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steveseries72 - S3 88 rebuild

Lucky you though you have to wonder if a better solution couldn't have been thought of for the UJ bearings.
Somebody once described a method of fitting a new UJ which prevented the possibility of the needles being dislodged, trouble is I can't remember who it was.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who misplaces parts, though I have had the flip side where I've convinced myself I've got a certain part and I find that I haven't got it, never had it, never ordered it.
Good to see that you are back on it and making progress. It feels good doesn't it to tick jobs off the list instead of adding more to it.
 
Neil said:
Lucky you though you have to wonder if a better solution couldn't have been thought of for the UJ bearings.
Somebody once described a method of fitting a new UJ which prevented the possibility of the needles being dislodged, trouble is I can't remember who it was.
I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who misplaces parts, though I have had the flip side where I've convinced myself I've got a certain part and I find that I haven't got it, never had it, never ordered it.
Good to see that you are back on it and making progress. It feels good doesn't it to tick jobs off the list instead of adding more to it.
Click to expand...
Yes, three times I’ve had that UJ apart, but it feels free and turns evenly without any sloppiness so all good 🤞🏻. It’s nice to have a couple of days free to get back to it, I’ve almost forgotten the freedom pottering in the garage gives me, my wife always says I’m as happy as a pig in sh*t when I’m out there - I don’t know if that’s a genuine observation or implies I’m just a miserable old barsteward the remainder of the time 🤷‍♂️. Anyway, pot of coffee on the brew and I’m going hunting for handbrake seals and gaskets....
Have a good day all.
 
Well I only went and bloomin found them! Always the way, pulled a box off the shelf and the second one I looked in had a handbrake seal, gasket and some grease nipples in it. Must have bought them ages ago in anticipation of it going back together. 😊
Handbrake unit was already assembled so after changing the seal I popped that on. I thought I had cleaned and painted both propshafts, turned out I had only done the rear when I had initially changed the UJ so I spent a couple of hours with degreaser and some old petrol cleaning the front prop. This is good, both UJ’s in good order so with a coat of paint it can go back on.
Did up the nut on the rear output shaft to 85 lbs/ft as per the book and put the rear propshaft on. I forgot what a faff this was, at times moving the nut a quarter turn at a time with two spanners, no room for sockets at all. I have had to support the back of the gearbox as it’s so heavy with the overdrive it is trying to rotate downwards at the rear without the engine in 🙄. Wedged a lump of wood under the crossmember for additional support. Next up is the front propshaft although it seems to be about 20mm too short when offered up even with the bellows at full extension.
I think it may be because there are new parabolic springs fitted and there is no engine in, would this be causing the front to sit too high for the prop to bolt up? Any thoughts appreciated…
 
There is a fair bit of weight in the engine and I would imagine it will compress the suspension at least a little bit. Then there are all the bits of bodywork, steering column, steering box, pedal boxes and radiator/water
Forgive my sepia tinted memory but I have hazy recollections of the front prop not having a gaiter on it. I'm probably talking utter bolleaux though.
 
steveseries72 said:
Well I only went and bloomin found them! Always the way, pulled a box off the shelf and the second one I looked in had a handbrake seal, gasket and some grease nipples in it. Must have bought them ages ago in anticipation of it going back together. 😊
Handbrake unit was already assembled so after changing the seal I popped that on. I thought I had cleaned and painted both propshafts, turned out I had only done the rear when I had initially changed the UJ so I spent a couple of hours with degreaser and some old petrol cleaning the front prop. This is good, both UJ’s in good order so with a coat of paint it can go back on.
Did up the nut on the rear output shaft to 85 lbs/ft as per the book and put the rear propshaft on. I forgot what a faff this was, at times moving the nut a quarter turn at a time with two spanners, no room for sockets at all. I have had to support the back of the gearbox as it’s so heavy with the overdrive it is trying to rotate downwards at the rear without the engine in 🙄. Wedged a lump of wood under the crossmember for additional support. Next up is the front propshaft although it seems to be about 20mm too short when offered up even with the bellows at full extension.
I think it may be because there are new parabolic springs fitted and there is no engine in, would this be causing the front to sit too high for the prop to bolt up? Any thoughts appreciated…
Click to expand...
yep, I'd say lack of weight making the chassis sit higher than normal. It is possible to get sockets to fit the UJ bolts, but the sockets have to be thin walled. I found a socket set that I had bought when I was 18 fitted these nuts perfectly and it has been my 'go-to' set when operating in tight spaces. Maybe leave doing up the front prop until the engine is in, it would probably only be in the way anyhuw.
 
Thanks as always Gents. The propshafts went back in the way they came out & the front definitely had the gaiter on it. I was worried re the front prop not fitting but thinking about it there must be a good couple of hundred kilos to go on.
As per suggestion I will leave putting this in until everything else is assembled and worry about it then.
 
