Track control arms

[Allen Walker]

I completed my suspension and brake refurb today. I have to say the replacement TCAs must be the best money I've ever spent on the car. The nearside bottom ball joint in particular was completely shot and rattling around in its socket.
I've just taken it for a real hard run and the front suspension feels absolutely great, better than I've ever known it.
I also nipped up the wheel bearing while I was at it, though I think I'm going to need a new one very soon as the seal seems to have gone (rusty residue on the stub axle).
One job which was a real pig though was getting the caliper back on. There was barely any clearance between the top calliper lug, the strut and the disk backing plate - every time I tried to line up the holes the force required to get the calliper in position moved it out of line. I was completely tearing my hair out.
In the end I gave up and made a large U shaped cutout in the backing plate where the hole was, making it much easier to line up. A bodge, I know but I just wasn't getting anywhere.

[Mike Stevens]

One job which was a real pig though was getting the caliper back on. There was barely any clearance between the top calliper lug, the strut and the disk backing plate - every time I tried to line up the holes the force required to get the calliper in position moved it out of line. I was completely tearing my hair out.
In the end I gave up and made a large U shaped cutout in the backing plate where the hole was, making it much easier to line up. A bodge, I know but I just wasn't getting anywhere.

Hi Allen,

I assume you slackened all the other bolts holding the strut onto the vertical link? That should have given the clearance to get it back on, but I have to admit that I can't visualise the clearance you didn't have!

Good news on the TCAs though. I may be doing just that on the 'next' project. (When it comes!)

Cheers,
Mike.