The £650 Puma

[The Arch Bishop]

Cheers red! I reckon the real difficulty is going to be getting the gearbox off and the new one back on! Oh, and trying to borrow a torque wrench man enough to tighten the hub nut up properly!

 

[The Arch Bishop]

...and as if by magic, YOG appeared! With a very kind loan of an enormous torque wrench! :thumbs:

I'm trying to talk him into Ford Fair.... Go on YOG, you know you want to....

 

[quest63]

...and as if by magic, YOG appeared! With an enormous load :thumbs:

I'm trying to talk him into Ford Fair.... Go on YOG, you know you want to....

:shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Sigh.... :roll: Now edited. Don't you look like a dirty boy now eh!?

I don't know. You can't even use the word enormous around here with out someone reverse-engineering your post....

Is the word 'moist' safe still?

 

[quest63]

I seriously doubt it especially if Rob spots the post :-D

 

[The Arch Bishop]

So tonight I donned my grubbiest jeans and oiliest t-shirt with a view to getting in a few hours of sorting parts out and changing springs.

Walked into the garage - full of half painted children's wendy house and concreting paraphernalia. No room for me.

Huffed back into the house and changed back into clean clothes. Currently sulking and throwing dirty looks at my wife whilst lamenting her and her bloody projects. IT'S MY GARAGE!!!!! :twisted:

 

[hardmonkeys]

Grounds for Divorce?

 

[mrbushrat]

Never have this problem lol she has her single garage and I have a double garage and a big workshop lol. Just put a lock on the garage that should cure the problem!

 

[Skippy]

Never have this problem lol she has her single garage and I have a double garage and a big workshop lol. Just put a lock on the garage that should cure the problem!

What if she escapes?

 

[quest63]

:grin: :grin: :grin:

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Never have this problem lol she has her single garage and I have a double garage and a big workshop lol. Just put a lock on the garage that should cure the problem!

What if she escapes?

:lol: :lol:

 

[hewy]

Buy a big net to catch her! :lol:

Buy a wooden shed and put the kids stuff as well as the concreting stuff in it. Also you could put your wife in it.

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Buy a big net to catch her! :lol:

Buy a wooden shed and put the kids stuff as well as the concreting stuff in it. Also you could put your wife in it.

Funny you should say that - the concreting stuff is to lay the base for a new shed (because our existing shed is full as well).

The kids stuff will be out by the weekend anyway - just having a moan because it's good for you. To be fair, she doesn't moan about the half assembled car on axle stands on the driveway. :wink:

 

[quest63]

Fred West was fond of concrete and sheds and stuff just saying :-D

 

[The Arch Bishop]

I still haven't had time to finish the gearbox removal, but I fancied having a quick go at something tonight and remembered that I had replacement track rod ends sitting in a box. While everything was apart, it's worth doing. Nearside took a bit of puffing and swearing but came off fairly easily, but the offside stubbornly refuses to move. With the light fading I decided to call it a night. Other than heating it up, any tips?

 

[quest63]

I often hear people saying to initially try and tighten nuts and bolts prior to trying to loosen them.

WD40 overnight :thumbs:

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Hmm... Thinking about it, I accidentally gave the nearside one a tweak in the wrong direction so that may be why it came off cleanly. I've doused it in GT85 ready for another assault tomorrow.

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Was having a throw out today and came across an old folding computer cabinet, which gave me an idea for making a tool I've been needing for a while....

So here's my ghetto car creeper! :grin:

Took about 10 mins to make and it's more than strong enough to use for rolling the gearbox out on as well. Weighs a flipping tonne though!

 

[hewy]

Nearly matches the colour of your Puma! k:

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Well, some progress today...

Stubborn track rod end came off in the end after some alteration in tactics (hitting something really hard) and the new one fitted.

The old one was utterly knackered with the rubber gaiter being split and having spilled all of its grease. Probably the most likely cause of my wandering steering.

Then back to the gearbox - all twelve bell housing bolts removed (the two at the back-bottom of the gearbox hampered by the heat-shield were utter barstewards to get off). Then on to actually trying to get the gearbox off entirely. After a lot of jiggling, mallet action and some truly (even if I do say so myself) inventive swearing, I've only managed to get it this far...

The gap is virtually non existent at the front of the box (near the radiator) and I can't seem to get everything aligned to slide it off and clear the chassis rail with the end of the 'box.

Light fading so gave up for tonight.

As always, any tip gratefully received etc... :-D