Brake lines

Whilst I think about a couple of other tasks I thought I would look at the next 'big' item which is fitting the brake lines. The AK manual gives a good indication of where each of them should run, navigating the major chassis lines.

The key thing about bending this stuff is not to kink or pinch it. I thought about purchasing a brake pipe bending too but the metal is soft enough that with a bit if care it's not needed.

The two main rules are to use something to help form the bend. Aerosol cans from wd40, calliper paint etc plus round bar off cuts make perfect mandrels. There are tools but all the hand ones give is a form to bend around and a lever to apply force.

The other important part is to consider the impact of work hardening - so when bending do it slowly rather than faster as this will help the metal not to work harden giving it a much longer life.

I used masking tape to help locate the bend points from my previously made straight lines.

Others I know use plumbers solder as a pattern making device and then bend from that. So far I've found measure bend  and offer up as a repeated two step process is fine too.

Trial fit and I'm happy with that. Need to order some socket cap bolts to fit the pipe fittings to the chassis.

IVA requires these to be a maximum distance apart. I will be doing closer together to ensure safe anchoring and a pass on that front.

I will have to pop the engine out to the main line that runs to the rear as it's in the way of drilling fixings right now.

Shocking

Ready for a short, sharp, shock?

Actually it was more of a protracted long drawn out affair.

Now I have the nearside driveshaft camber sorted and the outer shaft nuts torqued up to 107lbs ft it seemed sensible to look at the coil over shock fitment.
 

For me this is when the chassis starts looking more like a car when the big springs are on.

Unlike the jag fitment which uses different option at the top the AK uses an extra shock shaft identical part to the one which passes through the middle of the wishbone for the bottom anchor point.
 

Once again though I come up against the evils of powder coat where you don't want it... Inside the upper shaft tube. Now wary of the vice like grip of this stuff I proceeded with caution cleaning the tube out thoroughly to the point where a few good taps with the rubber mallet and the upper shaft is in.
 

Then it's a case of just lining up the lower wishbone with the coilovers which I have set to a starting position of 20 clicks off full plus for the shocker and the bottom edge of the spring nut is 85mm from the centre of the shaft hole. This is Jon's starting config. No doubt I will be adjusting more as in go along one the springs have settled and I start looking at the ride height.

I haven't put the bolts on yet as I want to grease inside the bushes and the lower shaft itself as I forgot in my excitement of getting them on.

No schimfing here.

Ah yes, the Friday pun is back. Or something.

Right. Shimming time on the rear setup for hub camber. AK recommend -1/4 to 0 degrees rear camber. Measuring the offside it came in at + 1 with 2 shims so a bit more to be done there. 

Photo below shows testing adding some more with disc alignment shims as I run out of the camber ones. Order to wards now on its way.

Just enough room to do the bolts up.

On the nearside I went for 3 shims at the outset and hit the jackpot. With the top of the hub carrier supported 150mm from top chassis member directly above using a trolley jack the rear arm is at normal ride height. Measuring gives 0 degrees plumb.

Given I won't be racing around a track every weekend I'm happy with that.

I will double check with a more conventional camber gauge in due course -although this would appear to be accurate when calibrated against my spirit level.