Hemi the Haff.

[gren_t]

Hi all, It's been a while since I had the time to do anything meaningful to hemi however, I've been doing little jobs when I can, I've been waiting on having some parts made before I could start stripping down the front end and putting the parts in storage ready for a good look over before repair & repainting.
I intend to separate the platform and the chassis and work on each part separately, due to lack of space I'll put the one I'm not working on into storage.

One of the issues is supporting the chassis when I remove the gearbox and strip the hubs etc, to this end I've made a trolley to support the chassis and allow me to move it around, the 2 T pieces bolt onto the brackets and the chassis tube sits in the cut-out's, they are spaced to sit just under the trailing arms to allow access to the diff-tube bolts.

finally got the front end off and most of the connections underneath undone, just waiting for the rain to stop so I can push it out onto the drive and free up the platform.

more as it happens
Cheers.

[heinkeljb]

Well done on the good idea for making up a trolley for the main tube to sit on, only issue I can see is that because hte tube is ruond and your brackets match that. What is to stop the tube rotating and ending up at some skew angle? The other two wheels? Don't forget they are on springs and dampers and if one side is weak then it will lean.
Might be worht while adding some diagonal arms of equal length just to make sure everything stays horizontal.

John

[gren_t]

Well the rain has stopped.!
Handbrake, clutch and exhaust are now detached
As well as throttle and gear linkages.

John the supports sit under the trailing arms this will stop the chassis rotating.

[heinkeljb]

My mistake, I made an assumption that you were putting your dolly under the main propshaft tube rather than holding up the Axle arms! Should work well.

Thats what comes of trying to read a computer screen and drink a cup of coffee at the same time, you end up tilting your head at a weird angle to try and see the words!

John

[gren_t]

Well i’ve had a bit of time this weekend so hired a flatbed to move the platform into storage while i fettle the running gear… some photos, I’m on my phone so could not easily resize them sorry. I’ll add some detail again.

[gren_t]

One step forward.. 2 steps back.
Continued to strip the chassis, engine is going to get the tinware repaired and painted and some new gaskets.
The dizzy has some play so I’ll rebuild that has time allows, however the engine managed to throw itself off my lift and conked the oil cooler, so new one required as well as the now bent cover

Ive given the chassis the good new with the pressure washer to remove the worst of the grease and oil this was also an opportunity to remove and check the dampers - all four need replacing but along with the bushes, brake pipes & hoses this was expected.

I would like to replace the split boots with originals
However the removal of the pins look like a challenge MENSA would struggle with.
What to do with the gearbox remains an issue

Hope you all had a good easter

[heinkeljb]

Well, other than not looking very good, if it is oil tight, then it would still be serviceable. No one is going to see it but you unless you keep taking the top cover off when ever you go to a show or something!!!

Bad luck that it fell off your lift, I presume you have checked for other damage?

Removing the pivot pins is a major job! Particualrly after 40 years of not having been touched! I have yet to find a big enough flat blade in an impact grade to even give you a fighting chance using an impact gun on them. Disconnecting the axle from the fronf diff and same for the rear will give you access, but at least one will be a real pig to remove. I saw a picture of someone's attempt to get them undone by using a milling amchine to press a flat blade screwdriver down on the pivot pin, whilst having a spanner to try and turn the screwdriver. I don't remember if they managed to get it out that way or not.
The other way, I suppose is to treat them like sheared off bolts and weld a nut or a bolt on and hope the heat from the welding plus the now solid connection to the pin will allow you to wind them out.

John

[AustHaflinger]

The front pivot pins are easy remove, it is the rears that are a pain with the body on - but should be OK with it off.

To put original boots or split boots on is a good question. The originals with good rubber would probably last many years without issue, but modern cheap repro parts - not so sure. Remember to do them the swing arms have to come off and them you have the trouble of getting the stones in the inner CVs lined up when reassembling with the new CVs in place etc.

The alternative is to go split boots so no real disassembly is required but I found that putting all the little nuts and bolts together is a real pain as the fittings pull through the rubber - I had to use small washers on the little nuts and bolts to stop them putting through - and then they leak when together so sealant is also needed.

Decisions, decisions.

I needed to do two CV boots on my Range Rover and I used split boots on them - they are welded together by a solvent once in place - work well.
If you could Haf boots that are welded together rather than bolted together I would go the split boot every time but otherwise in your position I would go proper original equipment boots - but be wary of modern repros.

Garry

[gren_t]

I'm still undecided what to about the the boots, I would like to pull the gearbox and check/replace the syncros - the bearings are possibly 50 years old so I've gone this far..

I pulled the top off the top of the turret as I could feel play in the linkage, looks like the grease is past its best:

looks like a bit of play:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/d2H67AkWuzY

on the up side I pulled the dynostarter to check the fan shroud it's much nicer clean but has gained a flat spot on the top edge it does not affect the fan rotation though.:

The fan, pulleys and Oil filter housings are off being power coated.

[heinkeljb]

I have had split boots on Lurch for the past 7 plus years and they haven't leaked. I think it depends on whether you get good quality plastic or not. THe parts book even has a little diagram showing you how you are supposed to fit them - split under the arm pointing towards the front of the vehicle.

The play in the pin of gear change rod in the tower needs a slightly oversize hole and new pin and that should cure that.

I don't know if any of the suppliers have had new syncromesh rings made yet, but I would think it something that will need to be done at some point. Although you can change down gears with out syncromesh - It will let you know when you get it wrong!!

Will it be ready for Dersingham in May?

John

[gren_t]

HI John,
I'm hoping to get it back together for August, I have far too much going on at the moment and spending the odd hour as time allows on Hemi.
I am away for Dersingham sadly, I have taken the 90.

[gren_t]

Hi all, just about to send out the tinware for powdercoating but the rear engine cover needs some “tweeking” as you can see the corners have folded in.

Does anyone have a photo of what it should look like?

Cheers

[heinkeljb]

Have you looked in the parts book to see if the picture of it there is any good for you to base your "repair" on?

John

[gren_t]

Hi john, thanks for the reply,
Yes I've checked the parts book it shows the front cover plate without any sides so at a bit of a loss.
The easy answer is to cut them off and make new sides, I'll play with a template when I get 5 mins and make a decision to repair or replace then.

[ogdenenterprise]

Does this help?

Dave