New member hello & APD rebuild

[Goldnrust]

Right, where did January go?! I've been chipping away at the Austin's suspension, and it's coming along nicely. 

Where we left off, the rear suspension was nearly there, just waiting on a last couple of pieces. The first of those was a new rear wheel stud.

When I stripped the axle down the hub flanges were a little distorted, I used my press to help flatten them out, but this left one of the rear wheel studs at a slightly wonky angle. I tweaked it straight but then wasn't comfortable that this was a good idea as it looked like there was some stress marks on the back on the stud.

I'm glad I listened to my gut, as once removed it was clear just how close to coming apart this stud was.



Once I'd acquired a stud I riveted it in. I used my press to compress the rivet, which worked really nicely. 



With that sorted I could once again install the wheel bearing and hub back plate. As an aside, I inherited a good selection of BSF/BSW spanners a couple of years back and am finally being able to put some of the more unusual ones to good use on the Austin! Several of my wife's older relatives had worked in the tool making factory Garringtons in Bromsgrove, and these spanners are ones they would have made. It's only a small detail but it's a nice little connection to the local history that this car has, being itself made only a few miles up the road.



The final task before I could sign off on the rear end for now was to sort the rear spring bushes. The ones fitted to the car, along wit the spring pins were definitely past their best, but luckily its easy enough to get hold of nice shiny new ones. 



Just when you think it's going to be easy though... it turned out that one of my spring eyes was worn and the new bush instead of pressing in would just drop in and then rattle about. Thankfully a simple bronze bush is within my skillset and the capabilities of my little lathe so I turned up a new pair of oversized bushes. With that sorted I pressed them into the springs and reamed them to size. 



A very satisfying little task. And now the rear end is all ready to go back together! But before I did, it seemed prudent to get the mud and flood debris out that had been hidden under the boot floor, and in various other hiding spots. I could have done without it being January for such a wet job!



Still it looks much better for it, and it's nice to have a clean base to start bolting parts back on to. It went together fairly smoothly, with the exception of the rear spring pin cotters. My originals were knackered and so I'd purchased new ones. The new ones were just not fitting though. Thankfully the internet, and an article from the Bristol Austin 7 Club I believe, was able to put me right that I would need to trim the new pins down to fit and potentially file the taper also. Once I knew that it was a relatively simple task to fit them.



And so it now sits back on its rear wheels for the first time in a few months, which is a nice feeling. The rear dampers have been treated to a new set of friction discs, and theres new rubber in the end links. I used Loctite 660 on the slightly dubious taper on the drivers rear half shaft. The nut torqued up nicely, so time will tell if it holds! 

With that sorted I've gone back to working my way through the front axle and steering parts. I've got the axle fully stripped now and am pleased to report that I've got two really good axle eyes for the king pins. It's a nice tight sliding fit. The pins themselves also seem in good condition.  I suspect someone has been in here not so long ago and had some work done.



That said, I was able to measure around 0.010" oversize in the upper kingpin bush, and I think this is where my movement is coming from, so new bushes are on order.

From the reading I've been doing, I've decided to go with a modified front damper, immobilising the one side, to help locate the front axle better. I turned up a nylon bush, and then a steel shell to go round that bush which then press fitted, and welded for good measure, into the end of the damper arm. I also decided to go with a bronze centre bush instead of the nylon option to help further that rigidity.



The damper is now assembled with new friction discs, centre bolt and spider washers, ready to go back on the car. 

I also fitted new track rod bushes. a little drift turned up from an old bolt made driving the old ones out easy and the new ones pressed in nicely.


And that roughly brings us up to date. I've think I'd got all the bits I need to finish off my front suspension and steering on order, so in the next few weeks hopefully the car can be back on 4 wheels, and then I'll finally have a clear enough bench to start digging into the engine and gearbox, which is, for me, the fun bit!

[Ivor Hawkins]

Brilliant progress! It’s great watching hoe things are going and how various hurdles are overcome with a little common sense and ingenuity. Crack on!

[Dave Mann]

Nice to see good progress is being made, now you can pick the front up and wheel it about.

[Graham Barker]

I don't recall your mentioning crack-testing of the steering arms on right front and at steering box. These are prone to fatigue cracking. There are articles online about this and one of the cherished suppliers sells new ones that are stronger.

[Goldnrust]

Thanks guys, as you say, it's coming along!

