Rear Axle Update

Back at work on the rear brakes, ambulance
I found that with a couple of washers included, there
the calipers and rotors lined up very well.  So, site that being completed, we went to work on the lower control arms so we could start to mount the axle on the chassis.  We installed the control arms on the axle, but found we did not have a second set of fasteners needed to install the control arms to the chassis.

I contacted FF and they sent another set of fasteners.  In the meantime, we got all the parts for the rear coil over shock.

These were assembled in preparation for completing the axle install.

While waiting for the fasteners to arrive, I poked around in the forum a bit.  One article caught my eye, talking about the rear axle.  Another builder had installed the axle below the panhard frame mount member on the driver side.  He ended up having to correct this.  After looking at my set-up, I would have done the same thing.  What I figured out, was that the manual calls for the installation of the frame mount after installing the axle and shocks.  However, my kit came with the panhard frame mount already bolted in place.  I took it off, and this simplified my installation of the axle.

After receiving the fasteners, the control arms were attached to the chassis.  The biggest problem I faced doing this was that the axle was very unstable as I lifted it to get it into place using a floor jack.  To help this, I again used the engine hoist to support the axles and stabilize the work.  This would not have been needed with two people, but worked ok on my own.

So, with the control arms in, I next attached the shocks.  It took a bit of maneuvering to get everything aligned, but not a big deal and this was completed.  I installed them “body up” as per the manual, although during the build school they suggested doing this body down.  We were told either way would work, so I just went with the manual.  However, when I then tried to re-install the panhard frame mount, I found that it actually hit on the spring on the driver side shock assembly – maybe why body down was recommended. So I removed and installed the shocks.  With body down, there was clearance with the frame mount

Last, I installed the panhard bar.  Again, this took quite a few adjustments to align holes, but was not difficult.  I still need to do some set up of both the front and the back to make sure everything is aligned properly, but will do that later.  See Gallery for all of the pictures

 
Back at work on the rear brakes, ambulance
I found that with a couple of washers included, there
the calipers and rotors lined up very well.  So, site that being completed, we went to work on the lower control arms so we could start to mount the axle on the chassis.  We installed the control arms on the axle, but found we did not have a second set of fasteners needed to install the control arms to the chassis.

I contacted FF and they sent another set of fasteners.  In the meantime, we got all the parts for the rear coil over shock.

These were assembled in preparation for completing the axle install.

While waiting for the fasteners to arrive, I poked around in the forum a bit.  One article caught my eye, talking about the rear axle.  Another builder had installed the axle below the panhard frame mount member on the driver side.  He ended up having to correct this.  After looking at my set-up, I would have done the same thing.  What I figured out, was that the manual calls for the installation of the frame mount after installing the axle and shocks.  However, my kit came with the panhard frame mount already bolted in place.  I took it off, and this simplified my installation of the axle.

After receiving the fasteners, the control arms were attached to the chassis.  The biggest problem I faced doing this was that the axle was very unstable as I lifted it to get it into place using a floor jack.  To help this, I again used the engine hoist to support the axles and stabilize the work.  This would not have been needed with two people, but worked ok on my own.

So, with the control arms in, I next attached the shocks.  It took a bit of maneuvering to get everything aligned, but not a big deal and this was completed.  I installed them “body up” as per the manual, although during the build school they suggested doing this body down.  We were told either way would work, so I just went with the manual.  However, when I then tried to re-install the panhard frame mount, I found that it actually hit on the spring on the driver side shock assembly – maybe why body down was recommended. So I removed and installed the shocks.  With body down, there was clearance with the frame mount

Last, I installed the panhard bar.  Again, this took quite a few adjustments to align holes, but was not difficult.  I still need to do some set up of both the front and the back to make sure everything is aligned properly, but will do that later.  See Gallery for all of the pictures

 
Next up came the pedal box.  This would require some build up prior to installing in the footbox, sales
as well as some painting of bare metal brackets.  I also found in my build school notes a recco to cut one corner out of one of the brackets – it was pre-cut at a 45 degree angle, price
but 90 degrees was recommended, capsule
so I did this.

To get to the final aassembly, I had to first dis-assemble each of the pedals and then re-install.  In addition, I needed to attach the mounting brackets to the pedal assembly.   The brake pedal was removed to mount a bracket to install the brake light switch.  This was an easy step.  The work on the clutch pedal was a bit more complicated.  The pivot pin on the clutch needed to be removed and a longer one inserted so that the clutch quadrant could be fastened outside of the mounting frame.

I also had a small problem with one of the fasteners rubbing on the end of a bolt.  This issue was called out as a potential problem, so I just filed it down and the problem was resolved. After the clutch pedal and quadrant was completed, the rear mounting frame was attached, and the assembly temporarily placed in the vehicle. The rear mounting bracket needed to be marked on the frame so that mounting holes could be made for the fasteners.  I removed the assembly, drilled the holes and then secured the pedal box in place.

