Tag Archives: fulcrum pin

Front Hub Assemblies Installed

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We had previously built-up the front hub assemblies including the “A” arms, stub axles, king pins, bearings, hubs, rotors, calipers and etc. This process is covered in “Front Hub Assemblies and Brakes” https://valvechatter.com/?p=13792

The “Front hub Assemblies and Brakes” post also includes a video depicting the process.

“Rebuilt Front Suspension Installed in the Car” https://valvechatter.com/?p=13828 is another post made earlier in the restoration process that is helpful to review before installing the front hub assemblies.

Installing these components can be approached two ways. One can assemble everything on the bench and then mount the entire assembly to the chassis as we did. Alternatively, one can mount the “A” arm and the shock absorber to the chassis and then build-out the assembly on the car. This method is the one explained in the owner’s manual.

Choosing the approach we did certainly made it easier to put the various pieces together, but you end up with a pretty heavy unit that can be a bit of a struggle to mount to the chassis. Resting everything on a floor jack helps, but it is still difficult to get the holes and lower fulcrum pins lined up perfectly. At any rate the job is done.

The two plates below show the various parts that are used to comprise the assemblies. Note that the lower fulcrum pins are inserted from the inside of the chassis cavity with the special washers toward the front and rear of the car. The second plate shows the earlier drum brakes while we are using later front disc brakes.

Front Suspension Components

Front Suspension Components 2

 

Bugeye Restoration Video Episode Seventy-two shows the process of installing the completed front hub assembly to the chassis. https://vimeo.com/981964234/b1aa7a5a24?share=copy

0:00 – Front suspension hub assembly

1:07 – Installing rubber rebound buffers

1:35 – Cleaning paint from chassis mounting area to “A” arms

2:09 – Poly lubricant on fulcrum pins and bushings

2:44 – Moving the hub assembly into position

3:11 – Fulcrum pins and special washers installed

4:26 – Wood spacer blocks installed

4:56 – Upper fulcrum pin locking bolt into shock

5:50 – Coil spring installation

6:30 – Coil spring installation tool

6:54 – Compressing the coil spring

 

The split pin on the upper fulcrum pin was then installed. All bolts and nuts were checked for tightness with the exception of the lower fulcrum pins and nuts to be tightened when the car is on the ground. A little paint touch up on a few scratches completed the process.

RH Front Suspension Removal

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Having completed the work on the refurbishment of the rear axle and suspension it is now time to turn to the front suspension. Our plan will be to remove and refresh or replace the suspension components on the right side of the car, then after building back the passenger side of the car we will go through the same process on the LH side. My car was converted to front disc brakes shortly after we purchased it around 1999.

Bugeye Front Suspension Components

 

https://vimeo.com/777904083/768f53fb47

The Episode Twenty-seven video shows the deconstruction and removal of the RH front suspension. The following steps are addressed in the video:

1:00 – The proper tie rods

1:45 – Draining and removal of radiator

4:00 – shock absorber removal

4:40 – Brake caliper removal and stowage

5:45 – Grease cap, split pin, castle nut, tab washer and brake rotor/hub removal

6:40 – Dust shield removal

7:20 – Upper Trunnion/bolt

8:00 – Coil spring, spring perch, and lower shock mounting plate removal, tie rod end separation

11:20 – Fulcrum bolts, washers and bushings

11:20 – Cotter pin, fulcrum pin and king pin removal from the “A” arm assembly

Now it is time to order some parts and clean and paint some of the components we will be reusing.

The RH suspension components that were not completely disassembled as they were removed from the car were dismantled on the work bench. All parts were cleaned and painted with POR 15. A hub puller was purchased and used to separate the brake rotor and hub.

Hub Puller

After the hub was separated from the brake rotor, the oil seal and bearings could be removed from the hub. New bearings and seals will be installed in the rebuild.

Video Episode Twenty-eight shows the completion of the dismantling process for the RH front suspension and the removal of the LH front suspension is begun.

https://vimeo.com/780172337/d31b642b97

The following steps are addressed in the video:

0:00 – Steering arm removal from the stub axle

1:05 – Spring dust tube

1:25 – Spring pan and bolts

1:45 – Upper Trunnion

2:00 – Hub separation from rotor

3:00 – Oil seal and bearing removal

3:38 – Bushing removal from the “A” arm

4:05 – Hub puller is used to separate hub and rotor

4:28 – Begin RH side front suspension removal

 

 

 

 

Chapter 70 Week Forty September 17, 2007

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With a little help from a work colleague, my wife and an engine hoist I was able to get the motor with bell housing into the car without one scratch or knick in the paint! We took our time and patience paid off. I tightened down the engine mounts and then put a short jack stand under the bell housing to support the rear of the engine.

Engine Hoist

Helper One

Helper 2

Motor mount tightened down

I had previously bled the slave cylinder so it was an easy task to mount it to the side of the bell housing, insert the Smitty provided push rod, and try out the mechanism by pushing the clutch pedal. The longer fulcrum pin I had made (with directions from Tracy Drummond) worked perfectly. Special thanks to my engine installation assistants – couldn’t have done the job without them.

I did take a minute to install the engine identification number plate on the engine block. I had a new one made by Clarke Spares & Restorations and it looks very authentic.

Engine Number Plate

I am going out of the country for two weeks so things will have to sit a while until I return and get back to work. The next step will be to pull the engine back out, attach the gearbox to the bell housing, fasten the assembly to the engine and put it all back in the car. I suppose I could have skipped the clutch test, but what are a few more hours in a six year restoration!