Lots Of Welding Required

[shandonman]

Thanks for all the advice and help. All done now and into another garage for mechanical issues - ABS pump runs far too much ( I tried a new accumulator but its still getting worse ) 3 mins on start up and every min or two for several secs. Wobble in the steering about 60mph and doesnt go away if you go faster and to fit a new ( to me ) start inhibit switch. Then a full waxoil and that should be it -well thats what I keep telling myself anyway.

 

[classic kev]

Thanks for all the advice and help. All done now and into another garage for mechanical issues - ABS pump runs far too much ( I tried a new accumulator but its still getting worse ) 3 mins on start up and every min or two for several secs. Wobble in the steering about 60mph and doesnt go away if you go faster and to fit a new ( to me ) start inhibit switch. Then a full waxoil and that should be it -well thats what I keep telling myself anyway.

ABS sounds like it could be pressure switch or you've got a leak. Steering wobble, could be lots of things but most likely candidates are tyre balance, tyre pressure, swivel pre-load and/or steering damper. Do a search for "death wobble". Does it wobble at a change of road surface or on uneven road surface? If it is just a vibration that starts at a set speed then I would think tyre balance but give everything a thorough check, proper death wobble is scary.

 

[Pete The Biker]

.... proper death wobble is scary....

Certainly is!

IIRC I took my steering damper off (1988 RRC) to check it and found that the damping only seemed to work on part of its travel - it just moved fairly freely for the remainder. I stood it upright and cycled it through its full range of movement a few times and it sorted itself out. I then refitted it and it has been fine ever since. A new one is cheap anyway, but I am a tight git!

Pete

 

[classic kev]

Certainly is!

IIRC I took my steering damper off (1988 RRC) to check it and found that the damping only seemed to work on part of its travel - it just moved fairly freely for the remainder. I stood it upright and cycled it through its full range of movement a few times and it sorted itself out. I then refitted it and it has been fine ever since. A new one is cheap anyway, but I am a tight git!

Pete

IIRC you need to "prime" a new steering damper by cycling it through the full range of travel before fitting otherwise it doesn't work properly or at least that's what I read somewhere

 

[joe1972]

On the home run now, lots of rot around the filler and where the arch meets the side panel so some patching here.

The n/s also had a 6 inch hole in the side panel where it meets the floor and I reckon water had been getting in through the perished boot side window seal which is no longer available and running down between the outer and inner rear wing.

Great thread....This all looks very familiar!...I've done exactly these same repairs on m daily driver silver RRC, and plated up around the rear seat belt mounting points too. The front inner wings on mine were made worse cos of the thick road grime build up behind the arch liners too. Amazing how they all seem to go in similar places.
I'm happy to put up with welding, rather than doin auto electrics....one reason why I prefer RRC to P38!!

 

[dkl1971]

Steering wobble - swivel preloads.
Proper scary at 60+mph! First time I thought the world was coming to an end.

 

[shandonman]

Ended up just a wheel balance, 200g out, no wonder it felt like death wobble. Start inhibit switch fitted to autobox so now it wont start in D & my reverse lights now work. ABS pump was changed for a 2nd hand one and charges nice and fast now ( and a lot quieter also ). ABS light was out for the first time but once on the road came back on so been traced to a rear abs sensor ( new one on order ) Its weird as I dont want to spend heaps I have been, against my better judgement, buying 2nd hand parts inc a start inhibit switch, a rotary coupler, an ABS pump and a cruise ecu and they have all worked and fixed the faults I wonder how long for !!

 

[shandonman]

Great thread....
I'm happy to put up with welding, rather than doin auto electrics....one reason why I prefer RRC to P38!!

Interesting that apart from the welding there has been no mechanical issues - engine, transmission, bushes etc - just all electrical issues. Ive still got the ruddy seat ecu to sort

 

[classic kev]

Interesting that apart from the welding there has been no mechanical issues - engine, transmission, bushes etc - just all electrical issues. Ive still got the ruddy seat ecu to sort

If you look after it, it will look after you. Good maintenance is everything. As for seat ECU - good luck with that. If you are lucky a new battery will sort it but if the board has been damaged due to leaky battery it will cost you.

Reconditioned ECU's without memory go for £300.00 + not sure what it costs to have one repaired provided the board isn't too badly damaged. BTW you can't run seats and mirrors on the full 12v as the switches aren't designed for the full voltage and current, you could swap switches and wiring for non-mem seats/mirrors but seat switches are expensive and I suspect swapping out the wiring looms would be a bit of a faff.

 

[Wiganerdan]

The seat ecu is very similair if not identical to that used in Rolls Royce/ Bentley spirit models. There is a company called Bowling Engineering that rebuilds/repairs/manufactures their own of these.

 

[classic kev]

To the OP, you think you had a lot of welding - I just started the strip down on my project LSE, knew it was a bit of a basket case. This should keep me out of mischief for a bit!

 

[stutab]

That looks like it has already had new wings and patches Kev.

 

[classic kev]

That looks like it has already had new wings and patches Kev.

No, it's all original as far as I can tell, or perhaps that should be what's left of it is original.

 

[shandonman]

Whao thats a scary project, hope you can keep us updated with pics

Back to work today for the old girl helping a friend. Annoyingly, the 60mph + wobble is still there so more investigation needed.

 

[Datatek]

Whao thats a scary project, hope you can keep us updated with pics

Back to work today for the old girl helping a friend. Annoyingly, the 60mph + wobble is still there so more investigation needed.

If that one is rusty, you may find half the truck in the river with the boat and the other half still tied to the tree