Graham, I have one of David Cochrane's uprated steering arms winging its way to me in the post as I type. I had read about the potential issues with the steering arm and knowing that I do like to do some miles in my classics and at times drive spiritedly... it was an easy choice to spend a few quid and have the peace of mind that comes with the stronger steering arm.

[Goldnrust]

Update time. Progress has been pretty good, I've was feeling motivated having seen the rear axle all back in the car

Ok, so front suspension! Picking up from last time, I was waiting on new spring shackles, spring shackle bushes and king pin bushes.

I started with the king pins. After measuring the bushes, I had decided otherwise change only the upper bush. The lower one was in spec and knowing I would be trying to make this work with a standard reamer, rather than a specific kingpin reamer I had read lots of the challenges of doing so with the lower bush. It was simple enough to drive the old bush out, I considered driving/pressing a new bush in from above, but that would mean driving it past the threads for the top cap, which left me a littler nervous. So I used a piece of threaded rod and some nuts and washers to draw the bush up from below. It was a bit slow going, but I got there. Once I'd run the reamer through it, it was a nice snug fit on the pin, and I could assemble the axle stub.




The spring shackle bushes were an easy enough swap over, I once again turned up al little drift to help my drive the old ones out and the new ones in.



And so now it was time to bolt all the pieces of the front suspension puzzle back onto the car. I haven't bolted the front damper on properly yet, with my modifications and no weight on the front end it's not locating the axle correctly laterally. It's offset to the drivers side by 1/2" or so. With no weight on the front suspension, the damper arm is sitting at quite an angle, so I'm hopeful that with the engine and gearbox in (along with the rest of the car!) the front suspension with come down a little and it will sort itself out. I've read about variations on this modification in several places, but I'm wondering if It's often done with lowered front suspension and I might have to go back to the drawing board and re-think my modifications. Until I have the car much more assembled it's too early to tell. 



At the same time I fitted a new steering arm. As mentioned in my previous post, I decided it was well worth ordering one of David Cochrane's stronger steering arms. 

The muddy/rusty front wheel bearings and felt seals were replaced by new sealed bearings and rubber lip seals.



And then I was ready to sit the car back on 4 wheels for the first time in a few months, which was a nice little morale booster.



With that done, theres only really one thing left on the chassis to do list, and that's deal with the brake cross shaft.

The 3 spherical bearings were all jammed up with paint, underseal, mud and old hardened grease, and so it was hard otherwise know what condition they would be line underneath. Once I'd chipped it all away and with the help of plenty of penetrating oil and brake cleaner got the bushes all moving and turning, I was pleased to find that they are in reasonable condition. So I cleaned up all the important surfaces on the cross shaft itself, which also came up well, put on way too much grease and slid the cross shaft back under the car.



It needs all the excess grease cleaning off, and the cables all hooking up, but that shouldn't take long really. I'm looking forward to being able to call the chassis done soon and get on to the engine and gearbox.

[John Cornforth]

Hi

I am following this with great interest - well done for taking the time to post words and pictures !

[Duncan Grimmond]

I agree wiv' 'im. Most informative, crack on!

[David Cochrane]

It's great to see the car coming together so well - I'm really enjoying this story (lots of pictures - my favourite kind)!

[Dennis Nicholas]

1. Hope you checked front axle for twist? Axle in vice and 3 foot long 1/2 inch rods in king pin eyes.  Measure distance between rods at eyes and at top of rods (maths required using camber angle to determine distances or measure from centre of axle to same height up each rod to see if both the same. Look along axle to see that rods line up top to bottom.
2. Did you check that the top and bottom surfaces of the king pin eyes were parallel...often wear a bit bad so thrusts and spacers are not parallel thus only small areas in contact and more rapid wear. Same applies to the 2 stub axle inner faces.
Blueing on face of cylinders on pilot will show high areas on eyes then grinding paste on faces and keep grinding till good blueing all over so all 4 faces now parallel and accurate feeler gauge readings can be taken to determine spacer washer thickness.
3. When re-assembling front axle, with weight on and trying to line up rear ends of radius arms with brackets on chassis cross member  DO NOT FOLLOW SOME OF THE EARLY ADVICE TO TWIST THE ARMS WITH A BIG STILSON TILL THE HOLES/PIN LINE UP. That puts a twist on the spring shackles and the spring so more rapid wear. The only way to line up is a thin wedge between axle and chassis mounting point.  Other much moded specials sometimes need a plate bolted/welded to cross member to provide lower radius arm pivot.

Sorry big7 axle shown, dont have figures for 7.