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Red Ven

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Re: Red Ven

Postby Nordic Blue » Fri Oct 16, 2020 7:45 pm

By reading the internet a lot, I think the most common cause of your gear selection problem is most likely to be sticky selection mechanism/ bearing at the gearbox end. I have seen videos of guys taking it off the gearbox and flooding the chamber with WD40 to clean/free it up or totally stripping it down, cleaning and replacing the bearing. Mine doesn't sound as bad as yours but it is a bit sticky/notchy at times so I reckon I have it coming too.
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Re: Red Ven

Postby Jimmy1 » Sat Oct 17, 2020 12:25 am

I think I own your vans twin, also an 85t260 ex post office van. Our floor is the same, although whoever butchered ours did weld a new plate in instead of riveting, my guess was at some stage the van must of been an auto and it's been done to fit a manual shifter? Same bad welding around the door strap too, guess they have a hard life at the royal mail!
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Re: Red Ven

Postby DG-Unit » Sat Oct 17, 2020 11:18 am

Nordic Blue wrote:By reading the internet a lot, I think the most common cause of your gear selection problem is most likely to be sticky selection mechanism/ bearing at the gearbox end. I have seen videos of guys taking it off the gearbox and flooding the chamber with WD40 to clean/free it up or totally stripping it down, cleaning and replacing the bearing. Mine doesn't sound as bad as yours but it is a bit sticky/notchy at times so I reckon I have it coming too.


Good shout! This was my early morning viewing off that back of that recommendation.
https://youtu.be/4t0AekCOTDc
New bearing and seal kit ordered and I’ll give it all an ultrasonic bath.
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Re: Red Ven

Postby DG-Unit » Sat Oct 17, 2020 11:23 am

Jimmy1 wrote:I think I own your vans twin, also an 85t260 ex post office van. Our floor is the same, although whoever butchered ours did weld a new plate in instead of riveting, my guess was at some stage the van must of been an auto and it's been done to fit a manual shifter? Same bad welding around the door strap too, guess they have a hard life at the royal mail!


This is the best explanation I can think of for it! I wonder if there’s any way to find out the factory spec or is this going to be tricky as it’s an ex-postie? Still, puts my mind to rest a bit knowing that it’s not likely the cause of gear selection issues. Are you still finding red rubber bands all over the place in yours?
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Re: Red Ven

Postby Jimmy1 » Sat Oct 17, 2020 3:23 pm

Have yet to drive it so I can't confirm the bodge isn't linked I'm afraid, bought it with the usual rust to convert into a camper and it's still very much a work in progress at this stage. Have considered doing a Mk7 dash and swapping the shifter but bigger things to worry about first tbh. Found millions of the things under the flooring, amazed the royal mail have any left!
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Re: Red Ven

Postby DG-Unit » Mon Oct 19, 2020 9:05 am

Jimmy1 wrote:Have yet to drive it so I can't confirm the bodge isn't linked I'm afraid, bought it with the usual rust to convert into a camper and it's still very much a work in progress at this stage. Have considered doing a Mk7 dash and swapping the shifter but bigger things to worry about first tbh. Found millions of the things under the flooring, amazed the royal mail have any left!


Sounds like we're basically doing the same thing :D Happy to share more info on anything I've done if you need it just DM me.

Yesterday I started work on the central locking only to discover another bodge with the previous owner attaching the window winder using a vat of diamond strength expoy glue so it had to be destroy to get the door card off. I'm not sure my subsequent bodge will pass the MOT in December :shock:

IMG_2540.jpg


Still to cheer myself up if nothing else, here's a picture of my reconditioned floor:
IMG_1944.jpg
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Re: Red Ven

Postby DG-Unit » Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:01 pm

Perfect
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Re: Red Ven

Postby DG-Unit » Sat Nov 07, 2020 7:23 pm

DG-Unit wrote:
Nordic Blue wrote:By reading the internet a lot, I think the most common cause of your gear selection problem is most likely to be sticky selection mechanism/ bearing at the gearbox end. I have seen videos of guys taking it off the gearbox and flooding the chamber with WD40 to clean/free it up or totally stripping it down, cleaning and replacing the bearing. Mine doesn't sound as bad as yours but it is a bit sticky/notchy at times so I reckon I have it coming too.


