Rear Suspension Part II

Fitted the new rear brakes lines and Aeroquip hoses, added a couple more clips to be safe!

 Then, bolted the box sections to the diff nosepiece and then it was time to fit it!

 Assisted by Bradley, as ever, had to wait for him to finish taking photos before we could get the whole assembly under the car!

Then, built up the brake back plates. New wheel cylinders, clips and handbrake gaitors.

 So, the back end is all ready to have the brakes built up, drivehsafts in, and then I can try the new wheels on the back to see how much clearance I have.

 We also managed to fish the wire down the inside of the tailgate for the number plate lights. Then cleaned (well, Bradley polished it to be honest!) the light assembly up and wired it up the screwed it in.

Wheels and Tyres

Well, busy and productive day today, if a little expensive! I was expecting a call anytime soon to say that the first 2 alloy wheels I ordered were ready for collection, so I have been thinking about tyres alot recently! The size I wanted (205/65/15) would keep the same rolling radius as 185/14 (i.e, original Stag Wheels) and they are a little expensive so I've been shopping around for the right deal. I was in Stoke on Trent for business today and on the way back I remembered a little independent tyre dealer I used to use when I was at University nearby in the mid 1990's. I managed to remember where it was and dropped in. They are still trading and they even remembered me! His opening words where, "That's a bit of an improvement to that old Triumph you had!".................... I decided not to judge him too much!
Long story short, he had a matched set of 4 on the shelf, and they had been ordered but never collected so he was willing to cut a deal on them. Not exactly high brand, but made under licence by Avon, so a decent make. All 4, in the boot of the Audi, £38 each! Bargain!

 On the way back home the phone rang, and it was Revolution Wheels to say that my 5 spoke Revvies were ready for collection! Deep joy, especially as I was about 2 miles from the turn off for Tamworth! 10 minutes later I arrived at SCC/Revolution and handed over my credit card....... again! we had a chat and it turns out they make bottom ball joints for the Stag/2000 range on the same premises. As an apology for the 4 week wait (which didn't bother me, but I wasn't going to tell him that!) he gave me a pair! That's £25 saved then! We loaded the boxes into the car, which by now was getting rather full!, and I trundled home, determined not to look at the wheels until I got home.

 Purists, look away now. This is final proof that there will be no gold minilights on my car! I am so chuffed with these, I have always wanted a set and now I have got the first 2 and I'm over the moon with them. they are going to look the mutt's nut's on Libby!

 So, these are actually the one for the front in 7x15. I am going to reassemble and install the rear suspension (minus springs and shocks) and then fit these wheels and tyres on the back, to measure the new offset needed to fill the flared rear arches. Then I can order the rears from Revolution to get ones that fill the arches but don't catch. Ordered a set of nuts of fleabay to hold them on........ can't wait to get them on and see what they look like!

Rear Suspension assembly

So, the plan for today was the re-assemble all the rear suspension and the refit to the car................. well, that didn't happen!

I under estimated how long it would take to put it all back together! Found the right brake pipe clips, snpped 3 but managed to get the 4 in I needed! Then assembled the exhaust hangers.......... what a fiddly job that is! Then it was the rear rubber mounts, 4 bolts, easy!

Then had to fit the trailing arms to the box sections. Anyone who says it is easy has either never done it before, or is a liar!!! After hours of persuading (gently, didn't want to damage the new powder coating!) I got them all together.

 I got the diff nosepiece back from Witor's the other day, so that could be fitted to the diff and the back mounting plate bolted on.

After that I spend another hour or so trying to coax the number plate wiring down the tailgate and gave up when it started to get dark!! There must be a simple way to do this, but at the moment its evading me!!

Bend the brake lines to shape, they just need fitting then the rear suspension can go on..............

Worked for hours, accomplished very little!

Seem to have had a busy full day, but I don't feel I've actually got anywhere!
Got the rear suspension back from the powder coaters in the week, so I spent a few hours putting the bushes in the trailing arms, replacing the bungs and putting new brake pipe clips on. They do look lovely (thanks to Mr Weaver for the tip on the trailing arms!)

 Then, got under the car and finished off the shutzing. The whole of the back of the car is done now. Could have put the new brake lines on, but the clips I ordered haven't arrived yet, so that'll have to wait until later. Still haven't got the driveshafts or the diff nosepiece back from being rebuilt yet, so nothing more to do on the rear suspension until then.

 So, started picking up bits of stainless trim, running them through the bench polisher and clipping them on! Well worth the polishing wheel in the bench grinder, no time at all all the corrosion is gone and they look sparkly and almost new.

 Had to drill out the holes (full of paint!) and then riveted the B post trims back on (having been polished first!) Shiney chrome and stainless steel does look wonderful next to the new red paint.

 While the polishing wheel was out, I cleaned up the PDWA switch and the rear brake pipe splitter. They are both made of brass so came up very well. Fitted the rear one ready for the new brake lines.

 Cleaned and refitted the fuel line.

 Then did the 2 bits of stainless steel trim on the rear wings and got one of the new rear door handles on.

Had enough and it was getting dark by then. More later I hope!

Diff's back!

Diff was ready for collection so I tootled over to Coventry to collect it. The gear set was perfect as expected and its just had a clean, new bearings and seals. It had also been cleaned in a tank, so it was all ready when I got it home for a quick final clean and then painting. Nice black coating on the diff, silver on the rear casing and the rear carrier still to be collected from powder coating in black.

 The rust proofer was now ready to be coated having been left for a week to cure. I only got the chance to do one side arch, but I masked it up carefully and that's now had two good coats of shutz.

Also managed to get the rear brake pipes made up. My friendly local autofactors make them up for me, so I now have the kit to do the rear. So, just got to mask and spray the other arch, then I can fit the brake lines. By this time I should have the driveshafts and the rear suspension back too, which means I can fit the rear up next weekend. The wheels should be here soon too, so I can start trial fitting them to the newly built rear to check and measure the clearances to have the custom rear wheels made! Who said this was going to be easy?!