P38A Duchess is in the garage!

Axle oil seal i'd do every time the axle is pulled, not worth having a leak from there after putting it back together.

Okey-dokey.
Just seperated the hub carrier from the top and bottom swivel balls. Top one came loose with some heat and hammer, the bottom one(with the centralising collet) wouldn't budge, heat, hammer, balljoint splitter, nowt would shift it so cut it most of the way through with a grinder and snapped the remainder with a chisel so I can at least get it off and attack it in the vice instead of lying on my back, will attack the stuck abs sensor at the same time.
It's very slow going and fighting all the way, horrible job and I haven't got to the worst, I expect, bit yet- removing the swivel ball joints from the yoke..

Flossie said:

Okey-dokey.
Just seperated the hub carrier from the top and bottom swivel balls. Top one came loose with some heat and hammer, the bottom one(with the centralising collet) wouldn't budge, heat, hammer, balljoint splitter, nowt would shift it so cut it most of the way through with a grinder and snapped the remainder with a chisel so I can at least get it off and attack it in the vice instead of lying on my back, will attack the stuck abs sensor at the same time.
It's very slow going and fighting all the way, horrible job and I haven't got to the worst, I expect, bit yet- removing the swivel ball joints from the yoke..

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Not a bad job if you have the correct tool,heat the yoke and put the new joints in the freezer for a day or so, You have to remove the top one to give access to the bottom one.Pity your not closer.Dont move the centralising collar what ever you do,and get a new spring retainer for the sensor and use the appropriate grease.

Thy are both out!
Lots and lots of heat needed though off a map torch.
The bottom one was more awkward as the 'receiver' tube couldn't sit securely on the arm , not enough meat but I trimmed the flange off at the front of the old ball joint and it was fine then.
Pics to follow..

You need a special tool to line everything up if the collar is moved.

Grrrrrr said:

You need a special tool to line everything up if the collar is moved.

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Left it well alone

Flossie said:

View attachment 247071 View attachment 247072 View attachment 247073 View attachment 247074

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Good job, just remembered it's advised to use CV grease on the thread of the press. Check for marks or paint dots to see if they have been changed before, they can be changed three times before it's scrap.

I suspect they are the original ones at 100,400 miles, no paint marks but lots of rust scale so it probably dropped off if there was any.
On another subject, there is no way on this planet that the abs sensor would have come out the conventional way.
I had the swivel casting in the vice and heated it plenty but still had to destroy it further with an assortment of punches and chisels to get it out, basically split it down it's length and punch it out.
Going to clean up the swivel, hub, disc guard and caliper carrier and the yoke and slap a bit of paint on them.
Decided to fit new calipers and refurb the old at my leisure.
So ordering...
2 X discs
2x front calipers
Set of pads

2 X oil seals
2 X gaiters
2 X top ball joints
2x bottom ball joints
4x multipoint bolts for caliper to carrier.
2x hub nuts
2x front brake flexies
2 X abs sensor springy sleeve things.
2 X front abs sensors (as I suspect the other side will be welded in too).
Lemforder for the swivel ball joints of course and allmakes abs sensors, need quality for the oil seal - recommendations for make?
Also going for britpart for the other stuff or branded if the prices aren't toooo far out.
Me wallet..me poor wallet..



.

Flossie said:

I suspect they are the original ones at 100,400 miles, no paint marks but lots of rust scale so it probably dropped off if there was any.
On another subject, there is no way on this planet that the abs sensor would have come out the conventional way.
I had the swivel casting in the vice and heated it plenty but still had to destroy it further with an assortment of punches and chisels to get it out, basically split it down it's length and punch it out.View attachment 247103 View attachment 247104
Going to clean up the swivel, hub, disc guard and caliper carrier and the yoke and slap a bit of paint on them.
Decided to fit new calipers and refurb the old at my leisure.
So ordering...
2 X discs
2x front calipers
Set of pads

2 X oil seals
2 X gaiters
2 X top ball joints
2x bottom ball joints
4x multipoint bolts for caliper to carrier.
2x hub nuts
2x front brake flexies
2 X front abs sensors (as I suspect the other side will be welded in too).
Lemforder for the swivel ball joints of course and britpart abs sensors, need quality for the oil seal - recommendations for make?
Also going for britpart for the other stuff or branded if the prices aren't toooo far out.
Me wallet..me poor wallet..