Good shout! This was my early morning viewing off that back of that recommendation.
https://youtu.be/4t0AekCOTDc
New bearing and seal kit ordered and I’ll give it all an ultrasonic bath.


Job done! Thanks for the suggestion Nordic Blue - it's made the driving experience with this van a million times better. At first I thought I'd messed something up with how little the :lol: . Changed the upper bearing, the nylon slider (see pic), tightened and thread locked the upper bolt (was wobbly). All cleaned, lubricated on the inside with gear oil and the outside with grease. Didn't change the lower bearing as it was fine and wasn't sure if I'd need a press for it - now I just have a spare for when the upper one goes again. That Youtube video was very helpful but I didn't need the tiny ratchet I brought in the end - it can all be done with a variety of extensions and a 1/4" 10mm socket for the bolt at the rear. I've seen others used silicon gasket when refitting and also not needed in my opinion.

The hardest bit of the whole job what getting the greasy electrical connector off for what I presume is the reverse light switch :D. Will drain the oil when I change the driveshaft seals next week and hopefully that'll get out most of the debris from crunching gears and any stray ball bearings. Link to the kit I used but it did take 2 weeks to arrivehttps://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOR-FORD-TRA ... 2749.l2649.
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Re: Red Ven

Postby Nordic Blue » Sat Nov 07, 2020 7:42 pm

DG-Unit wrote:Job done! Thanks for the suggestion Nordic Blue.


Glad you got it sorted! It is a bit invasive for me to trust myself with it so I was thinking of mine gets much worse I may just try the flooding with WD40 thing first.

As you're based in Sussex like me I might have to give you a shout if I ever try it!
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Re: Red Ven

Postby DG-Unit » Sat Nov 07, 2020 10:26 pm

Honestly wasn’t that hard and well worth doing. Give me a shout if you get the parts and I’d be happy to help out :)
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Re: Red Ven

Postby DG-Unit » Wed Nov 11, 2020 10:03 pm

THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THIS VAN CAN BURN IN HELL!!! :oops: :evil: :oops: :evil:

One side using OEM hub torx bolts - no problem super quick

Other side using some bizarre half unthreaded bolts made of damp cardboard - 6hrs, all the tools, trip to a shop and loss of all will to live. Looks like they also used a random driveshaft retaining bolt and drew a raffle for which bolts to over tighten and which to leave lose.
IMG_3067.jpg

IMG_3065.jpg

I'm open to suggestions on how to best get these bolts off. The one sticking out I was thinking to MIG weld a nut to but the one stuck inside looks tricky.
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Re: Red Ven

Postby ned » Wed Nov 11, 2020 10:22 pm

Be easier just to get a new hub/knuckle whatever it's called, think there about £35 per side
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Re: Red Ven

Postby DG-Unit » Mon Nov 16, 2020 7:13 pm

Right well. Ball joints are going to be added to the list of jobs not worth doing yourself on a transit. I'm all for saving money and learning new skills but I don't need to know how to spend 3hrs hammering the bloody things in with 15cm travel. My top tip is to put a jack under the calliper bolt holes when trying to hammer out the old ball joints (as well as lots of plus gas and heat) - otherwise the spring/shock seems to be absorbing the blows. After reading in the Haynes to remove the exhaust manifold first I think I'll add fitting a new power steering pump to that list before I try it. Also aborted preventative work on the driveshafts (new boots, gearbox seals and intermediate bearing) and will just keep an eye on suspected the gearbox seal leak and replace the whole driveshaft as preventative work if the seal needs doing.

