In case you were wondering, you don't have to pull the entire IRS if you don't want to. Many people seem to like doing it that way, but I get that it can seem daunting.

You can definitely just pull the calipers with the rear in situ, I rebuilt both my rear calipers that way. You can try to plug the rear line but it can be hard. The best chance would actually be clamping the flex line closed, but if your flex line is old and messed up this may exacerbate the issue.


The pistons can be forced out with air, grease, or brake fluid. The hardest part is mostly juggling the parts in or out around all the suspension if you decide to leave it in the car.

The problem with trying to do a good job cleaning the calipers as they are is you are probably going to tear up the dust boots. You can basically just rinse it with brake cleaner. I would definitely look at rebuilding them with the pistons performing so differently.

So long as the car doesn't have ABS, having the entire circuit empty isn't that much work in terms of bleeding, but its nice to keep it in if you can.

Actually replacing the seals and cleaning and repainting the calipers is simply enough stuff.

 

When you disconnect the brake lines, do you let the fluid drip out, catch it with a container or do you try and plug up the lines?
In your case I would let it drip out, unless you have ABS. you need to completely renew the fluid. If you have ABS, then get a rubber cap as used to protect the brake bleed nipples, and slip it over the flared end of the brake line that runs up to the cage, the end of the line from which you disconnected the flexible. If you have ABS, you will still need to renew the fluid, but not draining the system makes this far easier.
I know when bleeding the brakes letting the fluid go below the reservoir was bad news but that was just because it sucks in air correct?
Yes.
that will keep Wifey happy so she can put her car in too
Vitally important

 

Batman,

Get a NEW rear brake hose, VERY important, let the fluid flow, into a jar while you have a Cuban break, then use the old fluid as weed killer.

I used standard jackstands, and simply welded a piece of water pipe onto the platform of 2 of them. This "tube" slides neatly over the jacking points, so when you are pushing and pulling at anything that is stuck, the car CANNOT fall off the stands and bruise the skull.

 

Hi Bro

Good to see you are back!

Lots of problems my end but nothing compared to yours, as you have the very job I've always dreaded doing although no doubt I'll have to do it one day

So I will be watching with interest to see how its done and hope your new house has come with a massive great Garage, as I have a feeling you might need one

All the Best

Alex

 

Cheers guys! Sorry it took me a while to respond (weekend over here with kids and activities.).

OB great to hear from ya mate! I'll have to touch base and see how Cherry Blossom and the Ice Princess are doing!

Sidescrollin: Cheers bud. I think it best I take out the IRS because I am pretty sure my rotors need swapping out (feeling the groove) and also want to check my hand brake calipers. May as well do it all in one go I guess. Plug my neck was aching just taking out the stuck brake pads the other day so a horrible place to work under. Much credit to you for doing the calipers under there!

Grant cheers for the advice bud. I don't have a welding machine at the garage nor possess the skills but that is a niffty little idea. Tomorrow I gotta jack her down and move her over for the long haul (double garage now). Was gonna support her on the axle stands but yeah looking for some advice to have some secondary support. Normally I'd place the tyres/wheels underneath but I need to keep them attached to the IRS as Greg mentions. She'll be sitting there for a while I guess whilst I chip away at this in between work stints.

Any other advice to have her doubly secured whilst her bowels are being removed?

Well....will begin to tackle this tomorrow morning if all goes to plan. I can just imagine the questions it will generate!

Stay tuned....

 

Batman,

Mine sat on 4 of those stands for 18 months whilst I stopped grazing and did it ALL. Both cradles OUT, engine supported, then engine came out, oil leaks I spied from the underside made that decission very quickly.

I scurried around under that thing constantly without a worry in the world.

The JD tube getting tangled in the creeper wheels was more concern back then.

I had the wheels off, and the floor jack placed towards the front on the cradle, coz as Clarke said, the snout is heavy enough to tilt that sucker forward. I also had 2 helpers, teenage kids, and that was an aid of sorts. It rolled out the tail just fine, 1/2" to spare.

When that cradle is out, I suggest replacing the 2 fuel hoses, one each side, that are inside the chassis rail, and hidden by the cradle.

The front, well that did not balance so well, and crashed to the concrete very unceremoniously.

 

As long as the front wheels are chocked both sides of each tyre, that is half the battle. Then, axle stands under the rear jacking points, all good. BUT placing some big wood blocks under the sills just forward of the stands always gives me a reassuring feeling!
The key is getting the rear as high as possible, the bumper was about 4 feet up when I did mine (though of course the actual axle was not that high. You will find, once the 4 hours has been spent getting the axle out, that it is pretty easy to redo it all.

 

Hi Bro

Make sure the 'Goose' is facing round the right way in your Garage, so that you have plenty of room to roll out the IRS

 

Cheers guys. Just tiding up the garage now making preparations....

