looking so good, I would be very pleased, just to scared to do it... not scared but it seems such a massive job.
After the brit show tomorrow, if it stops raining and when getting the hand brake calipers back is too hard then.... and then this could be a winter job.
Don't lose any sleep over that, as I have Zero Ego and I'm very open minded, so if someone comes up with a better idea then I'm only too happy to say Well done! and use it, as on the Forum we're here to help each other
Don't start getting 'Cage Fright' now! (OMG! just invented a new word!) removing the Cage is easy!
Providing:
(1) You work alone as when I'm working with someone else you sort of feel under pressure to make something happen instead of thinking it through before you do
(2) Get it firmly in your head that this is your Hobby and as such treat it as if its a 'Labour of Love' rather than one of those Total PIA Jobs, like replacing the In-Tank Fuel Pump on an XJS 4.0L which is a PIA job! for very little in the way of satisfaction
(3) With the use of Trolleys and Jacks, there is no need for any heavy lifting as you could use an engine crane or a block and tackle with a Tripod
(4) Take your time and don't rush, the slower you work the faster it goes (ace tip there from DD)
(5) The Satisfaction from doing this is really off the Scale, as by the time you've finished, you'll almost have a New Car! and a Story you can dine out on forever!
The reason it's taken me so long, I can partly blame on the Weather, where up until a few days ago it has been either Freezing Cold or Raining or both but mainly because I found myself getting so 'into this' that I was really enjoying the whole process so much so that I didn't want it to end
And and there's always an 'And' I was being a bit of a 'Fuss Pot' with the Cosmetics, constantly pressure washing and de-greasing, which of course is not necessary but when OCD kicks in what can you do!
It's not Concourse but more what some would call 'A Fishing Boat Finish' and all the parts from various sources which included the paint only came to £120 which was a fair bit cheaper than having to pay (circa) Three Grand! for a Shop to do it for me
So with the money that I've saved I am going to buy myself a Mid Rise Car Lift which you might consider doing yourself
Having said that it isn't over as there is still work to do but since I am enjoying myself, it takes as long as it takes and I'm not in a rush, as its not exactly Top Down driving Weather at the moment
Don't start getting 'Cage Fright' now! (OMG! just invented a new word!) removing the Cage is easy!
Providing:
(1) You work alone as when I'm working with someone else you sort of feel under pressure to make something happen instead of thinking it through before you do
(2) Get it firmly in your head that this is your Hobby and as such treat it as if its a 'Labour of Love' rather than one of those Total PIA Jobs, like replacing the In-Tank Fuel Pump on an XJS 4.0L which is a PIA job! for very little in the way of satisfaction
(3) With the use of Trolleys and Jacks, there is no need for any heavy lifting as you could use an engine crane or a block and tackle with a Tripod
(4) Take your time and don't rush, the slower you work the faster it goes (ace tip there from DD)
(5) The Satisfaction from doing this is really off the Scale, as by the time you've finished, you'll almost have a New Car! and a Story you can dine out on forever!
The reason it's taken me so long, I can partly blame on the Weather, where up until a few days ago it has been either Freezing Cold or Raining or both but mainly because I found myself getting so 'into this' that I was really enjoying the whole process so much so that I didn't want it to end
And and there's always an 'And' I was being a bit of a 'Fuss Pot' with the Cosmetics, constantly pressure washing and de-greasing, which of course is not necessary but when OCD kicks in what can you do!
It's not Concourse but more what some would call 'A Fishing Boat Finish' and all the parts from various sources which included the paint only came to £120 which was a fair bit cheaper than having to pay (circa) Three Grand! for a Shop to do it for me
So with the money that I've saved I am going to buy myself a Mid Rise Car Lift which you might consider doing yourself
Having said that it isn't over as there is still work to do but since I am enjoying myself, it takes as long as it takes and I'm not in a rush, as its not exactly Top Down driving Weather at the moment
For the control arms are u replacing the small bushing with poly and turning the big one 90 degrees? Doing that stiffens up the rear end. If you need the part number or the poly one I'm sure I posted in in my build thread. Was a UK company so you won't have a month like i did. Also had a shop press out the old ones because I tried at home and was no joy. Best 40 bucks cash I spent lol.
I found putting it in was harder that taking it out. Getting that emergency cable back on is a 2 person job. Need the misses on the handle to give some slack while u pull it with pliers to get it back into the clips.
I.. Try it, you won't believe it's that simple. But it is. As long as you can tighten the drill chuck on to the wires, it's like Magic!
