Well, as many may know, I have recently discovered that my lower radiator cross member has finally succumbed to the dreaded tin worm.

Hopefully, this is day one of my journey to successfully repairing it with a suitable replacement.

Wish me luck, I think I will need it.

 

So, today I started the dismantling of the front end, and within a couple of hours I had removed the front bumper etc'

This was done on the driveway, and I hope to complete the rest of the work in the garage, hopefully.

 

I have reached the point where I am unfamiliar with most of the critical items that now stand in my way, and would seriously appreciate some advice as to how I should proceed.

 

First question/concern that springs to mind is... Can I continue successfully with the car being in the garage?

The last thing I want to do is get half way through the strip down only to find that I do not have the correct access.

The car is drivable at the moment, but once I start taking various parts off she will become immobile.

 

Your help and advise would be very much appreciated.

 

Please see photo's attached...

Edited May 29, 20169 yr by redwine300

This or these will really help your situation in getting tensioned holes to line up...Podger bars,i use them all the time:yes:

Thanks Lymon.

 

Hopefully I will get time to bolt up the bracket to the crossmember and chassis rail without it being attached to the suspension arm today.

As you say, if I understand correctly, the issue will be move the suspension into the correct position so as to engage the 2 connecting bolts.

I guess it is my lack of my understanding that is the main issue.

 

why do you just fit adjustable tention rods ? you can then slack them off bolt in place then adjust to were you want

This or these will really help your situation in getting tensioned holes to line up...Podger bars,i use them all the time:yes:

 

Cheers znut,

 

They look the dog's b£ll£ck's, I have added them to my shopping list.

why do you just fit adjustable tention rods ? you can then slack them off bolt in place then adjust to were you want

 

That's a fair question Dan, and my answer is two fold really...

1, I am a bit of an OEM nurd.

2, I am on a bit of a tight budget, but I take your point mate.

That's a fair question Dan, and my answer is two fold really...

1, I am a bit of an OEM nurd.

2, I am on a bit of a tight budget, but I take your point mate.

 

yes but if you used tein arms like mine not the cheap crap ones, you can then set the caster just right after you have done all this, and the problem will be gone good luck with this what ever you do :thumbup1:

Well after a couple of hours wrestling with the bolts connecting the brackets to the tensioner rods, they are finally apart!

Now I can offer up the brackets independent of the rods and hopefully there will be no mismatch.

Watch this space.

Before you do up the bolts (arrowed) put a jack under each hub and lift up to the point that the suspension is just lifting the car.

That way you will not put the bush in tension (pre load) when the suspension compresses under normal load and the bush wants to

twist but can't as it has been tightened up with the suspension dropped.

 

Brilliant Andrew, thank you.

Eureka!

 

I have now managed to loosely fit the left and right hand tensioner brackets to the crossmember and chassis rail.

Looks like I may have to position the crossmember a little better just to get both side as good as each other, but nothing serious.

 

Can't thank you guys enough for the advice so far, (please keep posting) particularly Lymon and Slick Pete. :thumbup1:

Well that's me done for today guys, cheers.

Good stuff. Proper experienced and knowledgable people really help with stuff like this. It's a shame we don't have more of them.

This or these will really help your situation in getting tensioned holes to line up...Podger bars,i use them all the time:yes:

 

Oooo.......I love a good Heel bar! got my first when I was an apprentice and still have it!

Sorry, I digress...............Is it done yet? :chinese:

:

Oooo.......I love a good Heel bar! got my first when I was an apprentice and still have it!

Sorry, I digress...............Is it done yet? :chinese:

 

:lol::lol::lol:

Oooo.......I love a good Heel bar! got my first when I was an apprentice and still have it!

Sorry, I digress...............Is it done yet? :chinese:

 

Dazzler your still an apprentice:tongue::D

Well after a bit of fiddling, I managed to get the second side to line up as well as the first side.

Not a lot of progress I know, just needed to feel happier about the alignment.

Best to be confident mate.

Dazzler your still an apprentice:tongue::D

 

Yes!-but an apprentice what Bri? :ninja:

Well after a bit of fiddling, I managed to get the second side to line up as well as the first side.

Not a lot of progress I know, just needed to feel happier about the alignment.

 

If I don't see some welding soon I'm gonna come round your house sit you in the corner with a crate of Stella and weld it myself! :lol:

 

Great work mate :thumbup1:

If I don't see some welding soon I'm gonna come round your house sit you in the corner with a crate of Stella and weld it myself! :lol:

 

Great work mate :thumbup1:

 

I understand your frustration mate, I am so close it is untrue.

I think it is the uncertainty of whether I will secure a replacement or not that's holding me back.

That said though, I have been prepping all of the spot welds by way of grinding back to bare metal in readiness to fire up the mig.

Hopefully soon.

May do some practise welds tomorrow.

Your are welcome to join me in a Stella by the way.

If I don't see some welding soon I'm gonna come round your house sit you in the corner with a crate of Stella and weld it myself!

 

Great work mate

I understand your frustration mate, I am so close it is untrue.

I think it is the uncertainty of whether I will secure a replacement or not that's holding me back.

That said though, I have been prepping all of the spot welds by way of grinding back to bare metal in readiness to fire up the mig.

Hopefully soon.

May do some practise welds tomorrow.

Your are welcome to join me in a Stella by the way.

RIGHT.......... Chris....... I will join you.......... Road trip to sit him down and force him to drink a crate of stella!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not a lot to write home about I'm afraid, just some spot weld preparation whilst I await news from the Vendor.

I have stated that as a bare minimum, I would expect a full refund, at best a good replacement.

No news as yet though.

RIGHT.......... Chris....... I will join you.......... Road trip to sit him down and force him to drink a crate of stella!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Love it Russ.. :lol::lol:

Don't get too excited, but I will be welding tomorrow.

Only my set-up piece mind, just want to be deadly sure of my setting before I make a start in earnest.

Be patient guys, it'll be worth the wait I promise.

I will have to stop procrastinating sooner or later.

Ironic and saddening with the previous talks of manufacturing your own cross member and yet, here you are now re-manufacturing a previously manufactured manufacture from the bloody manufacturer!

 

I guess your efforts to "make good" of the defects has removed a large portion of the likelihood of a positive outcome, but fingers crossed they do the right thing and compensate for the troubles. I feel that this responsibility should fall with the vendor, who should then in turn claim from the manufacturer but things are rarely that easy.

Ironic and saddening with the previous talks of manufacturing your own cross member and yet, here you are now re-manufacturing a previously manufactured manufacture from the bloody manufacturer!

 

I guess your efforts to "make good" of the defects has removed a large portion of the likelihood of a positive outcome, but fingers crossed they do the right thing and compensate for the troubles. I feel that this responsibility should fall with the vendor, who should then in turn claim from the manufacturer but things are rarely that easy.

 

Ironic in deed, just can't believe the new one was faulty.

As you say, I too have my doubts about a positive outcome, I can only hope that they have some integrity.

Hope to have an answer by end of play today, one way or another.

Naively, I did tell them about my tight time frame, maybe they will just wait me out and force me into fitting the one I have here.