Tools for 1990 front suspension removal

[Molecular--Bob]

Hi all,

 

I have a 1990 de-dion front end that i want to remove the lower wishbones from.

 

Any idea which imperial spanners / sockets / allen drivers i will need. These have never been off the car, so i have already plus-gassed and got a thin cutting head for my oscillating cutter (not optimistic).

 

 

[Phil B]

Hi Bob,

 

Usual range of 1/2, 9/16 and 3/4 AF should cover the arb mounts, wishbone bolts and nuts for mudguard mounts. You'll need both sockets and ring/open spanners. Lower shock allen bolt is 7/32 AF, you may get away with 5.5mm but don't try to use a 5mm it'll round out!!

Your car have the is probably in the transition period with the 1/2 wishbone and bracket bolted onto the back of the ARB mountings, which gives you a couple of extra bolts. You can convert to the full top wishbone and still use the bolted bracket.

Track rod end nuts may be 5/8, but if these have been replaced they are more likely to be metric 14-15mm?

To release the top wishbone rod end, SM25T has a great trick which I'll let him explain ( I think he has some pictures too ).

 

A bottle of whiskey is also very helpful, you resort to it when the bolts don't loosen off or the nuts round their corners.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Phil B

 

 

[Stationary M25 Traveller]

No great magic .... just a nut and bolt. Find a bolt that just fits under the end of the rod end stud and the upright below it. Screw a nut on the bolt until it is level with the end of the bolt.

 

Remove the nut from the rod end.

 

Place the bolt between the rod end stud and the upright. Now undo the nut so it extends the length of the assembly. Use a pair of spanners to keep undoing it until it cracks the grip of the taper on the rod end stud.

 

Job done.

[Englishmaninwales]

here

 

5th post down

[elie boone]

Be very very carefull when you thake these off

[Molecular--Bob]

Don't worry Elie, no hammers will be used in their removal, waiting on delivery of the right face drive socket for the lower rear bolt, then we are good to go (i hope).

[Graham Perry]

If you are going to re-fit the lower wishbones check them for cracks near the lower damper mount as that type have suffered a few failures over time on well used examples. After witnessing a nasty failure at a local sprint about 10 years ago I upgraded my 1990 ones to the current version.