Crunch!

Sunny day meant cruise-to-work-in-the-Chev day.

Sitting stopped in traffic and "bang", rear-ended by the car behind, which was rear-ended by a semi trailer.

Thankfully all low-speed stuff. Scary how much my head went back (low back bench seat, no head rests) despite the gentle hit!

Aftermath...






Blessing in disguise, small enough hit to not get hurt, but enough to get the rear-end repainted ;-)

Time to find a smash repairer.

J

Back on all-fours

Suspension work done.
- New UCA bushes and bolts
- New castor rods
- New front springs (Lovells, stiffer and lower)
- New front shocks

Time for a wheel alignment...






Sits pretty much the same as the old springs, so the old springs must have sagged over time...






odo: 63,479.6 miles

JRD

Front Suspension - New Bits!

So pulling into cars and coffee at Luddenham, I hear a slight "clunk" as the front tyres dropped off the driveway onto the grass. A check under the bonnet showed the upper control arm (UCA) had lost the retaining bolt from the forward bush.

There is supposted to be a bolt here!...




The result is the whole UCA shifted forward on its axle, meaning it would rub on the inner guard (you can see it in the above photo).

Time to drop the front suspension...




With the front end out, it is a good time to replace the castor control arms (that have always had frozen nuts since I had the car - and so was unable to be adjusted). Thanks Global West Suspension, here we are comparing the length the existing rod...




...and to replace the front springs with something firmer. Thanks Lovells...




New bushes pressed-in (and bolted)...




Springs in...




Setting the castor rod length...




Aaaand installed...



J

odo: 63,479.6 miles