johny Posted May 14, 2022 Report Share Posted May 14, 2022 1 minute ago, NonMember said: For the half-shaft ones, they should also be tight - not seized but stiff enough to hold the flange in position against gravity. Propshaft ones are looser. Blimey never knew that as I thought they were all the same! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted May 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2022 1 hour ago, johny said: The quality of replacements Rimmer Bros have them for under £10.....should I avoid those - I'm not planning to increase the power of the car from standard (assuming I ever get to the engine !! Also Greased or Sealed - sealed sound better but a coupe of £ more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 14, 2022 Report Share Posted May 14, 2022 Have you found a problem with one or more then? The choice of the replacement really depends on the annual mileage your going to do as if low a cheap one will probably last you a few years. However changing UJs is a fairly onerous task so next time I think I'll use genuine GKN uprated ones for the Land Rover Freelander if I can get them at a reasonable price... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted May 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2022 I’m going to do them anyway as I have never done a UJ before. But now feeling guilty about not doing the wheel baring 🧐 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 14, 2022 Report Share Posted May 14, 2022 ok but beware of replacing quality original components with the modern stuff available that then doesnt last very well. In particular many imperial bearings, as not used very much now, can only be sourced from places like Korea, India or China.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted May 14, 2022 Report Share Posted May 14, 2022 1 hour ago, Pettifordo said: I’m going to do them anyway as I have never done a UJ before. But now feeling guilty about not doing the wheel baring 🧐 I would leave the rear bearings alone till you need to touch them. If you really really want to change them get access to a press and the proper hub puller. I did two by the ‘bang axle on wood’ method, not going to do that again… But I’d definitely put them in the if it ain’t broke don’t fix it category! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanT Posted May 14, 2022 Report Share Posted May 14, 2022 Agree. Leave the wheel bearings. But (based on my recent experience) driveshaft UJs that have stood for years dry out and then quickly ‘clink’ upon use. For a few £ I wish I’d done mine whilst the body was off. Much easier than sorting when back together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted May 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2022 So I’m doing the UJ and I’ve decided to do the front wheel bearing as I’m putting on new discs. Stripped down one of the front vertical links and the hub today - must be 30 years since in hammered out bearings. Any tips on getting the new ones in ? I was thinking of tapping them in with the old bearing upside down so I get a snug fit - do you think that would work or a better method exists ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted May 14, 2022 Report Share Posted May 14, 2022 1 hour ago, Pettifordo said: Any tips on getting the new ones in ? I have a proper bearing drift tool - a set of taper-and-flange aluminium discs that fit on a shaft. Pick the disc that fits the bearing outer race and it allows you to tap it in square. I've had it years - probably bought direct from Eastwood back in the day - but Frost sell them, albeit rather more expensive than I remember paying (but mine didn't come in a fancy carry case). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted May 14, 2022 Report Share Posted May 14, 2022 This is the video I used to change the UJ’s on my Vitesse https://youtu.be/1_itF2vDy_s Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted May 15, 2022 Report Share Posted May 15, 2022 When I did my UJs a couple of years ago, the old ones just fell apart... literally. I am still finding needle bearings around the garage even after vacuuming, tidying etc. (yes it happens) Where do they hide? Maybe a small community are still living and breeding under the storage shelving!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Truman Posted May 15, 2022 Report Share Posted May 15, 2022 And how many times has a single needle dislodged across the top of the UJ male yoke and stopped the caps going home enabling the circling to be seated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 15, 2022 Report Share Posted May 15, 2022 4 hours ago, Badwolf said: When I did my UJs a couple of years ago, the old ones just fell apart... literally. I am still finding needle bearings around the garage even after vacuuming, tidying etc. (yes it happens) Where do they hide? Maybe a small community are still living and breeding under the storage shelving!!! errr they tend to do that but it doesnt mean theyre knackered😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanT Posted May 15, 2022 Report Share Posted May 15, 2022 On 14/05/2022 at 12:17, Pettifordo said: Rimmer Bros have them for under £10.....should I avoid those - I'm not planning to increase the power of the car from standard (assuming I ever get to the engine !! Also Greased or Sealed - sealed sound better but a coupe of £ more I bought these as the grease access is easy. Good quality https://www.angclassiccarparts.co.uk/?i=Search+Results&s=Universal+joint+spitfire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johny Posted May 15, 2022 Report Share Posted May 15, 2022 be interesting to see how they last. I dont think the early failures that some have seen is due to lack of greasing, its more likely to be the quality of the hardening of the materials. The UJs go through very little angular movement, especially the propshaft ones, so the wear is concentrated in a small area and if the internal surface hardness isnt good roughness/play/noise quickly develops.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted May 15, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2022 Great day today - finally bought an Impact Driver - what a joy to use on those difficult nuts and bolts. I also had to remove 6 rubber bushes and on 3 of them I forced a larger nut into hole with the Impact Driver and it broke the seal between the centre and the rubber and they came out easily 😀 The others I drilled the rubber in 4 or 5 places and that seems to do the trick. Any tips on getting the new ones in ? Also another thing I noticed is that my front wheel bearing didn’t have the felt oil seal (or I could find it) - do they just rot away or could PO have forgotten to fit them ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted May 15, 2022 Report Share Posted May 15, 2022 Could be either. There wasn’t much left of one of mine when I changed the Herald’s rotors last year prompting a precautionary wheel bearing change while I was there. I also agree, impact drivers can be very useful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badwolf Posted May 16, 2022 Report Share Posted May 16, 2022 On 15/05/2022 at 13:14, johny said: errr they tend to do that but it doesnt mean theyre knackered😁 These were truly knackered. The ones that didn't fall out were rusty. No wonder the back end clunked alarmingly. Now all replaced thanks to the advice received here and beautifully quiet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted May 19, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2022 I’ve been trying to fit the new UJ and I have 3 of the caps on but I can’t drive home the 4th one far enough to get the circlip on 🧐 Are the UJs the same size in bother directions ? Or could I have fitted it wrong ? Or should I get all the caps home before fitting the circlips ? I’ve currently be doing them as a go 🧐 Shame as they came out ok 😩😩 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted May 20, 2022 Report Share Posted May 20, 2022 agree lots of well worn Tee shirts for dropped out needles do not try to force the cap on , sorry its a remove the cap and check it pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted May 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2022 19 hours ago, Mathew said: very easily done Yep that was the problem 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted May 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2022 Anyone know any guides for what to do with the shims for the suspension towers and suspension ? Do I put one on each bolt and adjust later or some some cunning plan ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josef Posted May 20, 2022 Report Share Posted May 20, 2022 Well you’re not going to be able to set the suspension up properly without the full weight of the car plus some extra. So for the moment I’d just put all the shims you have back on, then at least they’re not going to go missing. If you have photos of the suspension before you disassembled it and can see what was there before, putting it back as it was will probably give you a half way decent starting point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted May 21, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2022 Finished the Universal Joints today and cleaned up all the suspension shims. Finally put one of the front shocks together and I’m really pleased with the result. Can’t wait to get it onto the car. Any thoughts on how tight the top shock nut should be ? I’m going to add the lock nut on the top but wondered low the main nut should be screwed down ? The shock turns as I tighten it so hard to know if it is “home” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pettifordo Posted May 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2022 And then there were 2 👍 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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