"underneath", installment #18
To finish up the rear axle I had two choices: (a) hope that the
end float was correct, or (b) get the correct tool to measure the end
float, and a way to make up shims. So, Monday I drove over to our local
industrial tool & fastener place and got a dial indicator and a magnetic
base. Not really expensive, under $35 for the whole thing, although once
back at the office I realized that the bracket that holds the dial to
the mag base was missing, so I had to make another trip. While I was
there, I asked about shim stock, and was told they had it in 50 and 100
foot rolls. I guess my dismay showed on my face, and the guy at the
counter asked what I needed it for; he went rummaging around in his
inventory and came out with an assortment pack of brass sheets, perhaps
6"x12", from .001 to .015. Perfect, except that it cost $30 -- oh well,
it's only money.
The dial indicator was easy to set up and use, and my first try
showed I had .016 play; way too much. So I pulled the heavy "end discs"
off the axle, and sat down in the living room with a set of aviation
snips. I traced out the heavy disc onto the brass, and then cut around
the outside. I made up .018's worth, as I would pull out a .030 shim and
I was trying to remove .012 to get to .004. Then I went into the
workshop and clamped the shim between the heavy discs. and drilled out
the holes, one at a time and installing a bolt in each hole as I
progressed to keep things aligned. Then, a hacksaw with an abrasive-rod
blade opened up the interior hole quickly. Oh, yeah, I roughed up those
heavy discs, even powdercoating holds up but so well.
Back out in the garage, I bolted everything back up. No need for
the dial indicator, it was way too tight! Time to think Larry. Aha! The
inner hole on the shims is bigger than the hole in the heavy plates, to
allow the bearing to move out against the heavy disc (sorry, I don't
know it's correct name). OK, back inside, I got out the snips again as I
didn't think it practical to use the OEM shims as a template for the
hole (in retrospect, those .030 shims are probably heavy enough), and
enlarged the inner hole in each shim. Oh, yeah, the rough sharp edges of
the cut brass smotthed out nicely when lightly touched up on the bench
grinder. Then back on, I was much closer, but not right on. One .004
shim (hard to cut cleanly) and a few swaps later, I hit .004 total on
both sides. BTW, As I bolted up each try, I'd bang on the axle ends to
drive them out against the heavy discs to 'seat' them at max end play; I
went back and forth a couple of times per try, double checking that the
bolts were tight too.
I went to 4 places trying to find that Loctite 601 sealant, with
no success; I really liked the idea of something that wouldn't add much
additional thickness. At an auto parts store, I spied a bottle of
Permatex Liquid Aviation Sealant, good to 400 degrees and oil & grease
resistant. I bought that. It's a thick gooey, sticky liquid that cleans
up with alcohol. Coating both surfaces of each part was messy, but not
difficult; then I bolted it all together. I couldn't find torque specs,
so I just really leaned on the wrench, and with the Nylock nuts this
time. Results? .005! Just a hair tight, I'll go with that, hope I don't
have trouble once hot from expansion, and I want low end-play anyway due
to the disc brakes back there. Also, all of that drilling enlarged the
bolt-holes just a mite, allowing some wiggle. So, I slid on the hubs to
center the outer seal and its holder, and thus the entire "stack", while
I tighened everything up.
Friday, I took 1/2 day to drive to southern MD to an Aeroquip
dealer. These guys had done my oil lines (from stock engine-block mounts
to a J C Junk filter mount placed behind the left headlight, all in
Teflon lined braided hose) about 5 years back, but this is the 1st time
I've been there in person. I dropped one caliper and one Brit rigid line
on the counter. For a few minutes, it started to look like I was about
to get a can't-help-you, but they kept at it, actually modified one part
on a lathe, and had me one the road in +/- one hour. I got a brass
T-block with a tab to attached to the tab on the RH side of the axle
housing, a 15" flex line to connect that to the RH caliper, and a 15"
line for the LH side. All I needed was a rigid line in "American flare"
to connect the LH flex line to the T-block. It turns out I needed a 30"
one, for once no-problem at the local parts house. BTW, I suggested to
these guys to keep note, in case anyone wanted to contact then to
duplicate what I got. Ya know, I might even think this would be a good
idea on a drum brake car, just to enable bleeding each cylinder
independently if nothing else. The rear brake lines went on really
quickly, with no problems.
By that time I had installed the calipers to the car, _ahead_ of
the axle this time. The bolts holding the caliper bracket to the axle
result in needing 3 long bolts and one short bolt per side, The bolt
package had 5 long bolts -- one too few -- and way too many short bolts.
Argh! I found another bolt in my Grade 8 collection, 1/4" too long so I
stuck a few washers under the head. Also, I attached all bolts heads
inboard and tips outboard, so I could remove them later, if required,
without pulling the hubs; thanks to Larry Paulick on this list for that
hint. Then, I stuck on the rotors and held them in place temporarily
with a few lug nuts, so I could figure out spacing the caliper over the
rotor. The "squeezing part" (don't you just love these technical terms)
of the caliper slide around on the "frame part" that bolts to the car,
so aligning the latter seems to be the controlling issue. The best
answer seemed to involve 4 washers per side, so that's what I used -- I
hope that leaves enough bolt sticking into the threads in the caliper
"frame part". I'd estimate it's about 1 thread short of being flush.
Getting all of these washers and the calipers together without dropping
anything isn't too hard. I slid a bolt though the upper hole of the
mounting bracket enough to slide on all 4 washers on, plus about 1
thread. Then I wiggled the caliper into place until the bolt 'caught'
the threads, With that one snug, I rotated the caliper up out of the
way, wedged it still with a screwdriver, while I got the lower bolt
sticking through with the 4 washers, like the upper one. Then I could
lower the caliper until that bolt also 'caught'. I don't have torque
specs for that either, so those bolts are just plain "tight". Everything
_looks_ nice, I need to get more photos of the set-up.
The handbrake cables hooked up OK. At the caliper, you have a
"fixed stop" that the cable housing ends at, and a "movable stop" at the
end of an actuating arm where the ball-end of the cable clips in. I
installed the housing to the former, with one of the nuts supplied on
each side of it (and hey, there's not much opportunity to adjust at this
end, either!), then pried the actuating arm forward enough to pop the
cable's ball-end into place. I suspect it would be easier to install
these _first_, then go back and hook up the other end at the handbrake
lever, but I'm not sure. The LH cable is actually a bit too long, with
not much room to use up the excess, it has a dog-leg in it now, I'm
directing _away_ from the leaf spring. The RH one is attached at both
ends but not routed/anchored in the middle; I thought I had a bunch of
the rubber-lined "P" straps that are for holding cables and such in
place with one screw, but I only had one laying around. So, I installed
that one where there was one originally (without rubber lining) just aft
of where the cables exit the passenger compartment.
I also put the hubs on, there's really not too much to tell
there, except here's _another_ item for which I cannot find a torque
spec. Any ideas?
Lawrence R. Wright, Purchasing Analyst
U S Office Products, Mid-Atlantic District
Formerly Andrews Office Products
larry.wright@usop.com (new)
Ph. 301.386.7923 Fx. 301.386.5333
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