1973 Rebuild

[Matthew Abate]

Thanks for the advice guys. As soon as I figure out how to test the wiring I’ll start setting up (gotta finish this suspension first).

Is it possible to undo the old wrap a bit, wrap the exposed bit, and then when I run out of bare wires undo some more?

 

This part is going to be SUPER fun. I don’t know if you’d remember, but my wiring wasn’t connected when I got the car. It was installed, but not together.

 

[ksechler]

I wouldn't do 3 or 4.  I struggled with what to do with the wiring myself.  In the end I visually inspected the original harness and reinstalled it.  I had to custom wire most of the engine stuff, though, because I did extensive modifications. 

What was the status of the original install?  Did it work when you got it?  You might just focus on problem areas if it did and save yourself some heartache.  One problem I had with my resto was fighting the urge to redo things just to redo them.  If something worked when you got it then you don't have to do it again just because.  

[Matthew Abate]

Unfortunately, I never ran it. The wiring was in but no connectors were attached. I started stripping the car immediately.


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[ksechler]

2 hours ago, Matthew Abate said:

Unfortunately, I never ran it. The wiring was in but no connectors were attached. I started stripping the car immediately.


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I don't blame you.  I guess you should check it out before you put it in.  It would really suck to put it in and then have to take it back out!

[Matthew Abate]

So the local shop that pressed my rear hubs together messed something up and I had to take them back. Not only do I have to replace the bearings, they tried to grind the spacer to make it shorter. Anyone have one I can buy?


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[Matthew Abate]

Back on track thanks to Captain Obvious and his buddy Gary.

Thanks Bruce!

 

—-

 

We identified the problem(s). They had pressed the inner bearing in at an angle and then forced it down. This did some gnarly but repairable damage to the inside of the hub and is why the bearing was uneven and destroyed.

They also screwed up my spindle pins and all the hardware that went with them. I have new hardware on the way.

The spacers Jim K sent me were perfect and went right in. Everything is now back together (minus the drum brake backing plates) and ready to continue, but first I’m cleaning up my paint.

 

 

 

[Captain Obvious]

My pleasure. Glad to help.  So did you see the pic of the aftermath of the party? 
https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/60026-friends-over-for-a-party-in-the-shop-yesterday/

So to provide a little more info about Matthew's bearings... The shop that had previously worked on the car really screwed things up.

They had forced the spindle pin tapered retainer pins into place without having the spindle pin located properly. This not only ruined the taper pin, but raised a huge burr on the (brand new) spindle pin and we had to use the hydraulic press just to get the spindle pin out.

And the problem that Matthew originally noticed when he got the parts back from the shop was that the stub axle didn't spin freely, and had significant tight and loose spots when it spun. We traced this issue to a huge burr kicked up inside the strut housing on the bearing surface from them pressing the bearing in cockked at an angle. In other words... It wasn't straight, wouldn't go in, and they just kept applying more force instead of stopping to figure out what the problem was.

We dressed the upset material (high spots) off the inside of the strut housing and cleaned and inspected everything to make sure there weren't any other surprises. Once the burrs were removed, the new bearings went in fine and everything spun perfect.  We dressed the burrs off the spindle pins, and after that, they went back into the housings OK as well.

And if that's not enough... They had ground down one of his distance pieces on a belt sander. Not only was it not square on one end, but it was also now almost .100 too short. When you tightened the stub axle nut, it would pull the inner races together so tight that you couldn't turn the axle.

And they're professionals!!  

I chucked up the distance piece in the lathe today and squared up the end. Won't ever be able to be reused for a distance piece, but it sure makes a handy drift for doing future wheel bearings. Into the box of misc stuff that lives next to the hydraulic press!

It was a good day in the shop.

Edited May 15, 2018 by Captain Obvious

[Captain Obvious]

Here's a pic of what happens when you try to press a bearing in at an angle. You can see the semi-circular mark  on the far side where they gouged the cylinder wall that is supposed to locate the bearing. That raised bump was pushing the bearing to one side and not letting it seat square.

I used a hand file to dress the high spots back level. This pic is about halfway done. I considered using a dremel with a small grinding wheel, but last thing I wanted to do was slip. It took way longer doing it by hand, but I wanted the control that I could not achieve with a power tool:

[Zed Head]

16 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:

And they're professionals!!  

Profession does not guarantee expertise.

[siteunseen]

Some things are best done manually, by hand etc.

Ask around.

[Matthew Abate]

Does anyone know the size of the lock nuts for the ends of the spindle pins? I want to get some that aren’t locking to temporarily hold everything together, which I would replace with the locking nuts later.

 

I had been looking at these 12mm 1.25 pitch ones but I’m not sure that’s the right size: https://www.boltdepot.com/Product-Details.aspx?product=6878

[Zed Head]

They are the same size as the wheel lug nuts.  You could just use spare lug nuts if you have them.