Front suspension damper bush removal

[RAW1969]

Morning all.

 

I'm back to ask for a little more help please.

 

My latest project on my Vitesse (2L Mk1) is the front suspension. Having had an advisory on the last MOT for one of the upper wishbone (fulcrum?) bushes I'm swapping all 8 to polybushes.

 

Progress so far (on driver side first) has been to remove the road spring assembly & the upper wishbones. I've got the old bushes out of the wishbones. Plan to clean/ paint before putting new bushes in.

 

The workshop manual suggests that the bush in the bottom of the shock absorber should be replaced too unless it's known to be quite new. As I've no idea about its history I've also now bought the poly bushes for those. (Thinking now I should have just bought the whole set - but you live and learn!).

 

So what I would like some help with is in the removal of the old bush from the shock absorber. The metal bit pushed through quite easily. Now stuck with only the rubber bit in the eyelet.

 

As I'm still pretty new to all this triumph- tinkering I'm acquiring tools as I go along (which makes every job unbelievably time consuming!). Currently the biggest socket I have in my set is 22mm. This seems too small to receive the rubber bush as I try to either draw it through with a threaded bar or press it through with the bench vice.

 

So after my very long pre-amble - my question is this - what size socket do I need to be able to receive the rubber when pushed out of the bottom of the shock absorber?

 

I'm guessing many of you out there will have done this procedure many times over - so as always your experiences is very much appreciated by this novice!!!

 

Many thanks

Richard

 

 

 

[Pete Lewis]

sorry but   ..... a.bigger  socket set for Christmas seems a good plan

 

Pete

[Ben Caswell]

25mm but get a AF set and use 15/16 AF but a short bit of scrap tubing with an ID of 1 inch would do the job with a large washer on the end .

You could probably get a 1 inch straight copper solder joint or gas barrel joint from the plumbing shop that would do the job.

[dougbgt6]

I've got a 2 1/4" socket that fits my old mini crank shaft nut. Only ever used it twice. But when you need it, you need it!  You don't half accumulate some stuff over the years!

[RAW1969]

Many thanks. Waited for Santa last year. Didn't work out so well for the Triumph. Off to the shops me thinks.

[RAW1969]

Afternoon all. I'm back for a little more help please.

Having got a 15/16th socket off an online auction site for a pound (sorry Santa) - I successfully got the rubber bushing removed. I've refurbed the road spring unit and the upper wishbones - put the poly-bushes in and refitted them to the car. It's slow and steady progress - as I have about an hour a week on this.

Next job is to remove the lower wishbone.

Looking at the workshop manual it says to undo the nuts holding the brackets to the chassis to release the lower wishbone. Working on the drivers' side - the rear one on these is tucked behind the exhaust pipe. So my questions are as follows.....if I try and do as the WSM says do I need to take the exhaust off - or is it possible to get at the nut around the back of the exhaust pipe (I've not tried yet - was just sizing the job up last night before I knocked off and went to bed) - and if so is there a special shaped spanner/ tool to get at it that anyone can recommend? Or - is it possible to get the lower wishbone out without removing the brackets - by just undoing the bolts that go through the bushes?

 

Your thoughts and shared experiences as always are very much appreciated.

Many thanks

Richard

[Pete Lewis]

So long as the Pivot bolt can be removed you dont need to remove the pivot bracket from the chassis rail

 

one word the bracket through stud can rot badly so its worth withdrawing the bracket onenday to just check its ok.

 

if you ever take the brkts off the chassis make a sketch or photo as its easy to refit them

upside down, which plays havoc with caster and camber

 

pete

[RAW1969]

Evening all

 

Thanks for the help so far. I'm making progress. The lower wishbone is now off prepped and ready for painting. So I've turned my attention to fitting the new polybush in the bottom of the shock absorber. I've bought 2 blue polybushes from Rimmers (119450P) - and was expecting/ prepared for a tight squeeze to get them in. They pretty much drop right through the eyelet though. Is this normal? Looks unlikely that they'd expand when put back on the car. Checked all the paperwork - 119450P on the order, the invoice & the bag they came in. I suppose a previous owner could have changed the shocks for something non-standard - but then how do I source the correct bushes? Anyone come across this please? All a bit baffling - so again - any thoughts gratefully received!!

 

Cheers

Richard

[Pete Lewis]

Are they plain std black or an adjustable brand any external clues ?

pete

[RAW1969]

Hi Pete

They're plain black. No obvious branding. Not adjustable. The inside diameter of the eyelet is approx. 27mm. The polybushes just look small.

 

Richard

[Pete Lewis]

I asked as some adjustables have their own size bushes

yours sound like normal standard ones

anyone out there got some to compare sizes

 

pete

[RAW1969]

I just phoned Rimmers.

Standard rubber bushes diameter is 23mm. The Blue Polybushes are 23.5mm. The eyelet in a standard non adjustable shock absorber has internal diameter 22.7mm.

 

As mentioned above - my shock absorbers eyelet diameter is 27mm.

 

Rimmers do however sell a oversized bush - for aftermarket shock absorbers with bigger lower eyelets. The diameter of this is 33mm.

 

So my next conundrum is - do I buy the 33mm ones and see if I can force them into the 27mm hole - or do I just get some new shock absorbers (these come already bushed!).

 

Any thoughts? Any experience of the oversized polybushes?

