Thread: Bundalenes '51 Restoration

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Reaming of bronze bushes is normal practice wherever close tolerances are specified - the bush is usually pressed in place, which means it will be smaller than finished size as it is in compression. A good example is in traditional kingpin bushes, which were always reamed in place, although this was as much about reaming them so the two bushes were in the same alignment.

John

That brings back memories John. I still have the adjustable reamer I used for my VW Beetle front end kingpins.

We have been away most of the week and will be off again on Thursday for a few days.

Anyhow today was a good day as we managed to get our press operational, not finished but functional. It is great to be able to remove those axle collars without having to borrow other people's equipment. The press' maximum pressure is 12 tonnes and this was just enough to remove the bearings, with some heat applied to the locking collar







Also cleaned up both axle housings ready for assembly. I do have an issue with one of the spring locating bolt holes being severely elongated and requiring attention, possibly boring out and sleeving. I think this will be difficult to hold in the mill vice, and I am not sure about welding and re-drilling

Excuse the photo quality, it was taken well after dark




I also places an order with Craddocks for a few odds and ends.


Hopefully there will be more progress next week

Any suggestions with the axle housing



Erich

Clean it up, use a burr to get rid of suspect material and then braze it. Common way to deal with cast.

Originally Posted by slug_burner

Clean it up, use a burr to get rid of suspect material and then braze it. Common way to deal with cast.

Thanks for the suggestion, I wasn't aware of brazing cast. Of all the things I don't have is an oxy, but in offered this up to our mill and it goes into the vice nicely, so I will bore it and machine up a sleeve. Maybe a bit of overkill but it gets the job done.

We will be away until Sunday night and again some of next week. I am finding iit hard to get my teeth into this project


Erich

Wow it has been 3 weeks since I posted. I have little to show in that time, although barely a day passes when I am not doing something towards the restoration.

We have placed orders and received lots of bits, and have been doing lots of research and talking to some VERY knowledgeable people with lots of tips and inspiration.

I had a few issued with the pneumatic tool changer on the mill but that is all sorted and the axle housing is repaired














Also bought a few storage units from a Grays Online Auction.






I bought 3 of these. The crates get discarded from the local asian vegie shop.


Will post more later when time permits.



Erich

I am waiting on a set of exchange chrome swivel balls, may be a while yet. I have decided to go this way rather than the paint method or questionable new components.

I will take a step back and install swivel bearings top and bottom, removing the splined arrangement which was in place when I stripped it down. I am informed that the earlier Series 1's had this arrangement. I am going this way because it is cheap, easy and hopefully effective. I believe the downside is that it is difficult to get desired pre-load.



Step 1 pin punch out the dowel or sellock pin






Press out the splined shaft







Machine up a new shaft. Material used is vibrac or EN26.







Press back in, drill shaft and insert pin









New versus old








Ready for the swivels when they arrive.





Erich

I will be interested to see how it goes. The change to a friction bearing (cone and spring) from roller bearings was found necessary to stop wheel shimmy.

The change back to roller bearings top and bottom with late Defenders was probably possible with better tyre manufacture (radials) wheel balancing (in the 1940s wheels were never balanced except on a few high speed vehicles) and the steering dampers that were unheard of in the 1940s.

John

Yes John, I am told that there are plenty of current vehicles with this arrangement, I really don't want to have to fit a steering damper though. If unsuccessful I can easily go the Railko way.

Can anyone correct me if wrong but aren't the bush section the Railko bushes a section of turned Canvas Bakelite?




Erich