.

Click to expand...

Don't forget the sensor retaining spring clips. Part number is L029522, check if the new ones come with the clip.

tomcat59alan said:

Don't forget the sensor retaining spring clips. Part number is L029522, check if the new ones come with the clip.

Click to expand...

I had forgot
Post list edited to add them.

Flossie said:

need quality for the oil seal - recommendations for make?

Click to expand...

Corteco.

Flossie said:

I suspect they are the original ones at 100,400 miles, no paint marks but lots of rust scale so it probably dropped off if there was any.
On another subject, there is no way on this planet that the abs sensor would have come out the conventional way.
I had the swivel casting in the vice and heated it plenty but still had to destroy it further with an assortment of punches and chisels to get it out, basically split it down it's length and punch it out.View attachment 247103 View attachment 247104
Going to clean up the swivel, hub, disc guard and caliper carrier and the yoke and slap a bit of paint on them.
Decided to fit new calipers and refurb the old at my leisure.
So ordering...
2 X discs
2x front calipers
Set of pads

2 X oil seals
2 X gaiters
2 X top ball joints
2x bottom ball joints
4x multipoint bolts for caliper to carrier.
2x hub nuts
2x front brake flexies
2 X abs sensor springy sleeve things.
2 X front abs sensors (as I suspect the other side will be welded in too).
Lemforder for the swivel ball joints of course and allmakes abs sensors, need quality for the oil seal - recommendations for make?
Also going for britpart for the other stuff or branded if the prices aren't toooo far out.
Me wallet..me poor wallet..



.

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Probably someone had it out before and didn't refit it with the right grease.

Grrrrrr said:

Probably someone had it out before and didn't refit it with the right grease.

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Gotta have the right lube or don't go in properly

Spent yesterday de rusting the caliper carrier, hub yoke and disc brake shied and painted with red oxide. Stripped the other side down this morning which took less than half the time of the other, partly because I kept all the tools from the first side together so I didn't have to rummage from spanners, sockets etc and partly because the hub pulled off quite easily and I've learnt to just chop through the top/bottom ball joint tapers with a slitting disc in a 9" grinder to release the yoke from the axle. Top ones easy , bottom one is a bit more awkward but if the steering arms are still on then possibly impossible, mine are both off.
I spent ages on the first side trying to figure out the ball joint press tool also, but no head scratching this side.
The hub nut was looser, the hub pulled off easier and the top/bottom ball joints came out easier too. I suspect Duchess has had new ball joints at some point on this side but cheapy ones as the dust covers had rotted.
Got to wrestle with the front mud flap, arch liner out then de rusting / painting the bits off this side.
Big order going into paddocks or island this evening, while I'm waiting for that to arrive I'll strip out the front dampers and brake hoses, drop links and check steering damper operation.
Busy busy busy.
Pic showing rusty yoke and cut through ball joint taper. Abs sensor was the same story this side too, seized in solid

Big order gone in at paddocks and island, I compared prices for the same items at both and by buying bits from one and bits from the other I got free postage from both and saved £55 roughly. Spent £597. That should sort out the front end for a long time( got lemforder track and drag bars complete as well as lemforder top/bottom balljoints and Lockheed discs/pads). I'll get on with derusting stuff and painting, remove NS mudflap and arch liner, drop links and dampers whilst waiting for stuff to come, then put it all back together and start the rear end then, exhaust off, fuel tank off, redo brake pipes and probably new discs/pads/calipers/abs sensors there too. Nuvver big bill. Then new tyres all round, engine service and off for the mot test IF my abs light goes out..

Remember the abs light will only go out after the car has driven a few meters and its checked the wheel sensors, it catches out quite a few mot inspectors.

brianp38dse said:

Remember the abs light will only go out after the car has driven a few meters and its checked the wheel sensors, it catches out quite a few mot inspectors.

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Above 5mph or 7 kph from memory.

NS disc guard has some rot on the outer edge, cut it out and welded in a new piece. Took a pic of the rot but that didn't come out so just got the repair done. About 4" at 12'0' clock.

Do you deliberately put it on newspaper, but place it in such a way we cant read the whole article

Ohhhhh ABBA are you going?.

J