It's stripping time!

how much for LILYVDUB ?????????????? everyone has a price!!!!!

how long did it take to remove the danbury sign and is the lettering just stuck to the pop top

The lettering is part of the mould for the pop-top so it is just gelcoat you are sanding away, I used an angle grinder first with a flap disc which isn't shown in the photos but you need to be real careful it is really severe(Time issues made me use it, Sleepover 2012 and all that) to take majority of it off then an orbital sander and a detail sander which was the safest as it small and controllable.

Time wise probably an hour cover your bus as much as possible the dust goes everywhere and wear a mask and eye protection gelcoat dust is nasty stuff. However the dust can just be removed by a hose afterwards.

I also reduced the amount of dust going onto the pop-top by strapping the rear down a bit so it didn't go all the way up and to be able to reach the lettering to sand off.

The letters were £1 each from ebay the Silicone Mould Resin kit was £56 but you use half of it, the primer and paint are £13, the 90sec epoxy glue to stick it on with is £8.50, the perspex I had so no cost the cutlery tray a pound but can be reused so for LILYVDUB about £57.50 in parts alone. Not to mention Skytigers hourly rate

Don't think it's going to be a big seller

cheers for that , lol , you never quoted your rate!!!!! if only you lived closer!brilliant job though, very individual get it patented , quick.

Let the lowering begin!!! I am just waiting for my dropped spindles and rear adjustable plates to be made and delivered and I'll do a complete "how to" when they arrive, not sure on timescale yet but maybe ready for the Northern Chapter meet.

Sweeeeeet will look cool

. . . but how low will you go?

This is my new toy, I was testing it today as I wanted to clean out my front brakes ready for MOT this week.





I also wanted to take my drums off for a clean and adjustment for MOT and thought now would be the time to paint them because you can see them through my alloys.

Before





Painted photos will need to be tommorow it started raining so got them inside to dry.

congratulations, you appear to be the first person to raise your van rather than have it lowered.

Got the drums back on Phileas today a few after pics.







Looks much better behind the wheels now




I was about to test drive in order to bed the brakes in but battery flat, mind you not moved in a few weeks on charge now will take Phileas out tommorow, MOT is Thursday.

The lowering can begin now, I've got my spindles and rear plates pics below






Bus strip down starts tommorow Must remember the before pics

Good luck! Hope the weather doesn't impinge on your project!

The weather was like summer 10 degrees and no rain

Ok safety first use a good jack and axle stands you have been warned


Ok with wheel off this is what's left


First off is the two 19mm bolts holding on the brake caliper circled in red


The bolts are different types as shown below


Cable tie the caliper out of the way so it doesn't put a strain on the brake hose


Next is removing the hup cap you will need to use a pry bar it's on tight move around the cap levering as you go.


Removing the two 6mm allen bolts to remove the brake disc, I had my pry bar between the studs to stop the disc moving but they weren't tight.


Lever the locking tabs up with a screwdriver


I used a 27mm spanner on the inside nut and a 27mm deep socket on the outside one. You are trying to unlock them from each other.


Nuts, lock washer and washer removed


How the nuts and washers are positioned on the axle


This is a picture of the hub with brake caliper and disc removed.


You can now pull the hub off the axle and you will be left with this.


Remove the two 11mm bolts holding on the backing plate


I removed the 19mm nut holding on the track rod and used a removal tool in order to remove it from the spindle.


This is the spindle free from the track rod


Undo the two 17mm nut and bolts (circled in red) that are holding the link pins onto the trailing arms and take out both link pins.


The bottom one which has the spanner on it has a split pin that needs to be removed first.


This is with the bottom link pin removed I had to use a hammer to get them to move, I cleaned up the outer portion with some sand paper on the top one as it was difficult to remove.


The spindle removed from the trailing arms.




This is the old and new side by side.


This was me for the day, drivers side removed passenger side will be tommorows task. Then I need to remove the link pin race from the old spindle and press them into the new ones. Not sure how I'm going to do this yet as I don't have a press.

Oh and I think I'm going to remove my beam to give it a lick of paint and to finish my stone chip shielding at the front, am I mad or what

Extremely dedicated is how I'd describe you mate!

Well removed the left side today much quicker as I know what i'm doing now.

This is the speedo cable going into the back of the left hand spindle.


Left side has the speedo cable so the split pin needs to be removed in the cap before you can remove it from the spindle.


Speedo cable removed.


Then from here it's just a matter of doing exactly the same as the other side. (I did note however there was split pins in both bolts holding the link pins into the trailing arms on this side.)

It's almost worth fitting a bike speedo while you're doing all this - you'd probably get a more accurate mph reading!

Also came up with a solution to not having a press, using various size sockets I managed to press the link pin races out with my vice.

My dad's help with this was much appreciated you need someone to support the weight of the spindle and help position it at the same time while I wound the vice in and out.

Here is me fitting one race into the new dropped spindle

Perfect opportunity to sink some luverly thick out-the-tin grease into them there parts for a super smooth ride.

Amazing work Skytiger - I wish I had the confidence and knowledge to work on my camper like that

Thanks MarcusH - you could do it aswell.

I just have hours of cleaning all the old parts before reassembly now

Well cleaning started today, cleaned the trailing arms and around the beam on both sides today. I have decided to leave the beam in and paint in situ. I still have to clean up the inside of the trailing arms where the link pins go into. I'm just leaving all to dry before paint.

A before pic


And after


Still have all the little components to clean up probably tommorows task as the weather is to turn, a nice inside job with the heater on.

Looking good keep up the good work

Sorry about no further updates, unfortunately one of my spindles was damaged in transit. Transporterhaus are replacing it so shouldn't be long before work continues.

It's going to look coooooool

Some progress

A picture with the beam and trailing arms sanded down will all loose rust removed ready for painting.


Here's one with it painted.