Author Topic: Changing wheel cylinders - scootacar  (Read 3594 times)

adi

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Changing wheel cylinders - scootacar
« on: April 23, 2009, 11:59:00 PM »
Hey guys.

Iv been very busy lately with other stuff, so the bubble car didnt get that much attention.

Quick update: all metalwork is finished, chassis, rear engine cradle, rear suspension arm, rear shock, gear linkage, steering column/linkage and a few other assorted bits have been sorted out and bolted back onto the chassis.

I mainley just wire brushed them with the wire wheel on the angle grinder to bare metal, repaired any metal damage where necessary, primed with red oxide and then painter with black chassis paint. All 3 suspension springs are in good condition, so i brushed them down, painted them with flexible primer and then yellow spring paint.

It took me ages to match all the bolts. It was so tempting to just replace them with metric bolts, but i decided to replace them with what they originally were. Since ALL the bolts in the scootacar were a total loss, most had to be cut off and all were too mangled to re-use, it was difficult to match them, and also since i didnt know anything about imperial threads...i do now...and have brand new correct bolts for everything.

So now im at the hubs, and here is the problem.

I need to change front wheel cylinders...and as im finding out more and more, the Scootacar was designed by a Ray Charles impersonator which gave absolutely NO thought to maintenance/repair. For some stupid reason or other, you have to pull the stub axles out to change the cylinders...i cant see any other way to take the cylinders out.

So...how the hell do you take the front stubs out of the hubs? I tried to undo the 4 bolts holding the bearing retainer looking thing, but nothing will budge, the bearing retainer moved about 4mm and then stopped. Tried to force it off in all manner of ways, but no, its staying put.

So...how DO you change the brake wheel cylinders??

Grant Kearney

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Re: Changing wheel cylinders - scootacar
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2009, 08:10:29 PM »
Hi Adi,
Your require an extractor bolt to push the bearings and hub out of the aluminium housing.  You remove a small bolt on the rear of the housing and thread in a much longer bolt (3/8 BSF, I think but don't quote me as its been a few years since I last did this job) which will push the lot out providing you have removed the 4 bearing cap retaining nuts.  When I first did this job I was worried that the threads in the aluminum would not stand up to the force required to push the bearing and hub out but I was wrong.
The wheel cylinders are Morris Minor rears with the handbrake lever cut off.
Good luck

DrNoose

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Re: Changing wheel cylinders - scootacar
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2009, 11:03:23 PM »
Not directly on subject, but I was curious about your comments on metric versus imperial. Here in the States, most hardware stores stock a wide selection of both. Is that not true in the UK?

Dan

marcus

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Re: Changing wheel cylinders - scootacar
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2009, 10:35:37 AM »
It's now quite hard to find Imperial sizes here. All except specialist shops have gone metric. The strange thing is that when I was developing one of my inventions  I asked about the availability of both types of nut, bolt etc. I was told the metric was widely available right across USA so I settled on metric to suit a world-wide market. When i ended up making them in Texas the poor availability of metric meant that we had to complete re-jig and stock for Imperial. This led to huge confusion and mistakes for over 3 years, and now most customers cannot easily get local spares, and in a largely metric world this is barking
Just remember: as one door closes behind you, another slams in your face

Jawmedead

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Re: Changing wheel cylinders - scootacar
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2009, 07:11:55 PM »
Dear Marcus and others who want imperial sized nuts & bolts,

There are two suppliers of imperial sizes that I have used whilst restoring the Gordon. Here are their websites.

Namrick of Hove ..... www.namrick.co.uk

Bernie the Bolt of Sheffield ..... www.bernie-bolt.com

Both are very helpfull.

Rob.  ;D

marcus

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Re: Changing wheel cylinders - scootacar
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2009, 07:27:03 PM »
Cheers Rob! i already know Namrick and have bought from them. Clerkenwell Screws in London is good too.
Just remember: as one door closes behind you, another slams in your face