Clay’s Wedgewood Blue FB Ute

[Harv]

Uni’s can be horrible sometimes.

The factory tool (4A11) doesn’t make it any easier either. No better than using a vice.

Cheers,
Harv

[EK283]

Clay,

I just use sockets and the press, can be fiddly and watch out for the needle rollers getting caught !

Greg

[Errol62]

Thanks all. I’ve done these before without drama. Got there eventually. Bit of mess to clean up. I couldn’t find my oil syringe so I came up with the innovative solution of using the shutz gun to pump oil in to the gearbox. 90w gear oil doesn’t move as easily as shutz, fish oil or cavity wax but got there by trial and error. Oil everywhere and the fish oil litre tin I used blew up like a balloon.

The car is completely transformed with the new driveline and 3.36 diff. All the rumbles and vibrations are gone. No hint of any whine. Still pulls up old willunga hill in top though not quite as willingly as it did with the original diff. Got up to 110kmh by the app on my phone, with the speedo showing 60mph and motor ticking away nicely. Time to rat through my gearbox selection and see if I can find an FX FJ speedo drive.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[ardiesse]

Clay,

Yep, a 3.36 and new rear wheel bearings make all the difference. You'll have as many methods of installing uni joints as there are people, but my approach is:

Take the opposite cups off. Start one into the shaft (or yoke) by hand and give it a tap with a hammer to hold it in place. Feed the spider into the partially installed cup. Start the opposite cup, and gently squeeze with a vice, while sliding the spider back and forth. If the spider picks up both cups freely, your alignment is correct. Wind the vice up. You might have to use a couple of nuts behind the cups to get the retaining clips in place. Release the vice and turn the spider. If stiff, give a couple of taps with a hammer beside the cup and the joint will free up. Repeat the process for the other two cups.

The main problem I have with uni joints is that the holes in the yoke flog out and the cup becomes loose. I have cured this by various techniques best not discussed in the presence of the mechanically competent.

60 mph indicated at 110 km/h true is to be expected. A Humpy speedo driven gear will increase the speedo reading by only 4% though.

Rob

[Errol62]

Same as my method rob. Not too fussed about speedo really, but I'll take 4% if its fun and easy. I usually set speed on satnav or phone anyway. For a trip will rig up a stalk out the lighter socket and have the phone plugged in.

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[Errol62]

Tried the big rubber. Virtually touching on the drivers rear lip. The fronts clear the end of the top conttol arm by 4mm on lock. I think the front track would be reduced slightly over stock with these. Could run the rears with torrid diff but not lowered.

I actually took my chromies down to Wayne's tyres this morning to lash out on new tyres, but he was closed.

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[Errol62]

These 6x14 with 185 70 are more sensible and don't rub. Speedo says 55mph@100kmh. 50kmh is 27mph. 60 kmh is 33mph. 80 is 44mph. Easy.

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[Errol62]

Think I can make these work with 205 tyres. These are 215 60 14. I will take them to someone and see if the backs can be machined. There is 22mm total thickness so best I might get 7mm?

Don't want it too low in the bum though my local motor sport event is a hill climb up windey old Willunga Hill. Now and then there are about 100 entrants, but usually its just me.

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[Patrick_R]

A really great result with the driveline Clay.

I bet you had a grin from ear to ear

[EK283]

I like the black wheel look, maybe with a hubcap ! It gives it an industrial business only look.

Greg

[ardiesse]

Last time I did the Willunga Hillclimb, I was in a twin-engined Holden and attempted it in top gear . . .

Rob

[Patrick_R]

Rob,

Twin engine?

Ric.

[Harv]

Last time I did the Willunga Hillclimb, I was in a twin-engined Holden and attempted it in top gear . . .

Does the D in ardiesse stand for DeBracton?

This story needs telling

Cheers,
Harv

[Errol62]

Know the car. Good handling, low centre of gravity thanks to some rather lazy Fisherman’s Bend cast iron.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[ardiesse]

Willunga Hillclimb in a twin-engine Holden: the true story is a little more prosaic.

I was wearing my "Interstate Grey Motor Recovery Services" hat. But Clay is right about the lower centre of gravity. A bag of cement has nothing on a cylinder block in the boot, and a cylinder head and crankshaft on the rear floors.

Rob