Road-Handling and Ride Quality

Thanks Uncle Ho, love to get together sometime. When I'm confident, I'd like to attempt a run down to Bribie, so I'll let you know. And, yes, she was a SWB Command Recon. truck. ARN 111-685.

I'm gradually working my way through the advice on this thread. Next step will be to fix the relay seals and check the toe-in.

I will refurb the spring sets in due course also. While I was under there this afternoon, I checked the clearances against my Operation Manual. Rear axle top to rear of bump stop at chassis is 144mm left side and 148mm driver's side. Manual specifies 144mm, so I'm happy with that.

While there, I decided to replace the canvas check straps with 2 nice ones I only recently discovered I had! Two things I don't get

1. How important are these straps? I wouldn't have thought they would do much, but the state of the old ones indicates they have obviously done some work over time.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment...1&d=1438411501

2. Why are the fixings not the same as in my Operation Manual. They bolt into the side of the chassis rail, rather than onto a small mounting bracket welded to the chassis? Not a big deal, just curious.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment...1&d=1438411633

cheers

Garry

They are there to protect the shock absorbers, and probably do little unless driven energetically off road. The difference in fixing may reflwxt difference between lwb and swb.

John

That type of fixings I have not seen on any chassis long or short . To me it looks as if they are after additions. The remains of the originals may be the 2 vertical strips visible on the chassis in the photos. As John said they protect the shocks from rebound damage.
Cheers Scott

I took Gromit's advice and removed the underside fixings from Lettie's steering relay, then got hold of an oil seal (1.5/1.125/0.25) from a bearing shop, but then managed to wreck it when trying to press it in place past the metal lip on the oil seal retainer.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment...1&d=1438582711

Is there some special technique I am missing? I can easily get another seal, but imagine I will do the same damage to it.

thanks

Garry

Quote:

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Originally Posted by garrywlh

I took Gromit's advice and removed the underside fixings from Lettie's steering relay, then got hold of an oil seal (1.5/1.125/0.25) from a bearing shop, but then managed to wreck it when trying to press it in place past the metal lip on the oil seal retainer.



Is there some special technique I am missing? I can easily get another seal, but imagine I will do the same damage to it.

thanks

Garry

---

I can almost press them in by hand normally otherwise a flat piece of timber over the seal and press in using a vice.

I'm confused by the picture of the bottom plate (oil seal retainer). There seems to be something left in there, part of the old seal ??
The old seal needs to be extracted (a screwdriver should do the job to lever it out) then the new seal pushed into place.


Colin

Thanks Colin,

I have scraped out any and all old rubber that I can - yes using a screwdriver. Is there supposed to be a metal lip on both sides of the 'channel' that the seal sits in? I have to force the seal past this lip (a narrower diameter opening than the diameter of the seal) and this bent it.

Or should the diameter of the 'seat' be uniformly the same as the seal? Here's a diagram in elevation of the shape of the seat in relation to the seal...

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment...1&d=1438602441

Hope the diagram is clear.

Garry,
There shouldn't be a lip at the top, the recess should be (as you suggest) the same diameter as the seal.
It looks like you've removed the rubber lip part of the seal but left the steel casing still in there. You need to get a screwdriver (or a proper seal remover) and lever out the remains of the old seal.
The new seal will then be straightforward to fit.

Best of luck.

Colin

goodonya, Colin. That did the trick.

I did not realise that steel rim was part of a removable casing. It's been removed now!

Got the seal in place, cleaned up the components and put everything back together, then injected some 90 oil up to the filler plug. Finished off with a nice coat of penetrol.

Will it still leak!? That remains to be seen, but no sign of seepage so far.

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment...1&d=1438664996

Went for a run to test and, yes, I have to say (maybe I'm just getting used to her) with each small step, the steering feels firmer and surer.

Wheel alignment next.

Thanks again for the help, chaps.

Garry,
Remember that the seal at the top keeps water out so at some point it's worthwhile replacing that one as well.
I've done two where they were full of rust, I machined down the sealing surface and the seal still worked OK, probably should have fitted a speedy sleeve.

This is what happens when oil leaks out & water leaks in.....

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...015/08/883.jpg


Colin