Coles 190E thread.......

[LostKiwi]

Coming on nicely there Cole!

 

[Cole@MBS]

Well done a tad on it today, when I fitted the new disks and pads I found the O/S caliper 75% sized, found the brake imbalance it had, ordered two from GSF and arrived lunch time, also ordered two new rubber flexible pipes, fitted them tonight but had to make and replace the metal pipes as well, soon as I tried to undo, the metal pipes just twisted, that's them U/S once that's happened, power bleed the fronts, now waiting for the wheels to come back, tomorrow that spost to happen, as a matter of course, I'm going to replace the rear calipers and pipe work, just need to use the car now and save some money for the next batch of parts and tons of powered coating......least I can use the car and hope she ok to do the weekends GTG........

 

[television]

Good luck Cole, at least the car will stop now, just got to make sure it will go

 

[Cole@MBS]

Should be ok Malc, drove it back from Walsall in the poor state it was in, had a full make over since then, least now when I hit the brakes it won't steer me off the road!!!! Think I will just pull a bit of play out the steering box , new drag link and idler bush kit is on the next list as well as many other things, this is the never ending list at the moment........

 

[television]

It is amazing of how many never check the end float in the idler and change the bushes.

That was a long run for the brakes in that state, any idea what will be next.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Pulled out of Walsall and hit the motorway, wasn't aware of the brake prob till nearly home, what's next???? I think, where to start is probably the real question, just wanna drive it for a while in its ( fixed state ) and see if I bond with it as I hope I do........drive up to Sarahs and the GTG should sort that out.......

 

[LostKiwi]

Probably best idea to drive it now you have the basics sorted. Thats how you find all the jobs you need to do and get a handle on the priorities.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Well got the wheels back on it today and drove it home, waiting for the centre caps which will be done by tomorrow, really needs engine mounts as a harsh vibration is coming through the car which I thought was the gearbox mount and the fact the exhaust was hitting the chassis, more money!!!! Checked the heat on each wheel once home tonight and found the fronts normal and a hot rear O/S, knew the calipers were all suspect but hoping just doing the fronts would get me through this weekends trips, not gonna chance cooking the new rear pads and disks, also no that the flexibility pipes going to the rear calipers need changing as well, can see I'm also gonna have to replace the metal pipes as well.......

 

[Cole@MBS]

Up-date

Right for those of you missed my weekends fun, it ended like this......





AA dropped it off today after sending it around britain on relay trucks, got it on the outside ramp again, think it has spent more time there then at my house.....

So this was the lower ball joint which failed





I decided that the car is off the road untill i have been through every nut and bolt and changed every thing which needs doing, started tonight by taking the front hubs and shocks etc, the blacking plates have have had it, the hubs are going for blasting tomorrow and may powered coat them or paint them. had to drill the three bolts out due to rust....







New lower joints and taller top hats for the srings



How she is left now



Gonna swap out the lower arms as well bushes are shot and arms are 24 years old poss........

 

[television]

Lovely pictures there Colin, nice to see where the ball failed. You soon got it all off, and it does not take you long to rebuild.

 

[anyweb]

interesting thread reminds of the 190 i had years ago, however i wasn't lucky enough to have your skill or access to a ramp, wish i did though...

 

[Cole@MBS]

Lovely pictures there Colin, nice to see where the ball failed. You soon got it all off, and it does not take you long to rebuild.

Waiting for parts now Malc and powered coating /blasting, trying to find some backplates is getting boring now, been looking for a hour.......

 

[turbopete]

Waiting for parts now Malc and powered coating /blasting, trying to find some backplates is getting boring now, been looking for a hour.......

personally id be tempted to make some plates to do the job, (or bin them completely even though they must have a purpose or id guess they wouldn't be there) unless you intend on it being a concourse show job. which I'm assuming isn't your intention, as you have used it on the road rather than taking it everywhere on a trailer

 

[Cole@MBS]

Thats a good point Pete, i will look into that.........

 

[LostKiwi]

That ball joint seems a pretty poor design.
The weight of the car will always be pushing the ball apart (hence why you can't feel any movement when checking I guess). If it were mounted other way up the weight of the car would make it a safe failure mode as opposed to one where control is lost.

 

[Cole@MBS]

It's prob the reason the 204 and 207 etc etc have the joint the other way now........

 

[Cole@MBS]

Standard shocks x 4 should be at work on Thursday/Friday, have also got a new set of top mounts, the old ones were destroyed..........

 

[Cole@MBS]

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[daveenty]

Gutted for you Col, the only consolation I suppose is that it happened at a low speed and you weren't hurt.

Best of luck with getting it all back together and your bits are available.

 

[turbopete]

That ball joint seems a pretty poor design.
The weight of the car will always be pushing the ball apart (hence why you can't feel any movement when checking I guess). If it were mounted other way up the weight of the car would make it a safe failure mode as opposed to one where control is lost.

its not quite as simple as all that. on paper, the play should show up easily when jacked up correctly. the problem is that the 'cups' the ball joint sits in (for want of a better description) fill with rust, masking the play, so they seem fine until 'BANG'

IF (and its a huge 'if' and would possibly only happen in dry climates) you had a joint with NO rust and sufficient wear, the play would be easily felt (IIRC unlike McPherson strut set-ups where the wheel is checked hanging loose for free play in the joints, this type of set up has to be checked 'under compression' ie jacked up under the suspension arms so the suspension remains in its 'normal' position, for the free play to show up)

I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong on this, and the info is aimed at those who may not already know this. ive come across MOT testers that didn't (or claimed they didn't) know this! (its in the testers manual, or was when I did the course many years ago!)