Hydraulic press - How big?

[Mjit]

So I'm looking to replace the stub axles on my 2500 (which normally require pressing out) and have a feeling the track control arm bushes are past their best (which also need pressing in/out).  I live in London so there isn't exactly an abundance of 'proper' garages who fix things, just the modern 'replace the unit' types - and all of them have to pass on London rents so am probably looking at £100...and Machine Mart hydraulic presses start from £192 for a 4 tonne/£216 for a 10 tonne.

Is a 10 tonne likely to be enough for Triumph press fit parts or are you really looking at a 20 tonne press (where the price jumps to a somewhat less friendly £575)?

[Pete Lewis]

so why do the stub axles need replacing,???

track control arm bushes i used a large socket some thick washers and 10mm studding to drag the old out and pull the new in 

do make sure the brake reaction rod bushes are the right way round   <!>    not >!<  

the bottom ball joint   ... one came off easy   and one needed  to be banged  and bounced all round the garage 

Pete

[Paul H]

I bought a 12mt Press which was adequate for replacing the rotoflex and bearings on my Vitesse . Last job was an obstinate bearing on a gearbox refurb 

Paul 

[RogerH]

1 hour ago, Mjit said:

So I'm looking to replace the stub axles on my 2500 (which normally require pressing out) and have a feeling the track control arm bushes are past their best (which also need pressing in/out).  I live in London so there isn't exactly an abundance of 'proper' garages who fix things, just the modern 'replace the unit' types - and all of them have to pass on London rents so am probably looking at £100...and Machine Mart hydraulic presses start from £192 for a 4 tonne/£216 for a 10 tonne.

Is a 10 tonne likely to be enough for Triumph press fit parts or are you really looking at a 20 tonne press (where the price jumps to a somewhat less friendly £575)?

I think they are similar to the TR hubs.

There is a simple 'Churchill' tool that separates the hub. Using any form of press may distort or even break the hub flanges.

'Enginuity' in Acton can do all this.

Why are you taking te stubs out?

 

Roger

[PeteH]

Hydraulic press`, superb tools, however great care is needed to ensure the part(s) is supported sufficiently to avoid distortion or breakage, especially on castings. Often it is better to preload a bearing puller (say) and then "shock" it, that which a press brake will not do.?

Pete

[Mjit]

14 hours ago, RogerH said:

Why are you taking te stubs out?

Just an assumption based on my general luck at the moment!

Doing a full front hub overhaul/CW brake upgrade and expecting to find the stub axles have excessive wear when everything's apart and spread in pieces all over the driveway.

Plus it's a potential excuse to buy a new toy

[Colin Lindsay]

15 minutes ago, Mjit said:

 

Plus it's a potential excuse to buy a new toy

That I understand very well! However once you’ve pressed everything in sight and dozens of things that you can salt away for a future restoration, you run out of things to press and it sits gathering dust. Handy if you have room for it but look after it for when it goes on eBay again… 🤣

[Mjit]

Actually to give a fuller answer this all started with an odd brake pedal on my new 2500 - it needs a (single) pump to get confident pressure if the brakes haven't been pressed recently.  Fluid all changed/bled/dropped in to garage for professional pressure blead but persists.

Given pedal's fine after first pump think it's just pad knock-back.
And discs are quite worn.
And don't know the history of the hubs so worth replacing the bearings.
And if I'm going to replace the discs Witor sells that shiny brake upgrade kit.
But the datasheet on the website says "Calipers with large piston area are more susceptible to effects of ‘pad knockout’- a long pedal caused by any play in the hub, especially due to recess wear in stub axle(s), which pushes the pistons back into the caliper(s). This is most noticeable after using a lot of steering lock, therefore normally occurs at low speed after making a manoeuvre like a 3 point turn, after which the brake pedalwill initially travel further than normal. Re-new the stub axle if measuring less than 0.7485” small outer diameter, and 1.061” large Inner diamete".
Which could be part of the current knock-back but not something I can measure till everything's already apart and the car's sat on axel stands.
And if I find they are worn at that point I'm stuck waiting for another delivery ANd trying to find someone who can press the old ones out.

Technically I haven't gotten to the "And if I'm draining the brake fluid to do the fronts I might as well swap to 5.1 fluid.  And if I'm doing that I might as well replace the M/C seals and rear brake cylinders.  And..." but sure I will

[Colin Lindsay]

2 minutes ago, Mjit said:

And if I find they are worn at that point I'm stuck waiting for another delivery ANd trying to find someone who can press the old ones out.

Undo the nut on the rear of the stub axle a couple of turns and whack it with a hammer. It will only take a little release of the nut, just a few threads showing, to tell you if the axle will move, and gentle heat to expand the housing round it will help.

Personally I always found that replacing them, and wondering if they were fully seated, was more worrying than removal.

[Pete Lewis]

having a double press on 2000/25000/stag   to get the bite is also down to the rear adjuster ratchet being held open by tesion in the handbrake cable

any tenison stops the spreader bar from pulling the ratchet and you get excess pedal travel as the wheel cylinders close the un adjusted gap up

happens a lot   did this on a stag last week 

disconnect the cable clevis , press the foor brake listen to the ratchet click up  re dajust and refit the cable 

Pete

[Mjit]

I don't think it's the adjusters as that would occure with every brake application I think - at least until the adjuster did click?

Mine's just usually that first press that goes just a little but further than you expect causing a minor twitch of the sphincter.  The brakes still work and lift off/press again and it's nice and strong/bites where I expect it and where it will generally bite for the rest of the trip.  As Triumph seemed to use up all their steering lock on the Herald family getting the saloon out from where it's parked requires a full lock 3 point turn, which is solidly in pad knock-back territory.

That said not sure I've taken the rear drums off yet so probably worth checking how much meat are on the shoes and checking the automatic adjusters are working correctly.

[Pete Lewis]

i would just check and reset the hub end float its probably the castle nut is just backed off  a flat too many 

alway do the simple first before opening the wallet 

if you can extracate the hub cap you can reset the float without removing the wheel   easy ...cheap  etc 

Pete

[Mjit]

The disc need replacing anyway - given the lip on them I wonder if they might not be original!

[RogerH]

My Reply was in error. I thought you were dismantling the rear hubs.

 

Roger

[Peter Truman]

6 hours ago, Pete Lewis said:

if you can extracate the hub cap

The original thread in the grease cap always strips, I resorted on the new replacements (old ones mangled after 50 years) to using a steel Rivnut with the head on the inside of the cap ie thread on outside so now easy removal of the cap is ensured.

[Pete Lewis]

yes i did that on the vit6   just a short setcrew to seal it off 

Pete