Grant yeah the thought did occur to me of the ole "Catapult" effect when I take the IRS out. That V12 Engine makes the front very heavy....other than what is previously mentioned above (like chocking the front tyres) is there any cause for concern of that whole chassis tilting forward if I don't secure her properly? Has this happened to anybody? Just don't want to have front bumper and body work to add to the list as well lol!

 

Sorry guys...not too much done today. Had to prioritize a few home maintenance jobs first...

So anyway, firstly I had to move the Goose from the middle of the garage to the far left for her long period of hibernation. This meant putting back the brake pads (so I could maneuver her ok) and moving all the junk from one side of the garage to the other:

Before:

After:


Ok. Now I am ready. I jacked her up to about 3 feet from ground to bottom of the bumper. That equated to 7 notches on each axle stand. Is this enough or do I still need to go higher?



After that I checked each jacking point only to come to a small road block. You see I use a bit of wood with a hole drilled in the middle to go over the jacking points. Only problem is...if you look closely...this is going to get in the way of me removing that bolt which I am assuming needs to go with the IRS correct?
See the hex head bolt flush up against my wood block. No clearance at all.


Same problem on this side:


(Just to confirm the above picture are the purpose built jacking points and I am assuming I have to remove this bracket as part of the IRS)

To clarify, this is the bracket I am talking about:


It connects from the IRS to just behind the jacking point. Has rubber inside it. What do we call this? A cross member? (Gonna start making a list of what each main component of the IRS is called). It looks like it bolts on with a large bolt then has a smaller clamp which holds the bolt in question flush against my block of wood. If I leave this in can I still slide the strut out?

I guess using the WoOz method of a pipe welded to the axle stands would work well in this situation?

Bugger...gonna have to come up with something different tomorrow. Want to make sure she is all jacked up properly before I fully commit because then it is kinda stuck in place.


edit: On second thought, might just bring her back down and remove that particular bolt each side before I jack her up again. Seems reasonable?

 

That bolt is the chassis end of the safety strap. The rubber thing is a bush which prevents vibrations etc entering the cabin. The main bolt through the middle of this radius arm bush should be lockwired to that strap. Good plan to remove the strap bolt first, no harm will be done. Or, just cut a notch in the block. A touch higher on the rear would not hurt, and get some blocks under those sills just forward of the stands.
Great stuff so far. Just make sure you have enough room to work on the wall-side of the car. Your helper needs to get in there to steady the axle when it comes out, and to remove/replace the cage mount bolts from the chassis leg.

 

As long as the fronts are chocked securely and are on the ground, the car will be fine and will not move when you are working on the axle. Blocks under the sills and all good.

 

Yep, remove that bolt, and the strap, first, simple. Refit it last.

The front cannot collapse, the springs will maintain the height, and the angle of the dangle will have the front a tad lower, but all good.

Should be high enough, and with the wheels off, looks like plenty of room.

 

Bro

I wouldn't trust those Axle Stands alone, just in case She moves and then falls down!

Put some big blocks of wood or something underneath as well and not just a Spare Wheel

 

I agree OB. Axle stands will never fail on vertical loads, but sideways loads are something else. I had mine on four stands once (and I know that is very different from two with two wheels on the ground) and started undoing a bolt somewhere that required a horizontal pull, and I felt the car rock! Now obviously the huge power of the GiF right arm affects matters (!) but never again!

 

I agree with Greg and Alex.

If wooden blocks are not available, some simple sand filled bags will do the same.

You probably have some left over from last weeks deluge???????

 

Sorry guys....taking longer than expected. House hold duties due to a mega tonne of stormy weather the last few weeks plus my bloody computer just died means I am in the JForums now using my phone

Anyway a little progress today..

Removed the radius arm safety strap, made up a few new wooden blocks with holes for my axle stands (my old ones were splitting) and also loosened all my wheel nuts as the wise GiF mentions.

Next I jacked her up and all I could find for secondary support was some bloody heavy boxes of tiles the previous house owner left.

I set it up so if those axel stands somehow fail the car will fall on the stacked tiles + my trolley jack still in place. Seems ok?

I also went around the car and gave her a fair bit of pushing side to side....still up and ready to go.

My new garage has room but still unpacking boxes looking for tools and nothing set up yet. Had to also mount my bench vice today before I could even cut my wooden blocks. 2 steps forward 1 step back but in a forward direction I guess.....deep breathes...

Tomorrow. ...remove that section of exhaust from in amongst the IRS and see what else time will permit...

Thanks to all for continued support. This is gonna be a slow story.....

 

Paul
Tiles not a good idea. If the thing does crash - which it will not - they are going to shatter and not stop the car. Must be a lumber yard somewhere, surely?
All good stuff though, and there is no hurry, remember!

 

Bro

If She falls you will need a bit more than an oil riggers Hard Hat to save you, so pack at least a couple of wheels one on top of the other

And preferably some massive timber blocks

If the IRS gets caught up while you are lowering it down or maybe even slips off the Jack then anything can happen and usually does

 

Paul
Just had an thought. Nip down to the local tyre fitters and they will give you a stack of old tyres to use. One on the other until just under the sills.
Greg