Ian's S4s refurb

[Chillidoggy]

1 hour ago, fjmuurling said:

Sikaflex 291i is good stuff. (polyurethane based).

As a side note I would be carefull with using silicone as they can contain acetic acid (not all of them).

 

It’s interesting. I’ve trawled the web to see what people used for sealing their split rims, and it seems some successfully used bog-standard kitchen and bathroom sealant! I’m not advocating doing that, but there is very little ‘verifiable’ information on the subject.

[fjmuurling]

8 hours ago, fjmuurling said:

Sikaflex 291i is good stuff. (polyurethane based).

As a side note I would be carefull with using silicone as they can contain acetic acid (not all of them).

 

About the acid remark above is to prevent possible corrosion effects on the aluminium etc.

The proper bathroom sealants are acid free.

 

[Chillidoggy]

I've kind of got myself sidetracked with an evolution of my Delco kit at the moment, so the remaining work will have to take a back seat. I have found a serial number on the Gaz dampers, which are listed them in their catalogue, so I shall see if I can get a replacement pair from the local dealer.

[Chillidoggy]

After an exchange about whether the part number I had was correct, two new Gaz rear dampers ordered, 4 - 5 weeks delivery from Rally Design. Long time, but they don’t take very long to change, so I’m happy with that. Gaz told me the last 3 digits are a manufacturing date code. Mine were D01, so I guess they’re a 2001 vintage! 

And the new Radinox rims were delivered today. They look really good, a beautiful mirror-finish on them, and with luck it’ll be the last time I take the wheels apart.

Yeah, I know, tempting fate, there, eh?🙄

[Jacques]

Then take a look at this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phqshdDoFn4

and here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCi3WM0S95o

and finally here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek_x_tW9zVk

Don't try that with the original Futura outer lips, Or just don't try it at all.

Kind regards,

Jacques

[Giniw]

(The guy on the second one would need a reverse camera in addition to his radinox wheels, though!)

[Chillidoggy]

9 hours ago, Jacques said:

Then take a look at this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phqshdDoFn4

and here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCi3WM0S95o

and finally here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek_x_tW9zVk

Don't try that with the original Futura outer lips, Or just don't try it at all.

Kind regards,

Jacques

I can assure you I won't be trying that with mine, at least not on purpose!

It does however demonstrate that they're pretty tough, the alloy rims would have been wrecked.

[Chillidoggy]

I found a problem yesterday, the powder-coated rims and centres had been coated over the mating surfaces, so I took them back for it to be removed as I felt the not insignificant thickness of the coating could work and compress over time, and I don't want the wheel bolts working loose. To be fair, the sprayers corrected them without question, or charge, so the only thing I wasted is time and 10 miles of fuel. I'm currently thinking of giving the flanges a very light spray of paint on the bare alloy, but the jury's still out on that. Once decided, I can put them together. I still need to order a pair of front tyres, I decided the Yokohama A08R was the way to go.

I decided to go all LED for the exterior lamps. I've been ordering them from classiccarleds.co.uk, who have provided good advice and a very prompt delivery. The recommendation is to use amber LED for indicators, and red LED for stop/tail as it provides a 'better' light than the white versions. I have a few more to order, and will also change the headlamp bulbs. Not cheap, this conversion, and I've yet to remove the dreaded binnacle cover because the flasher has to be replaced by an electronic version. On the plus side, with no Delco ABS nonsense to worry about, I can fit the LED stop/tails without any danger of the warning lamps illuminating.

[tomcattom]

30 minutes ago, Chillidoggy said:

Not cheap, this conversion, and I've yet to remove the dreaded binnacle cover because the flasher has to be replaced by an electronic version. 

Is there some known problem with the binnacle covers that I've yet to read about? Removing the binnacle cover was one of the first jobs I tackled on mine to restore the ABS light and I didn't think it was that difficult to get off or on. The hardest part I found was trying to get the long bolt that secures it from underneath the dashboard was a bit awkward to get back in because you're fighting gravity and the steering coloum gets in the way, but otherwise it wasn't too much of a chore.

Are you going LED on the headlamp bulbs or just getting better halogens?

