Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Yes,it receives lots of shock/vibration , put the split pin in asap..

If it drops out you'll find out what wonky handling really is...

John

Jon,
it's not the nut that holds the top of the Damper Piston rod to the Lotocone.
It's the round special nut that screws into the Chapman Strut to hold the Shock Absorber body in the Chapman Strut. The special round nut is screwed into the Chapman Strut then locked in place by centre punching the Tube of the Strut. It is screwed in and tightened using a "C" spanner.
Alan

OK, OK.. back to the drawing board with a new cotter pin and out with the parcel shelf (again!). My poor back!

I think I need a new thread to discuss the rear bearing, though. Or not? Let's try here.

First question is about pulling the hub. Can I use the spinner to apply pressure to the axle (with suitable packing) in order to remove the hub? I read that using a puller on the hub edge will bend the hub itself.

Hi Jon,
sorry maybe i didn't explain very well.
You don't need to remove the parcel shelf.
If you lift the car so the back wheel is off the ground. Grab top and bottom of wheel and try to rock verticaly.
Look inside the wheel arche at the shock piston rod. When you look at the piston rod between the spring coils you will see it move if the special round nut (with "C" spanner slots) is not tight.
You may have an alloy ring/sleeve hiding the special round nut.
On my 1973 +2S130 the problem was on the nearside shock and at first i thought it was a worn piston rod.
I think the nearside shocks get more of a hammering always running in the gutter next to the pavement + potholes.
Alan
ps. I have always used one of the spinners to remove the hub with a packing piece under the spinner to press onto the stub shaft. After undoing the nyloc nut a little first.

Well it looks like you have found a problem that certainly needs addressing

I did mine and found that you need a hub extractor ( actually 2 because they are handed) , a puller will probably bend the hubs , also you might need a press to remove the shafts , lastly undoing and then doing up the rotaflex bushes is a pig of a job , imho

I,d bite the bullet and do the whole rear end.

Steve

SJ Sport cars sells a tool for hub removal
https://www.sjsportscars.com/parts-and- ... 6D0007.htm

I am yet to use mine but I believe that it basically a "packer" you insert under the spinner and tighten the spinner down to apply pressure to remove the hub. There seems to be various other tools available but they cost a fair bit more than this one.

alan.barker wrote:sorry maybe i didn't explain very well.

It's OK, wires are getting crossed - I think you're referring to the possibility of a loose shock absorber within the strut, whereas I'm talking about putting the cotter pin back in the castellated nut at the top of the shocker (oh, and the bearing of course).

And bugger, I cannot get the hub off.

Have tried a 3 legged puller on an old spinner that Sue sent me, but it snapped one of the puller leg teeth and the hub is still in place. Not happy about spending ?35 for a tool I will use once... can anyone help me?

DIY extractor,A round piece of steel/ali that fits in the hub behind the spinner , acting on the shaft , lock brakes and whack spinner..

John

P.S. you have taken the nut/washer off?

I have used a thick steel disc inside the KO spinners and braced against the hub nut which has been slackened off a few turns. A quick tap and the hub is released.

The disc needs to be both substantial & large enough to prevent a point load which could easily damage the bronze (?). Mine is just steel plate and completely fills the end of the KO spinner.

You could also try some heat on the assembly before having another go at releasing it, that might even work with a conventional puller ?

Amazing - you posted that while I was writing mine..... what's the saying, "great bodgers think alike ?"

I tried that. Socket under the spinner bearing down on the loosened nut, then whack whack whack and heat on the hub from a paint stripping heat gun. Nothing but some circular marks inside the spinner and a flatted off nut. Not sure I like that!

The spinner Sue sent me has no cap, it's completely open at the end. I might be able to grind it back so as to give a better lip for the puller to operate on but I'm not sure it's strong enough to pull the hub off.

It didn't help when I tried to take the nut off and actually tightened it slightly. I thought it had a left hand thread like the front bearing nut.

Anyway, I gave up for now and cleaned the headlight pods instead. I will try again tomorrow..

?Great minds think alike, and fools seldom differ"

John

If my interpretation of your "free" spinner is correct, then that sounds like the end has been pushed off by someone trying the same trick only bearing directly on the hub nut.

I was thinking blowlamp when talking about heat, something capable of getting 150-200C into it.

Given the failure of the first spinner attempt it did have me wondering if someone has added loctite to the shaft like you do on the splines of the Europa axles. If you can see anything suspicious at the ends of the shaft then a propane/butane torch is going to be the only way to break it down.

edit - yes John, very good. I must remember that one !

So we are trying again with the spinner and a blowtorch? OK... how much is a new spinner anyway?