On one of my props, can't remember which one, it arrived with a gaiter fitted. Not the big bellows type but the rubber collar as sold for defender.
I'm trying to remember now if I had to change both props or just the one. A P.O. had fitted the wrong size UJs (too small) and the yokes had suffered as a result.
So @steveseries72 you can definitely tell when you have the wrong size, I think from memory that the 2 options are something like 67mm and 75mm
 
slightly out of focus picture of said prop showing the pretty blue bit, behind which is the "gaiter"
 

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Neil said:
On one of my props, can't remember which one, it arrived with a gaiter fitted. Not the big bellows type but the rubber collar as sold for defender.
I'm trying to remember now if I had to change both props or just the one. A P.O. had fitted the wrong size UJs (too small) and the yokes had suffered as a result.
So @steveseries72 you can definitely tell when you have the wrong size, I think from memory that the 2 options are something like 67mm and 75mm
Click to expand...
Thanks Neil, yes front prop is the only one with the gaiter fitted, a bellows type is on it and I’ve left it as is because it’s in hood nick. There are two options for UJ sizes, your memory must be about right as one is significantly smaller than the other when fitted.

mikeau said:
Reading this, Im trying to think of a reason why you wouldnt want gaiters on both props anyway? Is it a clearance issue..?
Click to expand...
I don’t know why they are not fitted to both Mike, it is only the front and I can only guess from Neil’s photo that as it sits below the engine and more importantly the oil filter, it is fitted to stop the innumerable leaks diluting the grease in the propshaft! 😂
 
Spent a day in the garage as it was wet and miserable out, by default it got me out of cutting the grass and staining a fence. First thing to address was refitting the handbrake mechanism, I found my refurbished lever from its hiding place where it was stored a year ago and found a bag marked handbrake fixings in a box of bits. There followed an hour of head scratching, consulting the book, looking at the parts manual and eventually with the aid of one photo from my phone I worked out how it went back together!

Pleased with progress I dug the bulkhead out of its hidey hole in the shed where that has languished for over a year since I repaired it, lots of new metal patches fabricated and welded in along with new footwells. I thought I would get on with a first skim of filler on the repairs before removing paint from the rest of it but noticed a number of pinholes around some of the repair work where ‘I could have done better’. In a flashback to school days and still being fearful of the red biro and ‘see teacher’ annotation, I set to and welded them up. It looks a lot better and was an afternoon well spent with the exception of my lower back seizing up since I stopped, one of the drawbacks of being half bent over at a silly angle for hours.

Another day done, more achieved and hopefully tomorrow can grab a bit of time to start filling. I enjoy my time in the garage, shouting at LBC or R4 while pottering - I think a rain dance will be on the cards later to keep me in there.....
 
It is fun getting back to doing things isn't it trying to work out what this bag of bits might be about or where they might just fit
Even at the risk of considerable discomfort later, had you thought about a stool or chair so you can sit while you weld?
 
Yes, it’s funny Neil, two stools, differing heights should work for me. Unfortunately I start off sitting, get up to get something and don’t sit don’t again. I end up moving about turning welder and gas on and off, retrieving the angle grinder, leave my glasses somewhere else, the list goes on. As a result I end up standing and bent over, I am my own worst enemy!
 
Remember Bob? My old Dad who was down visiting last July when I was welding new dumb irons on the chassis…..
Well he’s back for a week, wanted to get stuck into the Land Rover again and said the first thing he packed in his case was his work clothes - top man!!!!

Spent a lovely afternoon with him, a year older, still a good laugh with a wicked sense of humour. We got on with the first couple of skims of filler in the bulkhead, chatting, laughing & a bit of larking around but got plenty done. Great father son bonding even at our ages! Good memories.



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The sign behind doesn’t apply to him btw 😂😂.
Looking forward to having this done, get it painted and fitted. Big thanks to @Neil for answering all my questions about brush and roller painting so comprehensively and speedily.

Tools down for the day, a pint and fish n’ chips are calling 😊
 
steveseries72 said:
Remember Bob? My old Dad who was down visiting last July when I was welding new dumb irons on the chassis…..
Well he’s back for a week, wanted to get stuck into the Land Rover again and said the first thing he packed in his case was his work clothes - top man!!!!

Spent a lovely afternoon with him, a year older, still a good laugh with a wicked sense of humour. We got on with the first couple of skims of filler in the bulkhead, chatting, laughing & a bit of larking around but got plenty done. Great father son bonding even at our ages! Good memories.



View attachment 318200

The sign behind doesn’t apply to him btw 😂😂.
Looking forward to having this done, get it painted and fitted. Big thanks to @Neil for answering all my questions about brush and roller painting so comprehensively and speedily.

Tools down for the day, a pint and fish n’ chips are calling 😊
Click to expand...
Inspiring , proper dad , love it
 
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