"Summer" refurbishement work on my Colorado

[AndyCook]

Now I have done 3 weeks of laning and Alps trip, I have started on repairs and refurbishment of my colorado.

I am replacing drivers side wheel bearing and outside CV joint as both knackered. so i have stripped most stuff off the front chassis in this area. Therefore good chance to attack it with wirebrush, wire grinder cup-brush, chisel and hammer! to get rust off.
I have nearly done this, then i am spraying with Dinitrol RC900, followed by a couple coats of chassis black and then some dinitrol underbody wax on parts of the chassis.
Before the Alps trip I worked on the inside of chassis rails and the rear axle.

offside area being worked on
[attachment=3:27qm1equ]IMG_4221 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:27qm1equ]

painted steering knuckle, havent bothered with dust shield yet
[attachment=2:27qm1equ]IMG_4220 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:27qm1equ]

New HDK CV joint arrived to be fitted after paintwork completed
[attachment=1:27qm1equ]IMG_4219 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:27qm1equ]

Also ordered senders and gauges to monitor coolant and transmission ATF fluid,
got the inline coolant adaptor and sender today
[attachment=0:27qm1equ]IMG_4223 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:27qm1equ]

and will also be fitting a Mocal inline adaptor for the transmission sender, as i can't get to the factory sender easily, as hidden behind downtube on exhaust, and dont think the sender will come off without a fight and tears...

when this side done, i need to do otherside, then crossmemebers, and rest of chassis and underbody... going to be a long process

 

[Ben]

need to get some dintrol ordered and do a few areas underneath my truck.

 

[AndyCook]

the last few days i have sprayed the front chassis and mounts under drivers side wing area with dinitrol RC900, then 2 coats of chassis black and a final coat of dinitrol 4941 underbody wax on the chassis

rebuilt the front driveshaft with new CV (used the cable tie trick i found on this site to hold circlip inplace), and refitted everything

painted chasis and mounts
[attachment=3:33ckkb4b]IMG_4224 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:33ckkb4b]

rebuilt the driveshaft
[attachment=2:33ckkb4b]IMG_4225 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:33ckkb4b]

driveshaft fitted
[attachment=1:33ckkb4b]IMG_4226 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:33ckkb4b]

rest of stuff refitted - and no i didnt repaint the springs and shocks or the brake callipers...
[attachment=0:33ckkb4b]IMG_4227 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:33ckkb4b]

next step tonight was the remove the transmission sump - drain plug been cross-threaded in past... not sure if it was me or previous owner and bottom of disptick tube was rust, so got a new one.
will take the filter off tomorrow and clean that up

 

[TonyP]

Looking good Andy

 

[Ecoman]

Nice work Andy. Give me a call if you need a hand mate

 

[AndyCook]

thanks Guys and yes if i get stuck at all will give you a shout Bill

Today cleaned up magnets on trans sump and put in new one
they had a bit of swarf on them

[attachment=4:1ciob8n7]IMG_4228 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:1ciob8n7]

took the strainer off and cleaned and flushed it out with petrol and brake cleaner and rinsed out with ATF before refitting
[attachment=3:1ciob8n7]IMG_4229 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:1ciob8n7]

[attachment=2:1ciob8n7]IMG_4231 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:1ciob8n7]

was going to fit a new "bearing" (steering rack guide) in the steering rack, as its a bit worn, but new part was wrong (on left), it had a roller
[attachment=1:1ciob8n7]IMG_4233 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:1ciob8n7]

and fitted my coolant temperature sender system
[attachment=0:1ciob8n7]IMG_4234 (Medium).JPG[/attachment:1ciob8n7]

and attacked jungle of a garden and went for a roadbike ride!

 

[BobMurphy]

went for a roadbike ride!

It will be interesting to hear the readings from that top temperature sender

Off topic I know - but what's the bike ?? (mine are still locked away, hopefully I'll get them out soon ).

Bob.

 

[AndyCook]

not a motorbike Bob but a bicycle! over 20yr old reynolds 531 frame, that was my Dads and i got resprayed and rekitted 14yrs ago

will report back about temps when i get the guage installed

 

[BobMurphy]

not a motorbike Bob - but a bicycle!

Ooooops


Bob.

 

[Graham]

Nice work there going on,.

I have thought perhaps is there some way of fitting a flow switch in the coolant piping some where.
I have known the temperature gauge to be still showing center gauge "normal" when there has been almost no coolant flowing.
Having a simple flow switch, would give advance warning in respect of coolant loss.

May be this idea is just a bit OTT, but consider how fragile the KZT is, I guess if a simple flow switch was simple to fit, akin to the temperature sender you have just fitted then all early warnings gladly received?

Gra.

 

[AndyCook]

Hi Graham

Jon Wildsmith has sourced a coolant level sensor, which would do same sort of thing as a flow switch. so when fluid drops in the coolant hose, it triggers an alarm - LED or buzzer
it came as part of a similar housing to my adaptor, and he also drilled and tapped a hole for a coolant temperature sensor

see here
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=14702

 

[AndyCook]

Christmas came early in Aberdeenshire today

a new jack, trans cooler and a few other bits and bobs

[attachment=1:7towmpuj]IMG-20120720-00410.jpg[/attachment:7towmpuj]

already discovered you have to be extra carefull with hi-lift jack

[attachment=0:7towmpuj]IMG-20120720-00412.jpg[/attachment:7towmpuj]

 

[Bounder]

I would never put any part of me within the arc of a hi-lift handle.
Your hand slipping off while your head is in the way wouldn't bear thinking about.

 

[Chas]

I would never put any part of me within the arc of a hi-lift handle.
Your hand slipping off while your head is in the way wouldn't bear thinking about.

I saw that demonstrated by holding a melon on the end of a stick I sold my Hi-Lift soon after.

 

[edcm]

Is that an Ok place to jack the truck without causing damage? (I have a jackal from my Landy days)

Eddie

 

[chadr]

No, not if you have the standard side steps....they will just bend and you may end up with other damage......

IIRC Andy has fitted custom "rock sliders", which are designed and fitted to be able to bear the weight of the vehicle (or at least a large proportion of it).

 

[AndyCook]

yes - i keep my head well clear of that handle

and as "chadr" said - those are a bit stronger than "sidesteps" - they weigh 20kg each and are 50x50x4mm steel box rocksliders

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I am still trying to decide if I should fit sliders and get a hi-lift, not for off roading just as better super market trolley protection and a nicer way to jack the truck up to change a wheel than crawling about on the floor

 

[AndyCook]

i have noticed no more dents in car doors since fitting sliders! for careless people in carparks opening their doors.
i have got a dent from a car door just above back wheel arch though... the sliders don't protect that area...

hi-lift seems to work well using the sliders, without need for that tubular adapter and tube on sliders.
i have also got the cradle system/hook that you use to lift by a wheel.

need to think about hi-lift jack-point for back and front of vehicle though, it necessary.

does anyone carry a form of axle-stand, to use when changing a wheel for example on a trip, after lifting the vehicle with the hi-lift?

 

[Gary Stockton]

Re: "Summer" refurbishement work on my Colorado

You can use your waffle board. TracMat sell a square piece of waffle board for £6 as a jack stand - pretty useful.

Cheers