A clutch tension adjustment fixture was installed, and then I added the clutch cable.

Next came the installation of the brake master cylinders.  These were installed one at a time and attached to the adjustable bracket behind the frame.  I will need to make final adjustment to these brackets after the rest of the brake system is installed and set up.

Final step was the accelerator pedal.  This also was not too difficult to do, although we did find, as suggested in the class, that there is not a lot of room in the footbox for the pedal.  As mentioned, we ended up putting a couple of small bends in the accelerator arm to give more room.  After that, we figured out how to attach the throttle cable and this completed the pedal box work for now.

The full photo summary can be found in the Gallery
Back at work on the rear brakes, ambulance
I found that with a couple of washers included, there
the calipers and rotors lined up very well.  So, site that being completed, we went to work on the lower control arms so we could start to mount the axle on the chassis.  We installed the control arms on the axle, but found we did not have a second set of fasteners needed to install the control arms to the chassis.

I contacted FF and they sent another set of fasteners.  In the meantime, we got all the parts for the rear coil over shock.

These were assembled in preparation for completing the axle install.

While waiting for the fasteners to arrive, I poked around in the forum a bit.  One article caught my eye, talking about the rear axle.  Another builder had installed the axle below the panhard frame mount member on the driver side.  He ended up having to correct this.  After looking at my set-up, I would have done the same thing.  What I figured out, was that the manual calls for the installation of the frame mount after installing the axle and shocks.  However, my kit came with the panhard frame mount already bolted in place.  I took it off, and this simplified my installation of the axle.

After receiving the fasteners, the control arms were attached to the chassis.  The biggest problem I faced doing this was that the axle was very unstable as I lifted it to get it into place using a floor jack.  To help this, I again used the engine hoist to support the axles and stabilize the work.  This would not have been needed with two people, but worked ok on my own.

So, with the control arms in, I next attached the shocks.  It took a bit of maneuvering to get everything aligned, but not a big deal and this was completed.  I installed them “body up” as per the manual, although during the build school they suggested doing this body down.  We were told either way would work, so I just went with the manual.  However, when I then tried to re-install the panhard frame mount, I found that it actually hit on the spring on the driver side shock assembly – maybe why body down was recommended. So I removed and installed the shocks.  With body down, there was clearance with the frame mount

Last, I installed the panhard bar.  Again, this took quite a few adjustments to align holes, but was not difficult.  I still need to do some set up of both the front and the back to make sure everything is aligned properly, but will do that later.  See Gallery for all of the pictures

 
Next up came the pedal box.  This would require some build up prior to installing in the footbox, sales
as well as some painting of bare metal brackets.  I also found in my build school notes a recco to cut one corner out of one of the brackets – it was pre-cut at a 45 degree angle, price
but 90 degrees was recommended, capsule
so I did this.

To get to the final aassembly, I had to first dis-assemble each of the pedals and then re-install.  In addition, I needed to attach the mounting brackets to the pedal assembly.   The brake pedal was removed to mount a bracket to install the brake light switch.  This was an easy step.  The work on the clutch pedal was a bit more complicated.  The pivot pin on the clutch needed to be removed and a longer one inserted so that the clutch quadrant could be fastened outside of the mounting frame.

I also had a small problem with one of the fasteners rubbing on the end of a bolt.  This issue was called out as a potential problem, so I just filed it down and the problem was resolved. After the clutch pedal and quadrant was completed, the rear mounting frame was attached, and the assembly temporarily placed in the vehicle. The rear mounting bracket needed to be marked on the frame so that mounting holes could be made for the fasteners.  I removed the assembly, drilled the holes and then secured the pedal box in place.

A clutch tension adjustment fixture was installed, and then I added the clutch cable.

Next came the installation of the brake master cylinders.  These were installed one at a time and attached to the adjustable bracket behind the frame.  I will need to make final adjustment to these brackets after the rest of the brake system is installed and set up.

Final step was the accelerator pedal.  This also was not too difficult to do, although we did find, as suggested in the class, that there is not a lot of room in the footbox for the pedal.  As mentioned, we ended up putting a couple of small bends in the accelerator arm to give more room.  After that, we figured out how to attach the throttle cable and this completed the pedal box work for now.

The full photo summary can be found in the Gallery
While talking with some of my build school classmates, medical
they mentioned that they had actually painted the bare metal parts of the rear axle and brackets.  This was recommended to them by another builder.  So, public health
I decided to do this the best I could, pancreatitis
given that the axle was already installed and I was not going to remove it.  So, I taped off the parts I needed to and sprayed the bare metal.  Here are some photos of the work.

Before

During

After

Looks a bit cleaner now.  I probably need to go in and touch up a few spots, but overall a nice improvement in looks.  Most importantly, though, is an extra layer of protection against wear and tear, rust, etc.;

Rear axle, Rear Suspension

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