new owner '74 TCS misc ?

[EuropaTC]

I'm surprised at how much rust there is, usually the Loctite keeps things cleaner. I'm wondering if there was any Loctite used ?

However that's not important now, it needs to come apart. Personally I'd wire brush everything and leave it soaking in Plus Gas or equivalent overnight, then try the sharp tap method to get it out. Given the rust on the splines there could well be some more inside the housing around the bearing spacer and that might be what's causing the trouble. Penetrant should help if there is some internal rust.

It's usually easier with the arm off the car but you can do it in place, it's just harder to make sure all the energy goes into moving the shaft. If it's still resisting then I'd get some heat on the housing, the bearings are toast anyway so it doesn't matter what happens to them.

Brian

[GavinT]

Yeah, get it to the bench, for sure, I reckon.
The brake flex line is somewhat buried in the body but should come out with perseverance. Otherwise, they aren't expensive and if they're old anyway, I'd just cut them.

The rust looks a bit gnarly from here. Zooming in on the pic, I think I see wads of Loctite lodged in the splines next to the outer bearing? Take a wire brush or a pick and see what that is.

If it is Loctite, then apply some decent heat to melt it and then try the puller again.
Alternatively and to save the nut & threads, find a length of pipe which will go over the threads and locate on the shoulder where the splines start. Heat up the axle / Loctite and whack that with your BFH.

[Bryan Boyle]

***DELETIA***

It's usually easier with the arm off the car but you can do it in place, it's just harder to make sure all the energy goes into moving the shaft. If it's still resisting then I'd get some heat on the housing, the bearings are toast anyway so it doesn't matter what happens to them.

Brian

If you're this far in, as my mate Brian (with an I) says: the bearings are toast anyway, so consider them consumable items which you ARE going to replace, along with the spacers, outer nut, and locking washer.  The saved parts are the housing, axle, hub and shield next to the universal/inner bearing.  All of them are available (at a price) if it really goes toes up, but, the bearings are destined for the bin, so adding some heat to the mix is not the worst you can do (in moderation...). 

If you are going to drop the arm(s), I'd just cut the flex brake hose.  Probably long past their 'sell by' date anyway.  Replacements are available from the usual places.  I did stainless a couple times...the original style work just fine for street use. 

Probably if you do drop the arm(s) to do this job (as much of a PITA as it may be...), you may also want to consider the metalastic mounts for the front end of the arm in the frame, as well as the bushings for the lower links.  Lotus-supplies (no interests, etc) has nice polyurethane bushings that replace the rotted (I'm pretty sure yours are in the same condition as mine...and while they're off or disconnected...you know...do it once etc.

Sounds like shipwright's disease, I know.  But refresh/renovate everything you can while you're there and you won't have to go back when access may be a bit more difficult once it's all together. 

Just my $.02.

[Lumbes]

It was stubborn but I proved to be more so and released the axle from the carrier after cleaning the splines, using heat, a pipe and sledge, and a puller.  Looks like the loctite found its way to the bearing like the previous picture shows.  Perhaps that is what made it overly difficult to remove?  Oh well, tomorrow I will attempt to remove and replace the bearings followed by rebuilding the left side completely.  Going to take my time to make sure I'm doing things the right way.  Will be digging into this forum for info using it as a guide and rewatching the videos posted by sleurs.  Afterwards I will try my luck on the other side and hopefully removing the axle goes a little smoother etc.  Thank you to everyone who participates on this forum.  Can't imagine figuring out all this stuff without this place. 

[Lumbes]

Old bearings and spacers are out.  New bearings and hardened spacer installed but now trying to make heads or tails with the orientation of the seal and flinger.  This is what I am considering right from how it came apart and what I've looked up. 

[jbcollier]

Seal orientation is correct.  Remember to grease the seal lip.  Slinger goes on the axle itself.  It should not be loose.

[Lumbes]

Excellent.  I will grease the seal lip.  The seal and flinger are new along with new stub axles and hubs all ordered from Rdent.  Hanging onto the old stub axles and hubs as back ups or items to sell/donate on here.  Just took apart the backplate to repaint and replace the cylinder.  Already have new pads so when all put back together it will look and perform like it should.  Would like to pull the axle through and dry fit the hub tonight.  Still far from taking it out on the road (right side needs new bearings and same process) so wont be applying the loctite at this stage.

[Richard48Y]

Recall reading that the correct process to snug it all up involves some driving, tighten, drive, and tighten again.
The reason I have not assembled my rear hubs yet.

[Lumbes]

Axle is in the freezer and backplate has been restored and bolted to the radius arm. Thinking of letting the axle freeze over night as I only thought to put it in a few hours ago.

[Lumbes]

If I'm lucky I will get to familiarize myself with the correct process of locking down the hubs before first snowfall.  Winters have been arriving late in western PA past few years that could be my godsend.  Maybe this year will be the same and I might have some time to enjoy the car before spring of 2024!  That is the goal at least.  When restoring the firewall I chose to only cut out the left side.  It was the only section that was rotting while the rest of it looked kind of good.  When it comes time to removing the body I will remove the rest of the fibreboard and match the patch. So the patch is a 1/2 of pvc board and glassed it in.  Went in well so next step was to install the heat shield and sound deadening material.  Went with a product called B-Quiet.  I had to cut it into a few sections to fish it behind the bars and behind the fuel tanks.  Ouch...Could of been installed better as I ended up with excessive heavy wrinkles on the bottom right side.  Might of needed cut down just a touch but the stuff really sticks so not sure if I will be pulling it out to try a new piece or not.  It's better than what was in there but hell if that doesn't bug me.  Absolutely am going to continue to try to roll/work out the wrinkles.  If all fails then I guess the engine will hide a bit of it.  Haha not proud to post this pic but it's for the community.  Looks like a good product but also kind of easy to butcher.  Live and hopefully learn. 

[Lumbes]

dry fit.  axle pulled through just need to torque close to spec and will begin the other side later today.

[cazman]

How did you pull the axle through?

[BDA]

Lumbes, there’s certainly nothing wrong with mounting your boosters in the “standard” location, assuming you’re keeping them. I moved mine to the area behind the rear wheels. It cleans up the area and I put a panel with some electronics in their place.

Just a thought.

[Lumbes]

I've never installed an axle before so I'm sure better ways exist but I put the stub axle in the freezer for about 7 hours.  Ran up to the garage and pushed the axle in until I met resistance.  Flinger on axle and seal already in the housing I used a 3 arm puller to get it started then switched over to a rubber mallet and a piece of wood shown in the picture below.  I drove it in most of the way with that then snugged up the hub nut 10 lbs less than spec to 140 ft lbs using a piece of angle with holes drilled to fit two of the wheel hub lugs.
The brake boosters....A bit of a headache when I look at it.  As cool as they are they are a bit convoluted and cumbersome in their original location.  I see a few people here have gotten rid of them completely and went single circuit instead of the dual.  Simplify and add lightness, very cool.  I'll be waiting till the body comes off to redo all the brake lines and will determine then if im sticking with the dual circuit or not.  I will have to inspect a couple pictures from your posts BDA to see how exactly you moved the boosters.  Might be something I can do now.

[BDA]

Here's a picture of one of my boosters that unfortunately shows a bit of sloppy setup (but then it's usually hiden by the trunk tray! ).