Kevin Atkins Posted April 30, 2023 Report Share Posted April 30, 2023 Hello all, I am in the process of rebuilding the front suspension on my GT6.. Suspension has gone together fine, now need to reassemble the hub with new wheel bearings. I noticed that on the exploded view of the front hub assembly, Rimmers show a water shield, part number 138559, which is no longer available. I cannot see any water shield on my car - there's the felt washer on the inside, nothing else. Is this going to be a problem? Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted April 30, 2023 Report Share Posted April 30, 2023 Look on the vertical link; the small metal ring may be missing- the photo is a Spitfire link but the water shield part is the same. Unavailable new but breakers like Chic Doig may have some second-hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpingFrog Posted April 30, 2023 Report Share Posted April 30, 2023 1 hour ago, Kevin Atkins said: Hello all, I am in the process of rebuilding the front suspension on my GT6.. If it's a GT6 (or indeed any car with the uprights using separate brake caliper mounts), I'm not sure if the water shields exist. I had this question a while ago, and ended up fitting without, I had the water shields like Colin shows, but they wouldn't fit the smaller collar on the GT6 uprights. I've come to think that despite existing in the parts diagrams, it's some kind of miss print that doesn't represent production. I've only seen the shield on later 4-cylinder cars with the one-piece upright design. But would be happy to be proved otherwise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted April 30, 2023 Report Share Posted April 30, 2023 i seem to recall on separate mounts there was a rubber gasket between the caliper mount and upright to stop water tracking /entering the back /inner bearing its never been available , but a bit of sealer works well Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted May 1, 2023 Report Share Posted May 1, 2023 23 hours ago, JumpingFrog said: If it's a GT6 (or indeed any car with the uprights using separate brake caliper mounts), I'm not sure if the water shields exist. I had this question a while ago, and ended up fitting without, I had the water shields like Colin shows, but they wouldn't fit the smaller collar on the GT6 uprights. I've come to think that despite existing in the parts diagrams, it's some kind of miss print that doesn't represent production. I've only seen the shield on later 4-cylinder cars with the one-piece upright design. But would be happy to be proved otherwise? The listed part number 138559, water shield, is listed in my very early MK1 GT6 parts manual, but most suppliers these days seem to sell one that is about 1mm too large and falls off the GT6 uprights. Chic Doig has the Spitfire versions for £16 on eBay, SH, but again they may be too large for the GT6 uprights. The ones I had for my MK1 came off older worn uprights and had to be heated gently to expand them before they fitted the renovated uprights, but they were completely tight when cold. If I hadn't actually fitted them I too would have debated as to whether they existed! Early Herald caliper conversions, for disc brakes, use a rubber seal - Paddocks sell it in the correct rectangular profile; they never had any kind of water seal bar the felt insert and none is shown in the exploded Herald diagram. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Atkins Posted May 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2023 Thanks for the replies everyone. I have reassembled without, so as it was before. hopefully it'll be OK. I have rebuilt both sides with new uprights and new trunnions. One thing I did notice on the right-hand side - the new upright / trunnion assembly has a little bit of play in it, whereas the left-hand side was tighter and went together with no detectable play. My understanding is the left-hand trunnion has a left-hand thread and the right-hand has a r-h thread, which is what I found, so I don't think I've mixed up the uprights (I triple-checked and cross-referenced part numbers).. So I'm assuming it's poor tolerancing on the new parts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 1, 2023 Report Share Posted May 1, 2023 yes trunnions are handed with opposite threads otherwise one would go up and the other down as you turned the steering. I think the unusual thing with your replacements is the one that has no play! They are simple threads after all and they cant be too tight.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Atkins Posted May 1, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2023 Yes it's a bit odd.. hoping it'll be fine.. Can't say I've been too impressed with the quality of a number of the reproduction parts I've had to fit but it is what it is I guess 😜 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 1, 2023 Report Share Posted May 1, 2023 Yes no idea how these days trunnions wear as dont know if their metal spec is the same as original. I dont worry too much about mine, well theres already play in the wheel bearings and flex in the suspension arm bushes so some more in the trunnions isnt going to make much difference... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJH2454 Posted May 2, 2023 Report Share Posted May 2, 2023 17 hours ago, johny said: Yes no idea how these days trunnions wear as dont know if their metal spec is the same as original. I dont worry too much about mine, well theres already play in the wheel bearings and flex in the suspension arm bushes so some more in the trunnions isnt going to make much difference... How important is that little bit of play in the wheel bearings, I had a little bit of play but nipped them up ever so slightly as the MOT tester always calls up the play as an advisory, not got around to slackening them off that little bit, but currently the wheels spin freely with no discernible drag or of of course play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 2, 2023 Report Share Posted May 2, 2023 (edited) very common but the manual says play and theres a risk the bearing will overheat and seize otherwise. It has happened before and now theres a kit available with a spacer so that play can be effectively eliminated safely if you (or the MOT tester😁) are really that worried ... Edited May 2, 2023 by johny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 2, 2023 Report Share Posted May 2, 2023 Also I think its actually quite a good design although it doesnt seem so at first because unlike a modern wheel bearing the inner race is free to rotate on the stub axle. This means that wear damage, especially impacts, to the race are evenly distributed rather than always being at the same point. Certainly my bearings have done 80k miles now with no signs of needing replacement.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Atkins Posted May 2, 2023 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2023 Years and years ago, I had a Fiat 126 which also had tapered front wheel bearings, and I checked the front wheels.. on finding that they 'wobbled a bit', I duly tightened up the hub nut until the play was gone.. then a few days later, on exiting a motorway slip road (maybe taking a 126 onto a motorway was a particularly stupid thing to have done in the first place, but I was young and daft..) I went to apply the brakes.. what brakes?!? The front hubs had overheated to the extent that I'd lost all braking.. very scary. After that episode, and learning of my mistake, I have always erred on the side of caution when tightening things up.. a little play is better than that scenario! As for the GT6 - I've fitted new stub axles and bearings, and I've had to back the nut off until I can just get the split pin through to allow the hubs to spin freely. I think I'll drive a few miles and let things bed in, and then re-check.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 2, 2023 Report Share Posted May 2, 2023 (edited) yes end float is important 0.002-0.008" or you will seize the outer race to the stub axle very quickly there is generally two split pin holes in the stub to aid fine adjustment but from a light nip 1 to 2 flats backed of works well Pete Edited May 3, 2023 by Pete Lewis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 2, 2023 Report Share Posted May 2, 2023 Yup and then take the manual with you for MOTs😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daverclasper Posted May 2, 2023 Report Share Posted May 2, 2023 Is about 2mm at the edge of the tyre at 12 and 6 oclock ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 3, 2023 Report Share Posted May 3, 2023 yes dave sounds fair , pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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