guzzitrike Posted February 15, 2007 Report Share Posted February 15, 2007 Bugger Knew I shouldn't have touched or tried to change the calipers. Can anyone out there let me know what size bolts attach the front calipers? I am going to try and drill out and retap the threads - mainly because I have just discovered the price of 2 new stub axel strut legs Is it worth trying to buy a 2nd hand pair? and if so how much should I expect to pay? Bryan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beans Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 Front caliper bolts are M12, don't know their length though Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beans Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 (edited) As for the bolt length, just got home from the shed after working on the DHC ... Make sure you use high tensile ones Edited February 17, 2007 by Beans Quote Link to post Share on other sites
guzzitrike Posted February 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 Cheers Beans, All I need to do now is drill out and retap the sheared bolts That left hand tube is dead pricey, why is it 5 times the price of the right one? Bryan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonlar Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 All I need to do now is drill out and retap the sheared boltsBryan Hi Bryan, get some Plusgas (not WD40) and soak the broken stumps over a couple of days, to give it a chance to get into the threads, then centre punch as close as you can to the centre and using a really good quality set of twist drills set to work, use a small one to start with, I'd suggest a 4mm, once you've a hole through the middle, go with a 5, 6 etc., by the time you're getting near to an 8 or if you're really actually central a 9, the heat generated by drilling may enable you to release the stud stump with a good quality extra type tap/drill. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
guzzitrike Posted February 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 Good thinking, What I'll do is build up a well of putty over the stumps and fill it up and walk away for a few days topping up as need be hopefully it will not mean having to shell out for new tubes - good excuse to change the shocks as well as I managed to get hold of some konis on ebay. Bryan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jemgee Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 B....r! so it was you who pipped me in the last few seconds! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
moe and ess Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 And me in the last few seconds!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
guzzitrike Posted February 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 Sorry about that, I hope they are as good as the ad says with just 400 miles on them If not they will be back on ebay again Still Missed out on a metal double bubble bonnet the other day as I forgot to set my reminder to bid, (I never bid before the end unless I know I am not around othewise the price goes far higher than it needs too), looking at TR7 bits and the bidding on ebay it looks like most of you folks do exactly the same thing. Bryan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
guzzitrike Posted March 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2007 Well I'm nearly there!! Trying to get the stub axle off and the balljoint seems seazed into it!!! All nuts off from link arm etc. but cannot get the stub axle off of the lower arm with the ball joint in it. I have smacked 7 kinds of sh1t out of the joint but cannot get it to move. My next thought is to try and press out the ball joint fron the lower arm and take the whole lot to a vice and try it that way. However, am I doing it wrong? all the books seem to say that once the castillated nut and split pin are off the stub axle come straight off the ball joint and lower arm. Knew I shouldn't have touched those calipers!! Help!! Bryan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonlar Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Hi Bryan, if you can get hold of a "scissors" type ball joint cracker it should come apart quite easily but with a bang! This is the type with a fork casting which gets hammered between the ball joint and the wishbone and the bolt which turns through the the other casting levers the taper apart, a version is shown at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sykes-Pickavant-17mm...1QQcmdZViewItem if used with some care the boot on the ball joint doesn't even get damaged. I've got one of the forked wedges (which is next to useless) and one of the scissors type which saves so much time and frustration when popping joints. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
guzzitrike Posted March 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Yeeharr, Got the stub Axel off!! - Big hammer and lots of swearing. Now how the hell do you get the ball joint out of the lower link!! Bryan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mikehardwick Posted March 8, 2007 Report Share Posted March 8, 2007 Bryan I KNEW you shouldn't have tried to change those calipers..................... Mike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rosey Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Yeeharr, Got the stub Axel off!! - Big hammer and lots of swearing. Now how the hell do you get the ball joint out of the lower link!! Bryan Been there, done this a few times now. You need a 10 ton press to get the ball joint out unless you drill and cut it out by hand, you will still need to press the new one in though as the hole in the arm is tapered. Ask a garage to do it if you cant get access to a press, you can't do it without one, I know because I have tried and got myself a press in the end from Ebay. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
guzzitrike Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 (edited) Ahh! Thanks Dave, That'll explain why the big run up and smack with a big hammer didn't work. Looks like a trip to the garage then unless a cheap press turns up on ebay. Just had a look - over £200, cheaper to buy two recon lower track arms with poly bushes & ball joints from Rimmers. Bryan Edited March 12, 2007 by guzzitrike Quote Link to post Share on other sites
guzzitrike Posted March 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2007 Thought I'd add this addendum to the thread. After 6 days of feeding Plus Gas (magic stuff) to the sheared off bolts on a regular basis I have managed to get them out and there appears no damage to the stub axel. so that has saved me £125 which I will probably now put towards the poly bushes I have been promising myself. Lesson to be learned here? before tackling any bolts on a 25 year old car soak them in plus gas for at least 3 days that way you will save yourself 30 days worth of agro (you will know what I mean if you see what day this thread started). Thanks for all the advice guys - I'm sure I will be back for more soon!! Bryan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonlar Posted March 13, 2007 Report Share Posted March 13, 2007 Hi Bryan, glad to hear PG worked for you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
guzzitrike Posted March 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Struts in, seized nuts (ooh eer misses) chucked new seals and bushes and those nice new swively strut bearings to make it seem that I have power steering. Thought I would add this little gem. It maybe that you all already know this, but I had to find out the hard way and thought I could save others the same problem. To take off or refit the suspension strut all you need to do is use the existing scissor jack, place it between the sub frame and the lower track arm/ball joint. Wind it up and in it drops, saves all that grunting and cursing trying to get the anti roll bar to move. hope that helps anyone out there. certainly would have me. Bryan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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