Clay’s Wedgewood Blue FB Ute

[62ekute]

yep Clay, good to remember what tools you've got - more beer time that way. Patrick

[Blacky]

Crivens, I have NEVER had that much trouble separating a ball joint ???????????? back off castle nut 2 or 3 turns, belt with hammer , ball joint goes pop, open another stubbie ????

[Errol62]

Piece of piss with the separator. Was the bolt idea put me off. Tie rod ends easy enough but hard to get hammer at the steering knuckle.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[Errol62]

Just dummying up while I wait for Pete's engine mounts to turn up.

FB ute driver, EK van project

[Errol62]

Front end components are having a leisurely bath in citric acid.

FB ute driver, EK van project

[Errol62]

Exhaust fouls rear mount by about 40mm

I will put the stock 186 one back on for now. Just that it is tight to the rear exhaust bolt in the bay and thought I could fit these up. Not enough time to modify and I want good exhaust on fire up to bed in lifters.

FB ute driver, EK van project

[ardiesse]

Clay,

(photo of crossmember looking up into the tower from below)

Did you have to "unscrew" the front springs to get them out of the front crossmember? The locating tabs on the inside of the spring seat often get caught in between the coils when putting the front springs in, and then make creaky sounds as the suspension does its work (another one of these voice-of-experience things), and it looks like this may be your experience too. You may need to straighten the tabs out.

Heavy-duty front springs are easy to install. They are short enough so that you can engage the bottom coil in the lower control arm's groove. Standard front springs are a pain. I've had to tie up the coils on one side with baling twine to compress and bend the spring enough so it will locate in the lower control arm. Maybe you won't have this problem with lowered springs.

Rob

[Errol62]

No they fell out. Both sides look almost symmetrical.

I’m a bit perplexed as I don’t seem to have the HR bottom rubbers. I think I have used them to make my sedan a roller. I could hunt them, together with short tubes from the new owner gledge. Don’t seem to be any on the market I can find. Or modify FB ones.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[Errol62]

Same photo, see the stubs are scarred? All I can speculate must have been a bearing failure.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[ardiesse]

But the injury is on the tapered part of the stub axle. I'm thinking possibly some heavy-handedness with a pipe wrench or multi-grips may have occurred. And yes, I've had bearing failure too. It resulted in "galling" of the inner race to the stub axle. The workshop guys explained how to clean up the damage with a fine slip stone - remove just enough of build-up until the bearing inner race slides freely into place.

Rob

[Errol62]

Just on the taper as you say so no drama.
It is the bottom locating rubbers got me stumped.

FB ute driver, EK van project

[ardiesse]

Context has finally dawned on me. "Bottom locating rubbers" - that would be the crossmember mounting rubbers.
HR uses only two rubbers, and the nut and lockwasher tighten up directly onto the crossmember. You're best off using all HR bolts, spacer tubes, upper washers and crossmember rubbers.

If you are short on bolts, spacer tubes and upper washers, I'll see how many I still have at home.

Rob

[Errol62]

Thanks for confirming Rob. I should be right now. Been a while since I last played with this stuff.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[Errol62]

Mother tells me mounts have arrived. Now I just need to drag myself away from all this fun I’m having.


FB ute fixer upper, EK van on rotisserie

[Blacky]

Feeling your pain mate -



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