16 August 2017 - Getting the front on the ground. Pt. 2

Table of Contents

 


I have degreased it, it was vile! Makes it much nicer to deal with, plus I can bring it into the house. It's a genuine SAAB rack, probably original but it appears to have a crack in it. I won't know any more until I have it stripped down. The pipes were pretty crusty too, but don't look too horrendous underneath (at least the one I've done so far doesn't!), just a bit of pitting.

'im indoors wants me to do a 'fixing your rack' procedure, bit like the one I did for the 9000 rear brake calipers, so it might be a while for the update on this part of the project, although I hope to have it mostly done over the weekend (famous last words) then maybe tackle the ARB. Ooo, goody........

This is the seal kit I'm using, it's from a different supplier to the previous one but it contains the same seals. There is an odd one in the kit. Maybe this is for the earlier rack? I did wonder.

Both racks are from 1993.

Incidently, the 9000 rack is in three parts, the wider end and the pinion housing are steel and the section in between is alloy.

Found a bigger problem with the rack I can see why it was leaking so much now.

I'd dismantled it and cleaned it, sorted the problem out with the seal supplier (got the right lower pinion seal in the end!) and decided today was a good day to put it all back together. So I went out to the garage with the housing and the relevant seals, had a look inside the housing to check for any bits that might have got in and found this-

The rack itself has worn through the housing far enough to expose the pinion housing above it. Guess it's scrap now.

Still, at least I found it before I'd put it together and re-fitted it to the car.

My guess is, someone has refurbed/adjusted the rack and failed to back off the nut, pushing the rack back against the housing. I'm just glad I found the hole before I'd put it back on the car, bled the air out and realised it was still leaking! I would not have been a happy bunny.

Anyway, I was all set up to put the damn thing back together and it wasn't going to happen with that one, so in the best Blue Peter fashion, here's one I prepared earlier!



Ok, I know it's a 9000 one, but hey. It had been taken apart to check for damage, then put aside until I got around to getting some seals. Unlike the 900 one, there was no damage and I finally got some seals.

Now I've had that bit of practice, I've started on this one...




It's an earlier rack and it's got a different pinion housing.

Don't go clearing out the stores just yet Nick, that's the only spare we've got and I haven't stripped it out yet...

All that's needed to finish that corner, is a bit of paint, an ABS sensor, tyre and re-fit the steering rack. I've started dismantling the other side-it's a bit crusty, but not holey. Well, I haven't found any holes yet.......

Today I decided to have a look at removing the oil cooler. I have given up for the time being.

I took the air box out to facilitate easier removal of the hoses and found the filter had been eaten. Yep, eaten.



I also found the family of mice that had been living in the car. Poor little sods must have gone down the air intake and been unable to climb back up



And this was at the bottom of the box. Anyone know where it's supposed to go?

Nowhere for the securing rod to hook under..

So Bill made a bracket and welded it to one of the less holey areas...

Hooking on point! The worst frilly bits have been cut off and filed down. It's not easy filing tinfoil.

All painted up and back on the car

It's still pretty lacey, but at least it's functional now and will do until we get round to replacing it.

New battery in! Almost a perfect fit, just need the shiny new retaining rods to go with it. The previous battery is ready to return to it's rightful owner! Whenever the planets are aligned...

I also took a couple of these (the scabby bit on the end is what they were like all over) and gave them a quick refurb..

Refurbished the spring seat bolt too..


And gave the brass brake line connector/nipple thingy a vinegar bath and wire wool scrub..

And been replaced by this..

Cheers Tommy, you are a star!

The oil cooler swap is the worst job I've ever done on a 900 (so far), it was one of those things that led to having to fix another thing (at least it caused me to find the mice!) and another thing..

And the grille fell apart when I took it off

All the jack nuts and bolts had to be replaced

A right pig of a job, getting the old ones out. The lower grille looks better now it's not droopy, so result there!

And I sorted out the major restriction in the chargecooler plumbing. The lower hose was kinked at such an angle, it's a wonder any water was getting round. So I went on a hunt, found some old radiator pipe, guessed at the length, guessed at the angle, bent the pipe, cut out the kinked hose and voila! 



Sorted.

Other jobs have included fitting new plugs (old ones were for a GM 900), drilling a hole for the aerial to drain through, so it goes out rather than feeding the tinworms in the boot, fitting a new aerial (it's black and very cool!), fitting the new spring/shock/balljoints/cv boot/refurbed caliper/disc/pads/brake lines and new brake hose to the nearside.

The old calipers were shocking.. Here's one,

All shiny new stuff!

Got a bit of frivolity to go in, so watch this space.......

Behold! A small frivolous enhancement



Bargain at less than £50 off ebay.

And it's now connected to the wheels!

AND THE WHEELS ARE ON THE GROUND!