Steady Eddie 72 Body Restoration

Discussion in 'Restorations' started by SteadyEddie, Oct 10, 2017.

  1. Definitely is but we’ve got the wisdom of the Latebay boys for when it gets to breaking point again




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  2. I didn’t have many hours this weekend but I’ve made a good amount of progress with the time I’ve had.

    The gear linkage came away with a little persuasion from the dremel, but otherwise I was able to disconnect the gearbox ok. The trouble was with the CV joints. Some of the Allen head bolts have been replaced with star head bolts. Luckily I had the right type of keys but managed to round one on each side of the gearbox, so whilst I got all the other bolts off, I couldn’t remove the drive shafts.

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    The alternative plan was to strip the hubs and drop arms so I can pull everything off the other side. The drum on the left came out with no problem without any serious rust.

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    The right needed a lot of hammering and most of it is till in situ on the shaft, and the hand brake cable tube has fused to the drum.

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    So on to plan C. Attempt the CV joints at the wheel ends. Luckily I was able to crack them all free so all that remained was the mounts.
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    But that led to to a new problem as I sheered one of the bolts on the front mount.
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    In the end I dropped it at the engine end, putting loads of weight at the front mount. Then with loads of hammering, chiselling, heating and pulling, it finally came free.
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    So, only thing remaining before the jig is on, the steering box! My new pitman arm puller is on and as right as I can get with the breaker bar, heated, hammered, greased, and still on. Think I’ll just keep greasing, tightening and hammering it every evening in the hope it will eventually pop. Any better suggestions welcome!

    [​IMG]


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  3. Did you manage to get the backing plate off easily? Mine was a right pig! Had to literally smash it from the back where the seating pin is at the bottom.. my adjusters were a block of solid rust so pretty much destroyed everything from springs to plate and drums.. it’ll have nice new bits on though now I guess.


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  4. You may struggle with that puller a hydraulic puller would be better.

    In the mean time leave it on tensioned up and every now and then go out and give it a bit more of a crank on the breaker bar.
     
  5. That gear box mount bolt that snapped
    The section that’s left on the van
    Turn your mig up and weld a nut on top of it getting loads of heat into it
    Then whilst it’s still hot try cracking it off with a socket.

    Try not to always get brutal with things when they don’t shift
    There’s normally a workaround and it will save you hassle/cost later
     
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  6. The backing plate came off the left side fine but on the right it had rusted solid. Lots of hammering got it off but it’s all crooked and full of holes. I may just replace the pair then at least I know they’re both good. More investigation needed.

    Thanks Para, yeah I looked at the hydraulic ones but they’re a lot of money just for one job. I’ll see how I get on with this one and will give it a week of abuse. It’s got to come off sooner or later...


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  7. Wind that nut on a bit more mate as well
    It only needs the slightest gap
    If it’s only on a couple of threads it could fold the edge of the thread over when it eventually lets go.
     
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  8. Should have listened to you guys. My plan of tightening the pitman arm puller more each day was good in theory, until the puller gave up

    [​IMG]

    Looks like a new plan is needed. I’m just reluctant to spend serious money on a pneumatic tool for just the one job that I shouldn’t need again.

    If anyone has one I could borrow I’ll have a crate of beers for them!!!


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  9. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Does it need to come off? You can get the box off without removing it.


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  10. Really? It has a reinforcing plate up against the chassis which is the same size as the shaft so I don’t see how the shaft and pitman arm can fit through the hole in the plate.

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    Or am I being really stupid and missing something obvious. Does the shaft come away from the steering box or something?


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  11. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Hmm maybe my box is slightly different. That reinforcing plate slips over the arm and then the whole box off through the chassis.


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    paradox likes this.
  12. Hmm ok I’ll have another go. I’ve got the four bolts off (two snapped in place) but it’s still tightly in place. I’ll smack the shaft with a big hammer and see what I can do.

    It doesn’t help there is so much crusty wax oil all over it I can’t see too clearly. Can’t wait to start stripping it all off soon!!!


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  13. Just gave it a good smacking with a shoot handled sledge hammer bit it’s still not moved at all.

    Could the two snapped bolts be the problem as they’re still in the steering box.

    [​IMG]

    I assume the thread simply screwed into the box and the chassis was just a smooth hole. I can’t see any threads in the bit I can see.

    Maybe I’m just not hitting it hard enough...


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  14. JamesLey

    JamesLey Sponsor

    Yeah the holes through the chassis are just sleeved. It bolts into the box.


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  15. Ok cool, so I just need to hit it harder then!!!


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  16. What year is your bus?
    Earlier busses needed the arm removing before you could remove the box but vw changed the design on later busses.
     
  17. The plate that has the bolt holes in it and goes around the collar that the pitman comes though is an interference fit and will be fu.....very tight (ask my knuckles how I know).
    You might want to try drifting the plate round to brake it's hold and then wiggle it back and forth then try to force the box through it.
    As @JamesLey says, once the plate is off it all slides over the arm and the box goes through the chassis with the arm attached, in a rubix puzzle kind of way.
     
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  18. Yours is a later alloy steering box so James and Paul are correct you need to get that plate moving so you can get it slid along and over the arm.
    This is how they look when not caked in under seal etc

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    Last edited: Jul 6, 2019
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  19. You guys are geniuses!!!!!

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    The box wasn’t budging but once I got a wedge under the reinforcing plate it all came loose!

    Thank you all for the help. I owe you all beer now!!!


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  20. It’s been a great weekend! With the steering box off I could get the jig mounted at last. The holes on the front mount were completely off so I had to do a lot of fettling with the dremel to get them to work but it’s all good now.

    Testing the rollover was trickier than I expected. I had to keep raising it higher and higher because something was hitting the floor as it rolled. Eventually common sense kicked in. It was the stub axle, so a knock of the hammer to get it out, and it’s all good.

    In the words of linkin park ‘keep rollin’ rollin’ rollin’ rollin’

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    Today we got to scraping off the waxoil, I’ve heard plenty of people saying what a horrible job it is (and lying on your back it really would be!) but with the van on it’s side, we’ve actually had a great day scraping away, it’s really satisfying! Stiff backs, aching arms and claw like hands, we’re still smiling!

    [​IMG][​IMG]



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