Pulled the RHD steering rack out today, glad I ordered new track rod ends too - the one was really trashed, although the other end looked almost new. While waiting for some more bits to show up I'm looking at how to remove the dash, it's quite a bit more complicated both electrically and mounts wise than a standard Mini so I'm going to take a hard look, take some pics and notes before I take it apart. I'm a little stuck on re-assembly till the weather warms up so I can paint some bits I need next.
That end above looks fine. Just wash it up and give it a little paint and some grease and call it good.. Hahahaha I am kidding, we all know that is not your style.
I've gone thru and organized my Mini parts so that I can find them easily ….Ha! I needed these two clear flat straps for the u-bolts for the steering rack and I knew I had a set left over from Buzz, but as well as I thought I had organized my parts it took me over an hour to find the damn things! Instead of in wheels and suspension bits, they were in a box marked "body"....one I hadn't opened in a while. I guess in retrospect that makes sense, since I don't have one marked "steering".....still......... I know most people don't bother with them and truth be told I don't really know why they're there - to make it easier to adjust the rack? To prevent galvanic corrosion between the steel u-bolts and aluminum rack housing? Dunno, but the factory uses them so, so am I!
Actually, you're probably right, a good clean, re-grease and new boot and it's ok - but new ones are fairly inexpensive so I went that way. Actually, I use Spitfire ends, they have a longer thread area which gives you more adjustability on lowered cars.
Today's work so far..... Rear bearings installed - I used the press to push the races in rather than tap them in with a hammer and drift. It's easy to do this on the rear hubs as both sides are square to the bore, but you can't do this on the front ones as the hub is curved on the inside. Next up install the drums and tighten the shoes to their starting point, after they bed in a bit I'll need to do them up a little more as I'm using the old drums and I didn't have them turned.....probably should have but we'll see how they do. as long as they stop smoothly and don't grab they should be fine. Still need to do up the em. brake cables, but I think I'll feed them thru and attach them to the handle first, then I can set the tension correctly on the drum end with the cables taut and not loose as they are now. Where the cables pass thru the body there are two fairing plates on the bottom and top, and a rubber gasket of sorts in between. I have new rubbers and screws, but it's a two man job - one in the car and one under so I'll need to get some help to button that up. Still really cold in the garage, even tho it's about 20* outside now. I'd like to get the shocks installed first to set the droop and that way I can do a preliminary setting on the hi-los, then do the em brakes but the shocks are waiting for a coat of paint and it's just too cold right now to even attempt to paint them. This afternoon I want to get the new steering rack installed, but first I have to do a little cleanup on the bulkhead with some solvent to cut the oil and grease. Once the rack is in I'll go ahead and build up the front subframe so it's ready to go in too.
Yes, sort of....you can roll it around, but my garage floor is pretty rough, and it weighs like 800 lbs! However, they are made to be moveable, and on a flat smooth floor it's not hard at all. The lift makes all this work possible, without it I could not do this stuff, my back wouldn't let me. Best tool I've ever bought! I'm working on the front end today.....I'll have pics of it later tonight.
I am still using a jack and stands. With 4 kids and all the cars I have to work on I have to get something. Its my knees and legs that bother me. Don't mean to get off topic, one more question. Does it use your compressor or does it have its own hydraulics?
They are all self contained, they have a pump on a roll around stand that plugs into the 120V receptacle - I'd recommend a 20amp outlet. You can buy them new from places like Greg Smith Equipment for less than $1500. I found mine used on Craiglist for less than half that. Here's a pic of one for example....however, shipping can be expensive, and you have to have a way to unload something that weights almost 1000lbs off the truck. Since I bought mine local I just used my trailer.....if you buy one form someone local to you, you can have a flatbed hauler move it pretty reasonably. They're also excellent for detailing work (Dave O) as even with limited ceiling height like in my garage you can raise it up high enough to work on the sides of the car without being bent over
I need one also for detailing. I am getting old and have to sit on the floor to do lower sections of doors and rocker panels.
That's what I'm saying Dave, then you can just sit in a comfy roll around chair and it's eye level. Got most of the front suspension installed in the subframe. More to come later....
100% agree. Right now I have a nice think plush carpet in the garage with high quality padding the does a really good job. It’s wall to wall and most people say it’s more comfortable then the carpet they have installed at their homes. Just so everyone knows it not spotless clean because it is in the garage. I vacuum it from time to time but it is very dirty and stained from car fluids and other crud. The main point of the carpet is that it makes the floor is very comfortable to stand on for hours when detailing a car. It’s not that bad to sit on either as it blocks / insulates the cold floor very well. Ok back to Minidaves awesome mini rebuild / restore project.
Calipers installed, CV's repacked and new boots installed, and I changed the u-joints in the Hardy-Spicers. I wasn't sure I needed to as they felt fine, but as there's no provision to grease them I thought it would be a good idea rather than have to do them 100 miles down the road - shouldn't have bothered tho - they were like new inside. I was hoping to be able to paint some of the ends and odds I still need to do today, and it got warm enough, but the humidity was about a million per cent and it spit rain all day.....I'm hopeful it will be nicer tomorrow as I have to work on Monday.
It's always sumthin…..I started pulling the steering column and pedals, there are two nuts that hold the accelerator pedal assy to the firewall - I got the one off easily, then noticed this.....apparently the other stud broke off (when they over-tightened it I'll bet) so they just welded it to the firewall!