Owners Manual

F R 0 N T H U B S A N D I N D E P E N D E N T S U S P E N S I 0 N H/3
Place the swivel axle flat washer into position and
screw the nut down finger tight. Spin the wheel
and
note
the resistance, which
at
this stage
is
due to the oil seal.
Then continue tightening the
nut
until a slightly increased
resistance to the spinning
of
the wheel is noticed. The
bearings are now pre-loaded and the split pin should be
inserted to lock the nut. Screw the hub cap and its
fipre washer on to the hub after first packing the cup
with grease.
Replace the brake drum
and
secure with the coun-
tersunk screw.
It
is important that the drum
is
fully
home before this screw
is
tightened and,
if
necessary, the
drum should be pressed in position by tightening
two wheel nuts.
Refit the wheel. The wheel nuts are best finally
tightened when the car
is
off the jacking blocks, but
re-adjust the brake shoes
if
necessary before the car
is
lowered to the ground.
INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION
Description
The independent front suspension
is
known as the
"wishbone" type, since the top and bottom linkages
roughly conform to the shape
of
a wishbone. Between
these two wishbones
is
the
coil spring, held under
compression between the top spring plate which
is
welded
H40. 299, A,
Fig. 3. A general view
of
the left-hand independent
front suspension layout with the suspension bracket
cut away to show
the
coil spring seating.
to the chassis side member, and the lower spring plate
which is secured to the lower wishbone by four bolts.
The top wishbone
is
secured at the chassis end to
a double-acting hydraulic shock absorber which is
anchored to the
top
spring plate bracket by four bolts.
The two arms
of
the top wishbone thus form the operat-
ing levers
of
the shock absorber.
At
the swivel end, the
top wishbone
is
secured to the swivel pin trunnion by
means
of
a fulcrum pin and tapered rubber bushes. The
bottom wishbone
is
secured by fulcrum pins
and
tapered
rubber bushes to two brackets
on
the underside
of
the
frame
and
by two screwed bushes and a screwed fulcrum
pin to the lower end
of
the swivel pin.
Checking for Wear
The following parts
of
the independent front sus-
pension are liable to wear. Rectification may mean
the fitting
of
new parts
or
assemblies.
Swivel Pin and Bushes: Wear
of
the swivel pin,
0r
wear
of
the swivel pin bushes, or both, may be checked by
jacking the front
of
the car and endeavouring to rock
the wheel by grasping opposite points
of
the tyre in a
vertical position.
If
any sideways movement can be
detected between the top
and
bottom swivel pin trunnions
and the swivel axle assembly, the swivel pin
or
the swivel
pin bushes are worn and must be stripped for exami-
nation.
Shock Absorber Bearings:
Up
and down, or side-
ways movement
of
the shock absorber cross shaft,
relative to the shock absorber casting, denotes wear
of
the shock absorber bearings which can only be remedied
by refitting a new shock absorber. These bearings are
best checked when the suspension
is
dismantled and
when with some freedom
of
movement, it is possible to
move the top wishbone arms, which are attached at their
inner ends to the shock absorber cross shaft.
Wishbone Arm Rubber Bushes: The rubber bearing
bushes used for the upper wishbone arm outer bearings
and for the lower wishbone arm inner bearings may in
time deteriorate and need renewing. Excessive sideways
movement
in
either
of
these bearings would denote
softening
of
the rubber bushes.
Wishbone Arm Screwed Bush Bearing: The screwed
bushes or the screwed trunnion fulcrum pin
of
the lower
wishbone arm outer bearing assembly may develop
excess free play due to wear
of
either
of
these parts.
This assembly can best be checked when the suspension
has been dismantled.
Removing the Coil Spring
Jack the side
of
the car concerned
and
place blocks
under the frame side member to the rear
of
the suspension
assembly.
In
the absence
of
Service Tool 18G
37,
two
!-in.
(19. 02 mm.) B.S.F. slave bolts will be required to release
the compression from the coil spring. These bolts
should be
of
high-tensile steel, 4-in. (10.
16
em.) long and
threaded their entire length.