I was supposed to be getting a new concrete section of the driveway laid this weekend but the weather has been rubbish so had to fall back to plan 'B' working on the Commer... Oh well life is tough
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Started off by cleaning down, priming and painting the steering linkages and bars etc. ready to assemble on Sunday. You know all those socks that just vanish? well i found where they go! The same place as the vital bolt for the steering box mount[:0][
!]Spent at least an hour turning the garage upside down looking for it but no luck[V]. In the end i had to go and get another fron the 'spare' front end i have stashed away for emergency bits. I cant understand it i always put bolts back where they came from but not this time it seems. Got the steering gear all done by lunch time and it is lovely and smooth. With any luck the van will now go roughly in the direction i want it to! With that all out of the way it was time to put on the passanger side front brake shoes and drum. At this point i discovered the drum has a nasty deep score all the way around from shoe rivits digging in[
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!] No problem i have a spare on that front end... Stepped out into the rain with a hammer and screwdriver to pop the drum off... A few quick whacks... a few more... nothing. Nada. No go... The drum was siezed sollid to the brake shoes. To help loosen it up i pried it out from the back plate with the screwdriver and hammered the wheel studs, which then dissapered into the drum. The rain had really begun to soak in now but it had become a battle of wills, a dual to the death. I decided to apply brain power and grabbed a wrench to undo the hub. After removing the rusty nail locking the nut in place[:0] it undid with surprising ease. It then became obvious that that the battle was far from over. The shoes are held in place by a retainer at the top of the backplate and this is what was now causing the hold up. No worries, more brian power... just undo the three bolts that hold it to the backplate. They turned easly, and turned, and turned[
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!]The heads of the bolts are inside the drum and free to turn[V] At this point there is about an inch gap between the drum and backplate and i can see the shoes well bonded to the inside of the drum. Then the rain got all the way through and i decided to give up and go back into the garage, then there it was. A six foot long, glinting problem solver. A demolition bar[:0][:0] Advanced on the drum with bar and wedged it in as far as it would go then with a mighty lever and 'POP' the drum sprang off and dropped with incredible precision onto my toe[B)] I was to elated to care about the pain or the rain[V]. But hang on whats this? the linings had parted company with the shoes ane were still well stuck on the inside of the drum! A little work with a hammer and chisel soon sorted that out. Once cleaned up the drum is perfect. Now all i need is a set of new shoes and it is done[^]
This week i hope to get the prop shalf shortend, i found a place that will do it and cert it as well. Then its time to get the wheels sand blasted and painted in readyness. Not to far away from a test start of the engine now. Perhaps three weeks. It would be two but have rellies comming over weekend after next. Will defo put up a video of the big moment.
Now with a bundle of joy - and a commer!
