OB. Make sure you don't break the easy out. Thats a pain all in its self.

 

Hi Billy

You want to hope (and pray!) that it never damages the Valve Block on any occaision.

Because in the event that happens, you could find yourself driving along without a care in the World, brakes working everything normal.

Then when you hit the Brake Pedal, without any warning she suddenly takes an unexpected violent dive to the other side of the road, where you

find the Steering Wheel is ripped out of your hands.

This has happened to me on two different XJS, one of which was my fault, as I didn't leave the Bleed Screw open while I was changing a Caliper.

The second time being when a Wire broke off inside the Valve Block, as over the course of 25 years, the heat they are subjected to makes them very fragile.

The Spares you would need to fix it are virtually unobtainable and as such is going to leave you with a massive problem to sort out.

Take a look at this Pic of one of the Valves in the Valve Block.

There are 6 of these in total, which will give you 6 chances of contaminated fluid being pushed back up the system, to block up one of those tiny

Microscopic holes. (that's the one you can hardly see in the middle)

 

I managed to get a couple of used steering arms, so set about cutting the old one off, just as described. Worked a treat and the broken stud came out of the back plate easy once the steering arm was cut off. Obviously the shaft 'welds' itself to the steering arm.
Great to get your advice a big thank you all round.

 

Since life managed to get in the way of replacing the Steering Arm, I've had to abandon this project to do other things.

But today I got back into it and decided to take the Steering Arm off my 'Scrapper' as I was going to need it as replacement when I cut the old one off.

The only problem being, that as on the Car that I wanted to fit with New Callipers, I couldn't undo the bolts on this Arm either and didn't want to

Shear them off by using too much force, as had happened on my other Car.

The only difference being that I recently bought an Impact Wrench from 'Lidle' for £19.99 and was really hoping that it would do the Job.

So after removing the Lower Ball Joint, I managed to swing the Hub round and after giving the nuts some heat, I put on the Impact Wrench and pulled the trigger.

Where to my amazement it undid the bolts in an instant! Just like you see on those Videos on YouTube.

If only I'd had one of these before then I may not have Sheared the Original Bolt off.

So now the Plan is to take the advice that I was given by 'Greg and Grant' and cut the Old Arm off and then replace it with this one.

Undoing the Calliper Bolts on my 'Scrapper' using an Impact Wrench.



'Lidle' Impact Wrench Kit and Steering Arm removed and cleaned and painted

 

Alan,

YOUR BACK, we were about to send the search party from France???????

Enjoyed the holiday did we????.

 

Hi Grant

While I wouldn't call it a Holiday, I've come across a project that could provide me with one but as its on the Secret list I'll drop you a PM.

 

Hi Alan
Great stuff. I'm going down to French Lidl to see if they have one. Congrats.
Greg

 

Hi Greg

While I was in Lidle, I also bought an Air Wrench, which is proving useful, for all sorts of stuff.

Especially on Bolts you 'can undo' and handy for running the Wheel Nuts before Tightening up with the 'Torque Wrench'

pneumatic tools @ Lidl Thur 17th September 2015 - Leaflet007.co.uk - 11.09.15 04.02

 

VERY nice.

Is it a V12??.

Not as much fun without a " real engine" in front, but still fun all teh same.

 

OB,

Good to hear from you and thanks for the heads-up on the Lidl gear. Although I have most of those tools, I feel like I should just buy some more at those prices!

Paul

 

I've two of them. They have been a great help over the years. The most powerful one is an HF sourced air powered unit. the other, I got at a yard sale. Etiology unknown. electric and less torque.


Torque plus hammer does a lot.


I've used the electric one on a gear puller from time to time.


Glad you have found an answer....


And sans "Ezy out". They are anything but easy!!!!


Carl

 

OB,

Just a suggestion, get in the habit of ALWAYS putting the Impact Wrench to Position 1 after you've used it. In this way, you'll avoid inadvertently tightening a nut up to 240 ftlb because you didn't check the setting and it was on Position 4 from when you last undid something!

And in case you ask, Yes, I've done it!

Paul

 

Hi Grant

Its probably best suited to those who don't like Spending £150 per week or more on Petrol, which has been the norm for me this Summer.

What I sent you does an Amazing 40+ MPG!

 

Yeah Paul

Resistance is useless!

If only I'd bought that Impact Wrench, when they were first on offer, there's every chance that bolt would have come out first time.

 

Cheers Carl

My recent experience taught me that you can make life easier, providing you have the Tools to do the Job.

 

Cheers Paul

I did start it off in position 1, as I wanted to find the Minimum Torque you needed to break out the bolt.

And also I've heard you can easily break your wrist with one of these things.

In the end I had to jack it right up to no 4 then out she came!

The Air Ratchet Spanner is an absolute 'God send' I'm using it all the time.

Maybe another Compressor will be the next thing on my list.

 

The Story so far.

Having removed the Hub and Split the Calliper in order to give me more room, I made the mistake of drilling a hole right through the Broken Stud in order to try and remove it by using an 'Easy Out'

This turned out counter productive, as the 'Easy Out' expanded the hole in the Stud and jammed it even tighter than before.

So then I did what I should have done in the first place and followed the advice of Greg and Grant, by cutting right through the Steering Arm with an Angle Grinder.

Certainly not an easy task as there is very little room to get the Grinder in, while I had to use my other gloved hand to protect myself from the sparks, even though I was using protective Goggles.

Eventually I cut through it and got the Steering Arm and Calliper off, which left me with a nice long Stud to unscrew using Mole Wrenches but even using heat it still wouldn't undo.

Time to get out the 'big guns' in the form of 18 inch Stilsons but because the Stud had been weakened by drilling a hole right through, it just snapped off leaving me with nothing to grip on to turn it.

So I had to spend hours with a hacksaw blade, cutting slots in the 'now hollow Stud' while making sure I didn't damage the thread the Stud Screws into.

Then having done that I carefully Chiselled it out.

This was a Slow painstaking PIA sort of job but I'm pleased to say I eventually managed to do it.

A close up of the Steering Arm which will be cut through



Cutting through the Steering Arm



Steering Arm Cut off and Caliper removed



Broken Stud with hole drilled through: I had to make several saw cuts in this and the carefully Chisel the broken parts out while taking care not to damage the thread the Stud Screwed into.



Finally having removed the debris, I was able to screw in a New Calliper Bolt.

 

Congratulations OB, what a pain of a job. Still, you have now graduated from XJS apprentice into XJS Technician First Class - and you have the scars to prove it!
Greg

 

Hi Greg

Thanks for the Compliment but I'm still only on the nursery slopes at the moment and a long way to go before I get up to the Standard of You and the Wo/Oz.

If only I'd done it the way that You and the Wo/oZ had suggested, it might not have been too bad.

The mistake I made was in trying to save the Steering Arm.

If anyone else is doing the job of removing the Front Calliper, undo the Top Bolts FIRST. (they undo quite easily)

Then with the Steering Arm 'Ball Joint' removed, bash the Steering Arm up and down (just a little bit) to break through any Corrosion around the Middle Bolt.

Then applying some Heat, it should come undone fairly easy.

That's the way I took the Arm of my 'Scrapper' but I also used an Air Impact Wrench instead of a Breaker Bar.

 

Congratulations on a really tough challenge and beating it!!!!


Antiseize this time on the new caliper bolt!!!


One of my motto's. "if any shadow of a doubt, use the antiseize".


Carl