So just had a Buga of a week!!!
The Plan>>swap over donor front end. from my CFS to my CFL...estimated time...2 days max..
Day 1... Undo from the donor front end CFS
undo..tie rod end..top ball joint..a lil smack with a mallet n hey presto she is undone!!
unbolt lower control arms and top arms..sweet this was easy..
CFL--repeat procedure on front end of China White...
hmmm top contrl arms are seized...bit of penetrol.. soaked..Beer time...
Day 2..those bolts should be loose by now....overnight soak..me thinks
3 hrs later..still seized ..more penetrol...trying levering end of bolt no luck !!!
3 hrs later mallet in use n now much swearing n skin removed from elbows ,arms n knuckles n shins aaarrgghh!!!
BUGA!! swing a mallet in confined spaces
more penetrol...!!
Day 3
Day 3...
Starting to get a lil heavier now with the mallet...access is a problem..get a length of steel n start smashing the shit out the bolt from the front.!!!!!! 6 hrs later still no go...
Call local mobile welder to bring rong an oxy..we gonna heat this sucker up a lil she should just slide right out..Right!!?? wrong...after much melting ..smoke fire..n untold swearing..
We had cut thru the top control arms ......n the bolts on both sides were seized beyond belief!! BUGA!!
I sat with my arms folded..Monster garage was on TV..images of setting my beddy on fire with a blow torch flashed thru my mind!!..just watched em set fire to a monster tractor..that didnt work..a smouldering beddy in the outer suburbs of brisbane could be on tv... sooon...aaarrrgghh
Better have a beer n think about what a mess i have made... 3 days ago i had a working van..
Now i have a useless piece of metal!!
There a knock at the door..its my mate.. a mechanic...”Sup Bro?”
i tell him the situtation ...”ah easy man..just grab the crossmember off the donor van sweet as!”
when..lets grab a few beers n do it now..i look at the time..its 9pm..no worries..
we jack up the engine...unbolt the steering.....
Now there are two bolts that either side that hold the crossmember to the chassis...these were as expected seized and rusted...Out with the penetrol again....!!!v over night soak...end day 1am!!!
Day 4...
After a good soak..the bolts come looose...
Drop the crossmember out..n throw it on the lawn..cursing it aaarrrggghh!!!!!!
Clean up all the bolts on the wire wheel,,, soak the chassis holes n clean em up a bit
Change the engine mounts on the CFs..may as well ...they were shot
Un bolt the donor front end from the cfs....give my self a hernia..dragin it up the side of the house..
Day 5
Bolt in donor front end...drop engine back on to crossmember..connect steering..
Bolt up new disc brakes ball joints etcs....nice its all together under there now...Beer time!
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