Jack
Jack,
Just to add to your suggestion..
I used to use a cordless drill until I eventually bought some lockwire pliers (which I find quite therapeutic!). And I used to do it slightly differently such that I never had the problem of gripping the wires in the chuck. I just used a small dowel with a hole drilled across it and put that in the drill chuck. Then I put the wires through the hole from opposite sides then twisted the ends together. It worked every time.
Looks a 'Bag of Spanners' but wait and see what happens after a bit of hard work
Looking back now I can honestly say that none of this was hard work and nowhere near as hard to do as it may look to some, not least because I was enjoying the process of taking what looks like a piece of junk and making it look better than it was
Which I found fascinating as I've never done this sort of thing before, except that I was driven by a strong desire to try and do the best job that I could, as with Summer round the corner having '50 Shades' back on the road was something that I wanted very much
Where since there wasn't any way for it to fix itself the only option open was just to bite the bullet and then get stuck in, so I'll start off with a recap and then go into where we are today
Not looking good at the moment and looks fit for Scrap to me
When I took the Cage off it looked even worse!
Looking a little better after Power Washing and Scraping 'I wonder how much my Water Bill will be?'
Axle now in Primer and ready for Top Coat and then New Rotors and a Caliper Rebuild
Having removed the Springs and Dampers it was time to Paint the Cage
Springs and Dampers ready to go back on
Refitting The Springs and Dampers
Will the Next Contestant please step forward! Quite a bit more sanding to do before applying Paint
Yass! we are getting there now!
Just a few more minor tweaks and the Cover can go back on
Its been blowing a Gale all day so didn't get very much done but considering all the bad Weather we've had I'm please with the progress so far
Had an Amazing day to day, even though it was one of Sunshine and Showers, typical UK Weather for this time of the Year where the Soft Top would have been up and down like a YoYo
So what better time than to tidy up some loose ends, where I started off by taking a lot of well meaning advice to shape my homemade (Greg Designed) Hand Brake Pads to the curvature of the Rotor and you were right guys they look so much better
Reshaping The Hand Brake Brake Pads to the Curvature of the Rotor which took 2 Hours with a File!
Then it was time to put the Cage back on the Axle but decided not to put the Locking Tabs on the Spring Forks of the Hand Brake Pads until I'm sure that they are going to work, as if they don't then I will have to take them off again
But before I put the Cage back on the Axle, I have to remove the Two Locking Pins down by the 'Dog Bones' where in order to do so I made Two 'Dummy Shafts' to take their place, which was very easy to do as all you need are a couple of lengths of 1/2in Copper Water Pipe 12.2 inches long to take the place of the Locking Pins
These 'Dummy Shafts' will Temporarily take the place of the Locking Pins while I put the Cover over the Axle
This is why its preferable to use some 'Dummy Shafts' as if you are not careful when you pull the Locking Pins out, all the Internal Bushes very easily get out of alignment so when you come to put the Locking Pins back, you can have a real job on your hands
With the 'Dummy Shafts' now in place all that's left to do is to roll the Cover over the top of the Diff but if those 'Locking Pins' were still in place they stick out so far that you would never get the cover to sit down on the bottom plate, which you can do with the 'Dummy Shafts' as they don't stick out
OMG! at last I'm almost there, so all I've got to do now is Tap the Locking Pins in the Holes with a Lead Faced Hammer and this will knock the 'Dummy Shafts' out of the other side and then just bolt the Locking Pins in place from either end, then connect up the Brake Pipes and we are almost done and dusted!
Although I should be doing Hand Stands on the Lawn, now this part is nearly almost over when I see how far I've come with rebuilding the IRS it just feels 'Bitter Sweet' as I have enjoyed doing this so much, that I really can't wait to do it all over again, as the IRS on 'Cherry Blossom' is in a similar state and needs rebuilding
Except of course this project isn't over yet, as the next thing to do is to put it back into the Car, which could be fun or not, we'll have to see!
Just got to insert the Locking Pins and then put her back in the Car!
OB
Some decent strength loctite on the cage/diff bolts is a good belt and braces as well as the lockwire. The lockwire will stop the bolts coming out, but not stop them coming loose.
The whole thing looks magnificent. Renewing the diff was the first really big job I did on my car, about 20 years ago. I have never forgotten the feeling of achievement and pride i had afterwards!
04-08-2021, 09:03 AM
I was blown away, I can't tell you how many times I did it the old manual way, years and years.
