Another V8s chassis resto

[Matt]

Right, time for the body off - a process that is taking longer than it should due to lack of time, single garage and many other excuses.

I know the o/s chassis has gone at the front, the rest appears ok, but am expecting the worst.
The plan is to get the chassis done and back on the road for spring (more like summer!)

So I'm planning a longer term 3 stage approach: Stage 1 (underway) strip the car to the chassis, have chassis repaired, power coated and maybe have mounts welded for a roll cage. I will also have the wishbones, trailing arms repaired if needed and powered coated. I'll then renew all the bushes and install new springs and shocks. Will also change the waterpipes, fuel and brake pipes - and any other bits that you can only really do with the body off.
Once this is done I'll use the car throughout summer and then take it off the road over next winter for stage 2 which is to get the wheels refurbed, change brake disc etc if needed, tidy up the interior and hood and maybe have roll cage fitted. Stage 3 will be getting the engine rebuilt as it'll be approaching 100k assuming I use it enough.

Anyway my first question is...

Is it possible to remove the rear hubs from the trailing arms without dismantling the hubs? Obviously the drive shafts will have to come off, but as the bearings are ok and can be done on the car in the future I really don't want to start stripping them.

Any further advice? I've read Chris (Barkychoc) excellent rebuild notes and have picked up tips from other threads. Oh and I've taken loads of notes and pictures.

Thanks for your help

Matt

[ketvrin]

Hi Matt

welcome to the forum and dont forget to list your car on the V8S Owners list wiki above.;)

IIRC the hubs are bolted to the trailing arms by just four bolts and comes off in one piece OK you can see them in this "before" picture...



mines an S3 with drums but I believe that part of the hub will be the same

HTH

K

[phillpot]

Matt said:

trailing arms repaired if needed and powered coated.

Is it possible to remove the rear hubs from the trailing arms without dismantling the hubs? Obviously the drive shafts will have to come off, but as the bearings are ok and can be done on the car in the future I really don't want to start stripping them.

But won't they have to be completely stripped to powder coat (and presumably sand blast first) ?

[tvrgit]

phillpot said:

But won't they have to be completely stripped to powder coat (and presumably sand blast first) ?

Don't think so.

From Kevin's photo there, you remove the brakes, then the 4 bolts, and the hub should pull off the end of the drive shaft complete with bearings.

See here http://www.andrewc.org.uk/tvrgit/swingarm.html step 6 onwards.

That leaves you with the trailing arm dismantled to this stage:



although hopefully not in such crap condition!

[Matt]

Thanks, Kevin. I wondered if that was the case... , but now not sure...

Philpot, Isn't there enough room to remove the hub from the trailing arm without having to remove the disc and separate the bearings?? I was hoping for a similar set up to the old 'M' series where you can unbolt the hub from the upright and pull it through.

Trying to limit the amount of work to just the stuff that can only be done with the body off, hence the slightly unusual 'stage' approach.

In the time it's taken me to write a reply Tvrgit seems to confirm what I first thought. Although will the disc brakes just make access a bit more tricky?? I'll have a look properly at the weekend although the plan is to remove the engine subject to weather..

Thanks for the replies

Matt

[phillpot]

think you're right guys,

ignore me, got it all wrong (again)

[tubbystu]

I hope you don't get too many nasty surprises once the chassis is shot-blasted.

Austec found original poor quality welding and a variety of other minor chassis bodges when mine was done last year.

Now that both rear corners are geometrically the same I'm sure the handling is much better, but then again I have only done 120 miles since April - not getting it back until just before the Dec snows have reduced oppourtunities for driving somewhat.

The fuel tank cradle is a particular weak point - once you take it off. Whilst its fitted its not too bad, but take it off and................... At least it is a relatively cheap item to make/get made.

I hope your surprises are few and far between.

Let us know how you get on, but at least another one will be fettled for the future

[Matt]

tubbystu said:

I hope you don't get too many nasty surprises once the chassis is shot-blasted.

Austec found original poor quality welding and a variety of other minor chassis bodges when mine was done last year.

Now that both rear corners are geometrically the same I'm sure the handling is much better, but then again I have only done 120 miles since April - not getting it back until just before the Dec snows have reduced oppourtunities for driving somewhat.

The fuel tank cradle is a particular weak point - once you take it off. Whilst its fitted its not too bad, but take it off and................... At least it is a relatively cheap item to make/get made.

I hope your surprises are few and far between.

Let us know how you get on, but at least another one will be fettled for the future

Thanks, it was your chassis I saw at Austec a few months back. I will probably get mine refurbished by them as they are fairly local. I'm doing the strip down myself to help reduce the labour costs. I need to call them to book it in, but at the moment need to crack on with the engine removal etc to get a better idea of when they can have it. I'll keep you posted.

Matt

[tubbystu]

Matt said:

Thanks, it was your chassis I saw at Austec a few months back. I will probably get mine refurbished by them as they are fairly local. I'm doing the strip down myself to help reduce the labour costs. I need to call them to book it in, but at the moment need to crack on with the engine removal etc to get a better idea of when they can have it. I'll keep you posted.

Matt

Like a lot of specialists some of their answers about how long will it take can be a little optimistic.

Not always their fault as they can be at the mercy of third party suppliers or contractors. Not belittling Austec at all, I believe they are one of the best around, but sometimes, just sometimes when they say X weeks it might be 2x, or 3x perhaps. Other urgent work comes in etc, etc.

Just for info of course. You cannot fault the workmanship.

My office is only walking distance round the corner from them, so if you need anything done or looked at let me know.

Mine will be back in for a runaround with a spanner once I have managed to get 500 miles on the clock, but this weather is not helping progress in that dept.