Ruby ARQ Rejuvenation

[Dave Mann]

You are making good progress Geoff and thanks for all the pictures. Our boiler is 42 years old and in that time it's just been cleaned and had one new thermocouple, the modern stuff might be more efficient but what you save on fuel you spend on repairs. I did install a wood burning boiler 5 years ago and it's been earning it's keep over the last few days and saving a fortune on gas. It's in the cellar workshop and it keeps me warm twice, once collecting and cutting the logs and once when I burn them.

[merlinart]

Hi Geoff

Good inspiring stuff all round. I must post photos of the really rotten arches on my Ruby body, plus I'll show the rot around the scuttle/windscreen area and take advice from you and others.

Arthur

[Bryan Downes]

Geoff, you deserve a medal - well done and thanks for sharing.

Bryan

[Geoff Halstead]

Thanks for all the kind comments.
New Bosch Worcester Combi boiler installed on the 22nd Lat month and just in time too.

Have a second appointment at the NNUH Radiology Dept tomorrow, all to with 2 waterworks infections.

Geoff - can't wait to get busy again.

[Geoff Halstead]

Time I explained why I haven't posted anything since March:

Beginning Feb, I suffered what I thought was LH kidney stones as the pain was such that I used the 111 emergency system to ask for an Out of Hours Doctor to have a look at me.
He diagnosed a water works infection and that required 3 lots of antibiotics to finally get that cleared.
Since then 6 visits to hospital for x-Ray, scans, cystoscopy with one overnight as they performed a rigid cystoscopy and specialist.
Fortunately nothing serious found, but it's taken its toll in that I now break out in dripping sweats at the slightest exertion, thus work on the Ruby has come to a standstill much to my annoyance.
None of the experts appear to know the reason for the sweats, but I think it's the medication to control prostate cancer that reduces testosterone in the system to vertually nothing.
Have taken the matter into my own hands and am now trying alternative diets to see if I can stop the sweats.
I've only been on the new diets for a few months so far so only time will tell.

Geoff - Keeping fingers, toes and everything else crossed.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I am sorry to hear you have been unwell Geoff - I hope you recover very soon.

Nice to see you back.

[1938austin7]

Hopefully you will begin to feel better enough to do some work on your old Ruby soon. All the best. Geoff Hall.

[Bryan Downes]

Geoff, we have missed you! Get well soon. We are all willing you on!

Bryan.

[Geoff Halstead]

Thanks for all the kind words.

I haven't been quite bone idle whilst not working on the Ruby.

Managed to do what I planned when I bought the Wolf Air Dakota 100 compressor, and that was to use 15mm cu tube I had in stock, to have an air outlet in the Workshop and one halfway down either side in the Carport, with facility to have another further down the Bungalow wall if needed.
Then an air cooler between the compressor output and tank using 20mm cu tube in a series of loops in front of the fan, as the air being pumped straight into said tank carried a lot of moisture, the filter/pressure unit filtering air into the SandBastingCabinet collecting lots of water, as well as settling in the tank and needing regular draining.
I eventually got it all done, but needing regular stops to towel myself down every hour or so, and sit for an 1/2 - 3/4 hour to recover. The humidity this year didn't help.

My ubiquitous bench mounted SandBastingCabinet has been modified to incorporate many of the improvements featured in various Forums and on YouTube, plus some of my own, the total transforming what was/is a complete waste of money 'out of the box'.
If interested I will prepare a new thread with details.

Had to spend some time drying out parts when we had a cloudburst and the overflow from the gutter found its way into three plastic containers with parts in, so I was not very amused to say the least, now having to put the Ruby shockabsorber parts through the SandBlastingCabinet again with other parts.

Yesterday found what was causing the clonking noise from the NS rear on the Doblò.
It was another failed top shock bush, the rubber having deteriorated such that the centre tube, for the securing bolt, was making contact with the housing, causing the bump stop to strike the plate on the cross tube, leaving a very clean and polished ring.
I replaced the original bush a few years ago, the design of which lends itself to failure, as evident in the photo.
Have ordered a replacement shock with proper solid rubber bushes, as I did for the OS.

   

Geoff - These things are sent to try us are they not - Grrr!

[A G Wood]

Thanks for all the kind words.

I haven't been quite bone idle whilst not working on the Ruby.

Managed to do what I planned when I bought the Wolf Air Dakota 100 compressor, and that was to use 15mm cu tube I had in stock, to have an air outlet in the Workshop and one halfway down either side in the Carport, with facility to have another further down the Bungalow wall if needed.
Then an air cooler between the compressor output and tank using 20mm cu tube in a series of loops in front of the fan, as the air being pumped straight into said tank carried a lot of moisture, the filter/pressure unit filtering air into the SandBastingCabinet collecting lots of water, as well as settling in the tank and needing regular draining.
I eventually got it all done, but needing regular stops to towel myself down every hour or so, and sit for an 1/2 - 3/4 hour to recover. The humidity this year didn't help.

My ubiquitous bench mounted SandBastingCabinet has been modified to incorporate many of the improvements featured in various Forums and on YouTube, plus some of my own, the total transforming what was/is a complete waste of money 'out of the box'.
If interested I will prepare a new thread with details.

Had to spend some time drying out parts when we had a cloudburst and the overflow from the gutter found its way into three plastic containers with parts in, so I was not very amused to say the least, now having to put the Ruby shockabsorber parts through the SandBlastingCabinet again with other parts.

Yesterday found what was causing the clonking noise from the NS rear on the Doblò.
It was another failed top shock bush, the rubber having deteriorated such that the centre tube, for the securing bolt, was making contact with the housing, causing the bump stop to strike the plate on the cross tube, leaving a very clean and polished ring.
I replaced the original bush a few years ago, the design of which lends itself to failure, as evident in the photo.
Have ordered a replacement shock with proper solid rubber bushes, as I did for the OS.



Geoff - These things are sent to try us are they not - Grrr!

Hello Geoff, sorry to hear you've been under the weather, both figuratively and literally!
I did wonder where your semi-regular updates had gone.
What you have in your picture is the ubiquitous 'void bush' which is meant to reduce NVH [noise/vibration/harshness], a number of the vehicles I work with have such things in their suspension and we find the same things as you've experienced can happen. For one model in particular we were in the habit of installing the replacement shock absorber void bush rotated 90 deg so the rubber bits were in compression, not shear to try to extend their service life. Eventually 'Detroit' woke up and from then on the replacements were solid rubber. Some of you may remember Mark 3/4/5 Cortina rear axle link arm bushes, at the rear axle casing end...
Same deal, same eventual fix on a bigger and nastier scale.
Best Regards
AGW