[Chillidoggy]

Ah, the binnacle cover. Oh, deary me. Best you start a poll on that. Put me in the “One of the worst jobs on the car” section, please.

I’m fitting LED’s all round, including headlamps, when I get round to it.

Made a bit of progress with the wheels, rather one of front wheels. I’ve trial assembled it, and torqued the bolts, later I’ll slacken them off and put a dab of threadlock on them before a final re-torque. Then on to the next, and the next, and the next. It does look very smart, I have to say, and if they stay at that way, which they should, then I’ll be over the moon.

[Chillidoggy]

I’ve now done the two front wheels, and had enough of bolts for the day. Earlier, I managed to damage the coating of one of the centres during a trial fit, when it fell out suddenly onto the bench. I was totally gutted, having just had them done, and may have used some harsh language shortly after the event. Thankfully, Shan took it back to the wheel guys and they managed to repair it perfectly.

I’ve now torqued them up with a dab of Loctite, the rears will be next, and then I’ll seal them all in one go. I did see on the SSR website that Wurth Bond & Seal should be used, but I’m sticking with Sikaflex*

*No pun intended.

 

[Dan E]

Shan to the rescue ........again 😂

[drdoom]

4 hours ago, Chillidoggy said:

Ah, the binnacle cover. Oh, deary me. Best you start a poll on that. Put me in the “One of the worst jobs on the car” section, please.

I’m fitting LED’s all round, including headlamps, when I get round to it.

Made a bit of progress with the wheels, rather one of front wheels. I’ve trial assembled it, and torqued the bolts, later I’ll slacken them off and put a dab of threadlock on them before a final re-torque. Then on to the next, and the next, and the next. It does look very smart, I have to say, and if they stay at that way, which they should, then I’ll be over the moon.

LED conversion worthy of a thread of its own, perhaps?

[Chillidoggy]

5 minutes ago, drdoom said:

LED conversion worthy of a thread of its own, perhaps?

I guess it depends on how you view it. In my case it’s purely a matter of stumping up the cash, changing the bulbs and the flasher relay. And the removal of the binnacle cover. Don’t get me started on the binnacle cover 🙄

 @swindon_alan has already covered the subject in some depth on TLF somewhere.

13 minutes ago, Dan E said:

Shan to the rescue ........again 😂

Indeed.

Yesterday she was painting the inside of the wheelarches, and also said I was a twat for damaging the wheel centre.

[Dan E]

Shan to the rescue ........again 😂

[Sparky]

Pray, tell us more about the binnacle cover...

[Dan E]

she is now not only my fav women in the world but now my fav person.

anyway back to Brexit. In fact stick Shan in we will be sorted by midday tomorrow 😂

[Giniw]

38 minutes ago, Chillidoggy said:

Don’t get me started on the binnacle cover 🙄

Really? How do you operate? I followed the steps described there http://www.espritfactfile.com/binnacle.html and although it's a bit tight, I had no problem? (but I must say I have never tried to put back since then, so I can't comment on the full process, just the removal )

[swindon_alan]

4 hours ago, Chillidoggy said:

 @swindon_alan has already covered the subject in some depth on TLF somewhere

Here you go

[fjmuurling]

14 hours ago, Chillidoggy said:

Yesterday she was painting the inside of the wheelarches, and also said I was a twat for damaging the wheel centre.

What paint did you use for the inside wheelarches?

[Chillidoggy]

3 minutes ago, fjmuurling said:

What paint did you use for the inside wheelarches?

I'll ask.

[Chillidoggy]

On 15/03/2019 at 08:05, fjmuurling said:

What paint did you use for the inside wheelarches?

It was underseal. But she’s not happy with how it looks, so I can see it all being removed in the near future for something else, maybe sprayed on.

[Sparky]

Maybe she hasn't applied the topcoat and nano wax yet?

[Chillidoggy]

1 minute ago, Sparky said:

Maybe she hasn't applied the topcoat and nano wax yet?

Nope, it’s definitely coming off, she was adamant about it. The woman is a legend in Bickley, so who am I to argue?

[Sparky]

I'm never parking my car next to yours again.