Evening all!
Long time 'no see'.
Porker got laid up having not resolved a number of issues and other commitments getting in the way.
Quick re-cap, re.: running problems. Mainly caused by defective ICV and... brand new DME temp sensor resistance between 3.5 and 6.5 k ohms!
Then, just as i was contemplating booking the MOT, the handbrake cable snapped.
This was the beginning of something silly... But first - front struts.
Dismantled (cut tabs off to free the shock) and then decided they were too ropey to do.
Found a set of Turbo struts on flee bay in good nick and with the added bonus of the baffle plate mount.
So, these got dismantled, I bought new Sachs struts, bumper stops (partworks.de), the M50 x 1.5 sleeves and locking cups, got them welded by friendly welder bloke and powder coated by those clever chaps.



Whilst I was at the front struts, I thought I would clean up the ABS teeth and sensors and earths - of course, complete struts with clean earth straps will help. I haven't actually started investigating the problem but before I do, I can eliminate some basics - more of that later.
...and to that silly thing.
Decided that I wasn't going to delay the refurb of the back end as the hand brake replacement malarkey would have to be done again and I dropped the rear suspension.
I say 'dropped', ha! 3 weeks, the killing of my angle grinder, the use of a reciprocal saw and a heap of de-blocker, heat and some very big levers. A lot of sweat and expletives.
Methinks, the total cost of all new bolts including eccentric bolts is iro £200.
This lot will go off for powder coating on Tuesday - yippee.

.
So I started to clean up the parts that aren't being powder coated

To...

The old bushes were a pig to remove. There's no way I am going OEM at the eye watering prices, so it will all be poly.
Easy to assemble, long lasting and I got most of them in black!
Now, I have started reconciling the ABS/Brake wires earths, all the clips for them, cleaning up hitherto inaccessible parts of the chassis and...
More of the ABS. The hub nuts came undone with my impact driver - the bearing and oil seal is A1 but I did this because I could get access to the ABS teeth. And what a mess, so worthwhile. On the workbench, it was so much easier to do this and remove the sensors.
When I come to start ascertaining the ABS light fault, at least I know that I will have eliminated a series of issues. It may even work without requiring further investigation.
1 more day underneath the back end (I have used my quota of Brownie points and the OH ain't happy) and i'll be ready to assemble after my bits come back plus odds and sods like the eccentric tool for camber and toe set up, eccentric bolt kit etc etc.
I am quite excited because the front end is all clean. I bit the bullet and sent a heap of stuff off for powder coating - both anti-roll bars and mounting bits, struts etc and now the back end will match.
Sometime in the future, I will get the body work done but I would be really happy to have an MOT and take it for spins on empty roads devoid of dithering diddery dodderies and bloody tourists and their bloody camper vans/caravans.
End of September is the deadline I have set myself.
Wish me luck.
Does anyone know if those hub nuts are single use?