SPITFIRED

Spare rear spring from a scrapped '81 model that sat level and at correct height. Tie bolts removed, leaves marked and tag removed.

Completed spring with all new rubber spacers, new bolts and polybushes.

Requires new UJ's as the passenger side one clicks / knocks on deceleration - all to be done. Plus new bushes to mount diff.

Both sides require new bushes, bearings, seals, brake hose and cylinder - plus clean and paint.

Access cover for rear spring fixings removed. Refurbished spring to fit.

Undo brake pipe to flexible hose at the top and drain pipework - plug ends.

Remove split pin, pivot pin and spring to release hand brake cable from rear drum.

Undo and remove bolt from end of rear spring - take care a little force is still in the spring. A bar between the underside of the spring and rear hub was useful to flex the spring up to remove the bolt.

Shock absorber lower fixing nut and washer removed and shock absorber pulled from rear hub.

Bolts removed from both ends of the rear tie bar and the bar was pulled out - ready for clean, paint and poly bushes.

With the rear hub supported on a block the nuts and bolts were removed from the rear drive shaft UJ to diff joint. Rotate the drive bar to allow the bolts to be pulled out.

Remove the 2 slotted c'sink screws from the drum and extract from the hub. Brake pads and drum look good but the cylinder has a split seal so it's a good job I have new ones to fit.

Circlips removed from UJ housings.

Propshaft supported on steel blocks under car and drive flange knocked to push out needle bearing housing.

Grips used to twist and pull needle bearing housing out.

Both needle bearing housings removed and spider removed for strip on the bench.

Socket used as drift to push out needle bearing housing enough to get hold of with grips from the other side.

New bearings fitted by pushing in both sides using a suitable size socket to sink the needle bearing housing in just enough to fit the new circlip.

Re-fitting UJ under car, propshaft supported and needle bearing housings tapped in from both sides just enough to fit both circlips.

Drive shaft held in the vice whilst the locknut is removed.

Shaft protection sleeve placed over ends of thread ready for hub puller.

Hub puller fitted with wheel nuts and central bolt tightened until hub is pulled from drive shaft taper - you may need to hammer the flange of the puller to shock the joint if it doesn't split first go.

Hub flange removed, brake pad hold back discs, springs and pins removed.

Nut, washer and bolt holding housing to vertical link removed. Vertical link pulled off and trunnion bushes and washers removed from hub.

Brake pads and springs removed. Tab washers knocked flat and 4 bolts, 2 tab washers, oil catcher and brake back plate removed.

Key removed from drive shaft.

Oil seal, housing and gasket removed.

Puller used to extract the hub and bearings from drive shaft.

Drift used from rear to knock out main front bearing then hub turned over and needle bearing and seal assembly drove out using a suitable socket pushing on the needle bearing housing.

Brake adjuster removed from back plate.

Spring clips removed to allow brake cylinder to be removed from back plate.

Needle bearing pressed in.

Rear seal pressed in.

Outer bearing pressed in hub.

Outer oil seal pressed in and ready to fit.

Oil flinger pressed over drive shaft and distance set from end of shaft to 145.8 mm / 146.3 mm

Hub with seals and bearings pushed / twisted on to drive shaft as far as it will go.

Hub flange used to press housing and bearings further on to drive shaft.

Front seal and gasket fitted, brake back plate fitted, oil catcher, bolts and tab washers fitted - not fully tight yet.

Key and hub flange fitted and fully torqued down. Bolts through brake back plate tightened and tab washers bent up to lock bolts.

New trunnion bushes fitted with seals (no seals found in old ones!). Vertical links fitted and bolt through (left loose) - copper grease added to bolt.

Diff ready to go back with new polybushes. This is my spare diff from the old spit (lower mileage) as the original diff leaked like a sieve, the bearings were shot and had too much play in the gear mesh.

Diff raised on a jack, locate rear lugs into rough position then concentrate on locating the front bushes and getting the washers and nuts on before fitting the rear long bolt. Filled with new oil and prop shaft connected.

Rear spring re-fitted to diff with studs and nuts in loose. Make sure spring is correct way around.

Rear brake adjuster re-fitted and wound fully back for maximum clearance on pads to drum.

Rear brake cylinder re-fitted (small amount of copper grease on pivots and interface with rear plate). Rubber boot fitted on underside.

Brake pads fitted with new springs - don't forget split pin in handbrake lever arm.

Brake drum fitted.

New UJ fitted to drive shaft - check marks made on strip for correct alignment on re-build.

Polybushes added to rear radius arm.

Drive shaft passed over chassis to diff and hub assembly fitted to rear spring - bolt left loose for now.

Radius arm fitted from tub to rear hub - check orientation. Copper grease added to all bolts and all left loose for now.

Rear shock absorber fitted.

Drive shaft bolted to diff - make sure orientation is the same as strip if using the same parts on assembly.

All suspension bolts left loose for tightening when car sat on its wheels and suspension is loaded.

Dec'12 - Detachable towbar fitted

 Feb'13 - New rear spring fitted