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Re: front suspension rebuilding...

To: Toby Atwater <Toby@intri-plex.com>
Subject: Re: front suspension rebuilding...
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1904 16:06:21 -0500
Cc: spridgets@autox.team.net
References: <71DC5536B8ACD211BA8D00A0C9DDFB9E425365@EXCHANGE>
One of the better diagnostics I've found on the web is at:

http://yallara.cs.rmit.edu.au:8080/~mg/cars/goblins/tech/frontend.htm

 From that site, here is the front-end test:


                                                            Spridget 
Front Suspension

 
Gillspeed

Spridgets are enjoyable to drive for a number of reasons, but one of 
the foremost must be the very nimble steering. Nimble that is if you 
have maintained it well, dastardly and twitchy if you or
the DPO have let it go too long between visits to the workshop. 
Below, I have outlined a series of inspections to do on your car to 
decide if it is time for new suspension or brake components.

King Pin End Float
        With the jack under the jacking point, lift one front wheel 
clear of the ground. Try and move the front wheel up and down, if 
there is any up and down movement and some "knocking"
        noises, you have king pin end float. Remove king pin shims to tighten.

Lower Outer Wishbone Pin
        Place a chassis stand or jack under the lower wishbone and 
raise one front wheel clear of the ground. Again try and move the 
front wheel up and down, if the kingpin moves up and down
        relative to the wishbone, the "lower outer" pin and wishbone 
bushes will be worn. It is not uncommon for the "lower outer" pin to 
waer through the top of the wishbone! If you remove
        the allow plug and grease nipple, the extent of the wear will 
be obvious. This wear is dangerous and needs urgent attention!.

        A less common problem is loose or missing cotter pins. Up and 
down movement of the kingpin relative to the wishbone will again be 
present because the "eye" of the kingpin has has
        been worn oversize.

King Pin Bushes and Wheel Bearings
        Hold the wheel top and bottom and rock the wheel in and out. 
Any movement suggests worn king pin bushes or worn wheel bearings.

        Have an assistant apply the brakes hard. If the movement 
dissappears the wheel bearings are worn, if not, it's king pin wear. 
If you can see no movement in the lower kingpin bush,
        check the "upper outer" shock absorber arm bushes for wear. 
Also, while the brakes are still applied try and rotate the wheel 
backwards and forwards. If you get a "floppy" sort of
        rotation movement, this confirms your "upper outer" shock 
absorber bushes are worn, and even worse, your shock absorber lever 
arm may be lose on its shaft. Both of these items need
        immediate attention, especially if your car is twitchy under brakes.

Ties Rods and Steering Rack
        Remove the road wheel and rotate the outer tie rod end (i.e. 
tilt the rod end fore/aft). It should be stiff but not notchy. There 
should be no in and out movement.

        Check the rubber gaitors on the steering rack and replace 
these if there are any splits or cracks. If you don't, you will soon 
be up for a replacement steering rack!

Brakes
        Check the front rubber brake hose. They often run on the tyre 
when steering is on full lock. Check brakes for wear, shock absorber 
bolts for tightness, also check for fore/aft movement
        of the shock absorber arm, especially, on the inside end. 
Check the metal hydraulic brake line on the chassis for kinks. Look 
for leaking hydraulic joints and cylinders.

        Check wheel studs for stetching, check steering arm to kingpin 
bolts for tightness.

Front Shock Absorbers
        Refit wheel, drop car back onto the road and bounce the front 
muduard. If it bounces freely, reco shocks are in order.

Gillspeed is a specialist Spridget and MGB supplier (new and 2nd hand 
parts) and workshop here in Victoria. Bob Gill started Gillspeed back 
in 1974 and offers overnight service
throughout Australia.
-- 


__________________________________________________
Jeffrey H. Boatright, PhD
Assistant Professor, Emory Eye Center, Atlanta, GA
Senior Editor, Molecular Vision
<http://www.molvis.org/molvis>
<mailto: jboatri@emory.edu>

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