 

Many thanks

Richard

[Pete Lewis]

guess here's the gamble  cost of    hoping  which .....a 33mm poly vs new shocker 

 

sorry not much help,   the spin off is shocker eye bushes dont degrade that much and fitting poly is maybe not that much of an improvement 

theres many others with  thoughts and experiences on poly  vs rubber

 

   Pete

[dave.vitesse]

If you do remove the bottom chassis mounted brackets make sure you note the number of shims present on each bracket. Then when you refit the brackets ensure what came off goes back. Otherwise the camber angle will change.

 

Thanks,

Dave 

[RAW1969]

Thanks both

 

The lower wishbone came off with only taking the front mount bracket off (the rear fulcrum bolt came out with much less fight). I took photos as I'd seen the tip to do this elsewhere. Hopefully with only one off I shouldn't get too confused.

Just thought last night - I've got a pair of replacement rear shocks that I was given when I first bought the car. The eyelets look to have the same size outer diameter as my front shocks' have  - so I might just try and rob the rubber bushes out of these spare rears and if they fit then not bother with the polybushes on the shock absorber if that's not a critical one to swap?

Worth a closer look I think.

Will report back!

[RAW1969]

Today's progress update - or unfortunately - lack of progress!

The plan to rob the rubber bushes out of the spare (new) rear shocks has been postponed as again I don't have a socket big enough to press the bush out into. Taken a punt on a 33mm which is now on its way.

In the meantime I've tried to refit the refurbished & rebushed lower wish bone back onto the brackets. The rear one just will not fit. After 15 rounds with no falls and no submissions - I gave up & tried just the metal inner sleeve from one of the polybushes. Even that's too long. So examining the rear mounting bracket the two sides don't look quite straight. Maybe desperation - but I'm thinking it's somehow been bent so it's got a bit closed?  

So back to a previously dismissed plan - I will I think try and get the rear mounting bracket off to either straighten it - or replace it. Thinking I'll need more patience than I can currently muster in the sub-zero garage before I have a go at this (and a ratchet spanner from Santa).

At some point I will find a straight forward task!!

Richard

[Pete Lewis]

at least that way you will have viewed the through  stud on the pivot these can be awfully corroded inside the chassis rails

 Ive seen ones down to a 4mm thick is all thats left,          and others come out like new 

 

Pete

[RAW1969]

Hello again. I'm in need of more advice please. Still going with the front suspension refurb. Thought I was in the home straight. All cleaned, painted, rebus hed and put back together except for getting the road spring units back in. Just can't do it! I've got the bottom damper bush lined up with one of the triangle sides of the 3 top bolts. Can't get the top bolts in the holes or the bottom of the damper in the wishbone. The ARB bolt just gets in the way! Scared I'm gonna break the top bolts. Also all the lovely prepared paint is getting chipped to pieces. Aaaaaaggghhhh! Any tips and tricks very gratefully received. Just about to chuck the towel in!

Thanks gurus!

Richard

[Clive]

Usually have to stand on the wishbone, or at least apply substantial downward force to get it onto full droop. Pop the bottom bolt in first, then swing the top in. Make sure all the bolts are loose, including the trunnion bolt for the extra wiggle-ability

[Pete Lewis]

And to add ... leave the arb disconnected till all is in place

[RAW1969]

Thankyou. A good night's sleep and some optimism has returned. I had taken the ARB bolt off but wasn't sure if that was helping as its still pushing the wishbone up and the workshop manual makes no reference to having it disconnected. Was wondering if jacking the opposite end of the ARB would put some down force on the side I'm working on?

I had one foot on the wishbone but fully standing on it will be what I try next. Some interesting contortions to do that and align the bolts in the holes. I'll maybe get a job in the circus afterwards!

Is there any other way of forcing the wb down i wonder? I had been trying to jack the bottom of the damper up. Just scraping paint off really.

Also think I'll wrap the spring in bubble wrap for the next attempt.

Is it a job that one person can do - or best tackled with an assistant?

Thanks for taking the time to read & comment. Much appreciated.

Richard

[Pete Lewis]

the arb will take the roll load of the car so its stronger than you are or your best left foot

 

just dont refit the links till youre all together , you had to take them of the remove the wishbone  ..refitting  before the spring assy  means youre in front of yourself

 

more strong tea required and sit back rather than get wound up   Ha !

[dougbgt6]

I've not had a problem doing this on my own, but mine's a GT6 so may be different. As said bottom end in first but don't put the bolt in until you've got the top in. This gives you an extra 1/2 inch of wiggle room, then realign bottom with a screwdriver

[Pete Lewis]

Wiggle room and align the bottom with a screwdriver

 

Doug youre on the wrong forum again !!!! Ha

 

Pete

[Waynebaby]

Richard,

 

I had similar problems when I changed the springs on my GT6. I used a slightly different approach to the one so far suggested in that I fitted the top of the unit first, using a trolley jack under the shock to slowly jack the unit up into place whilst tightening up the three nuts holding the top of the shock to the suspension sub-frame. Once the three nuts were reasonably tight I found that this brought the bottom into the correct position to be slipped into the lower wishbone with a bit of screw-drivery assistance. Make sure that the trunnion bolt is loose at this stage as it makes getting the lower end of the shock into the wishbone easier. 

 

Once the job is done remember that you shouldn't tighten up the suspension nuts and bolts until the car is loaded up or you'll end up spoiling any new bushes you've fitted. I use plastic jerry-cans full of water to get the correct static loading. 

 

Good luck

 

Wayne