FC Front wishbone special Tool spacer

[Magpie 1]

Hi All,
Currently replacing all the front wishbone seals along with the lower inner flogged out shaft.
Should anyone have the special tool spacer would they please provide the dimension specs of the tool please so i can make one to assist with replacing the wishbones to the front end. Thank you in anticipation of anyone's assistance. Cheers Norman Davenport

[ardiesse]

You only need the spacer tool if you're installing a new lower control arm.  If you're re-using your control arms, position the arm so there's equal protrusion of the shaft ends through the control arm.  The outer threads of the bush should index into the control arm easily enough.

Two gotchas -

1. The seal that Rare Spares supplies with the shaft and bush kit is wrong: it's an HR upper control arm bush seal, and way too small to slip over the FC lower control arm shaft.  They split, and then fall off.  It's best to find some neoprene tube just a little larger than the shaft and cut it to length.  Or heater hose.

2. The replacement bushes have oversize outer threads.  They'll be bloody tight in the control arm, because they'll be re-cutting the threads.  Use lots of gear oil.

And finally:  Are your original shafts still a tight fit in the crossmember?  It's not unknown for the shaft to become loose.

Rob

[Magpie 1]

Rob,
Thanks for the heads up, i was aware that the tool was only used on the lower wishbone but thanks anyway. I have managed to get a replacement lower control arm shaft.
I have yet to check on its fit into the cross member for security as the old one was obviously loose and had worn the shaft quite significantly. I have made myself up the replacement/removal shaft tool and hoping that the shaft still has an interference fit into the crossmember!

Your comment regarding the seals was of interest to me as i would have been right pissed off fitting them only to have them break away. The heater hose option sounds like the go. As yet i have not received the dimensions for the special tool spacer! I could wing it for size, however, the manual is quite specific regarding the crush ft/lbs specs of the bush onto the shaft. Further, i am somewhat perplexed by the manual reference too " when fitting the new lower control arm shaft remover/installer tool fit it to the front end of the shaft (marked "F")" I have not been able to discern any marking "F" on either shaft (new or old)
Any further advice or suggestions will be gratefully received, thank you.

[Dr_Terry]

Don't use heater hose.

Because it is only waterproof (not oil-proof or grease-proof) it turns jelly after a short time.

I use a thin wall 5/8 fuel line but any low pressure fuel, oil or hydraulic hose will do the job, as long as the wall is not too thick.

Dr Terry

[ardiesse]

Sorry, my bad about heater hose.

The lower control arm shaft has two obtuse threads on it: these are what screw into the crossmember.  They are of different sizes, the larger diameter being at the front.  The holes in the crossmember are also of different sizes, the smaller hole at the rear.  There isn't much in it - only a fraction of a millimetre.  The shaft is unscrewed out towards the front and installed from the front.  You'll know which is the right way to install the new shaft: if it can be slid most of the way into the crossmember with some shaft sticking out the rear, that's the right way.

But if the old shaft was loose in the crossmember, you're in for a world of pain.  I rescued my FC's front crossmember by welding the holes and filing them to size.

Rob

[FE_UTE]

           3 A6 is the lower inner spacer and 3A5 is the upper control arm spacer

           this is the closest I can measure as the battery on my caliper has died
           
Hope this helps....Cheers Gary

[Magpie 1]

Hi Gary,
Thanks so much for the tool specs Ill see how i go about making one. Cheers Norman