IMG_3081.jpg


On the positive side, I can recommend the Halfords one-man brake bleeding kit (£5.99) https://www.halfords.com/tools/hand-tools/automotive-tools/europat-vizibleed-brake-and-clutch-bleeding-kit-321141.html?cm_mmc=Google+PLA-_-Tools%3EHand+Tools%3EAutomotive+Tools-_-Tools%3EHand+Tools%3EAutomotive+Tools-_-321141&istCompanyId=b8708c57-7a02-4cf6-b2c0-dc36b54a327e&istFeedId=62b447cf-331e-4fec-a47a-9985ff72d404&istItemId=xxwmax&istBid=tztx&_$ja=tsid:94971%7Ccid:8979078227%7Cagid:94446562287%7Ctid:aud-80976661069:pla-331463649838%7Ccrid:412800844943%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:4488272647928536031%7Cdvc:c%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:1006565&gclid=Cj0KCQiA48j9BRC-ARIsAMQu3WTsZhqfSrUNWqOd0IZOIJCES7sPIPq_q5GX1JwIWZjGAkE9Bs6d3MkaAvsrEALw_wcB and fitting new Brembo discs and pads feels like a good move although to be honest the old ones had a lot of life left in them. I've just not been super confident in the brakes on this when unloaded so feels worth going around the world system before making it heavier fitting out the back. Might just be that I'm not used to the weight of a van but will get the whole system flushed and have a look at the rears.

IMG_3076.jpg

IMG_3079.jpg


Feels less clunky at the front with new control arms, ball joints and drop links and seems less wobbly at high speed but still a bit skittish until I get a wheel alignment later this week. Two new tyres this booked in then I've just got the small issue of welding new door steps, welding the rear arch and floor holes, cleaning up the power steering pump leaks and maybe also welding new rear leaf spring hangers. All to get it through it's MOT in December. I might change my mind on this but so far welding has been the easiest bit as I hadn't considered how tricky the mechanical work might be on a van compared to cars.
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Re: Red Ven

Postby DG-Unit » Thu Nov 19, 2020 11:27 am

Day 87...

Thought I'd quickly sort out the dodgy strap welding and tighten the hinge bolts. After I got the door off the metal where the hinge sits just fell away. I'm not even sure I touched it - seems some parts of the van want make their own way to the scrap heap despite my best efforts. :shock:
IMG_3142.jpg

IMG_3143.jpg

After some cleaning...
IMG_3144.jpg

IMG_3146.jpg

Had to move quickly to weld the bolt hole bracket to a repair panel, mount the door with the bottom bracket and then tack weld the new top hinge panel and hope I got the door aligned correctly!
IMG_3151.jpg

Seam sealer was a must with all the water around in this part. Doesn't look pretty but it's solid and not a part of the van anyone looks at. The door no longer vibrates on the motorway which is great but now I get deafened by the roof rack noise instead :lol: Next I'm going to try threading some round caulk foam into the door seals (as well as get new ones but no point until the steps are repaired).

I'm now pretty confident that wind damage or something that had messed up the hinges has lead to the top of the door not sealing from rain and the door maybe even bending back at the top over years of wind hitting it. The rain has then been dripping down, rusted away the hinge mounts (as is pools nicely on top of the hinge) and the same water has been pooling on the drivers floor pan (rusting it away) and eventually the steps. The door gap isn't as big on the passenger side and neither is the water damage but still needs a lot of work. So moral of the story is don't neglect your doors and if you are thinking about buying a MK.6/7 with cracks around the hinges think very hard about it!
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Re: Red Ven

Postby DG-Unit » Thu Dec 03, 2020 12:18 pm

Celebrated my first 100 days of van ownership by making sure there's no more holes in the floor big enough to put your foot through:
IMG_3501.JPG

IMG_3502.JPG

Going to repaint all repaired and treated sections of the floor and underside in silver (zinc primer then hammerite) so don't lose track of what hasn't been done and I can spot any returning rust.
IMG_3476.jpg


Just when I'm having a go at myself for crap looking welding (but functional with decent penetration) and excessive use of seam sealer the previous owner makes me feel like a master mechanic...
IMG_3466.jpg

Classic bodge. I was getting excited that I'd finally have some paperwork for the service history but I wasn't able to date this particular repair as it's an undated bird watchers magazine. This is the van that's passed pretty much every MOT with zero advisories... does this mean they don't care about the outer sills on transits :?:
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Last edited by DG-Unit on Thu Dec 03, 2020 12:54 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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