Probably time for me to get new uprights...

[nickpoore]

I took apart the old uprights tonight, and the hubs are a mess.

The question is, how do I clean up the drive shafts before putting them in the new uprights & hubs?
(Tom says the uprights should ship out this coming week.)

[img width=449 height=600]http://www.atomguy.com/OldLeftUpright1.jpg[/img]
[img width=449 height=600]http://www.atomguy.com/OldLeftUpright2.jpg[/img]
[img width=449 height=600]http://www.atomguy.com/OldRightUpright1.jpg[/img]
[img width=449 height=600]http://www.atomguy.com/OldRightUpright2.jpg[/img]

[Driver]

Use a stiff brush and a degreaser. Stay away from the boot itself. You don't need degreaser getting into the cv joint itself. For that use a couple of paper towels first then a rag in some degreaser and just wipe off the boot. Once you get all the grease off any further stuff should maybe just be a wire brush on the threads...

[Terry Kennedy]

[quote="Nicholas"]
I took apart the old uprights tonight, and the hubs are a mess.
[/quote]

I have a couple unrelated questions, if you don't mind...

1) What brake package do you have? Since I see brackets for the separate parking brake, but the main bracket doesn't match that for either the 2-pot or 4-pot Alcon "Race" brake package, I'd guess that you have the Wilwood "Track" brake package?

2) Those look like race (PRM/PRB) rod ends. Did you change them at some point? [Both the incorrect SPM/SPB rod ends that fail are gold-colored (technically a zinc chromate wash), while the standard AM/AB rod ends are silver in color.] I don't think Brammo ever offered race rod ends as an option.

More on topic, it is interesting to see the wear / damage on your uprights and spacers. I took my uprights off for the first time at 17,000 miles (after a bunch of offroading / driving in very rainy conditions / etc.) and mine weren't nearly that bad. I examined my spacers closely when I removed them and didn't see any wear. I guess that either Brammo or their supplier(s) changed to a poorer quality part between when my car was built and yours. Though, Randy does have a RAMxxx early Atom like mine and experienced spacer degradation (though I don't know if that was on his first or second Atom).

It looks like your bearings don't have integral seals and instead have the Chicago Rawhide external seals. That's probably not Brammo's fault - I ordered that bearing several times and never got all the same style, even in the same order. The record was an order from NAPA, where I received 4 bearings from 3 different manufacturers.

[Heywood-Yablowme]

What is the wire loop thingy resting on the upright?

[Terry Kennedy]

[quote="Curator"]
What is the wire loop thingy resting on the upright?
[/quote]

A broken O-ring, I think.

[bolus]

he has race grade rod ends and 10 track days with slicks.  so his uprights are taking a pounding

[img width=800 height=600]http://www.atomguy.com/RodEnd2.jpg[/img]

[nickpoore]

[quote="Terry Kennedy"]
I have a couple unrelated questions, if you don't mind...
[/quote]
Anytime Terry.

[quote="Terry Kennedy"]
1) What brake package do you have? Since I see brackets for the separate parking brake, but the main bracket doesn't match that for either the 2-pot or 4-pot Alcon "Race" brake package, I'd guess that you have the Wilwood "Track" brake package?
[/quote]
Yep, Wilwood Track Package.

[quote="Terry Kennedy"]
2) Those look like race (PRM/PRB) rod ends. Did you change them at some point? [Both the incorrect SPM/SPB rod ends that fail are gold-colored (technically a zinc chromate wash), while the standard AM/AB rod ends are silver in color.] I don't think Brammo ever offered race rod ends as an option.
[/quote]
Yep, I put in Aurora Race Rod-Ends this winter - Purchased through TMI.

[quote="Terry Kennedy"]
More on topic, it is interesting to see the wear / damage on your uprights and spacers. I took my uprights off for the first time at 17,000 miles (after a bunch of offroading / driving in very rainy conditions / etc.) and mine weren't nearly that bad. I examined my spacers closely when I removed them and didn't see any wear. I guess that either Brammo or their supplier(s) changed to a poorer quality part between when my car was built and yours. Though, Randy does have a RAMxxx early Atom like mine and experienced spacer degradation (though I don't know if that was on his first or second Atom).

It looks like your bearings don't have integral seals and instead have the Chicago Rawhide external seals. That's probably not Brammo's fault - I ordered that bearing several times and never got all the same style, even in the same order. The record was an order from NAPA, where I received 4 bearings from 3 different manufacturers.
[/quote]
I have no idea if it's climate related - but my car has never been in the rain, and it can get quite dusty here in SoCal.

[quote="Curator"]
What is the wire loop thingy resting on the upright?
[/quote]
Yep, it's a rubber O-Ring.

[quote="bolus"]
he has race grade rod ends and 10 track days with slicks.  so his uprights are taking a pounding
[/quote]
YEP. 


FWIW, the photos on the forum are shrunk by the forum software.
The originals are slightly larger.
http://www.atomguy.com/OldRightUpright1.jpg
http://www.atomguy.com/OldRightUpright2.jpg
http://www.atomguy.com/OldLeftUpright1.jpg
http://www.atomguy.com/OldLeftUpright2.jpg

[bolus]

do you have a pic of the cleaned up spacer?  I'd like to see how smashed it is

[nickpoore]

I was just working on that as you posted.

I konw that some guys were making hardened outer spacers, but mine appears to have suffered no problems whatsoever.
The inner spacer shows a little wear, but feels smooth to the touch.

http://www.atomguy.com/InnerSpacer1.jpg
http://www.atomguy.com/InnerSpacer2.jpg
http://www.atomguy.com/OuterSpacer1.jpg
http://www.atomguy.com/OuterSpacer2.jpg

[img width=800 height=600]http://www.atomguy.com/InnerSpacer1.jpg[/img]
[img width=800 height=600]http://www.atomguy.com/InnerSpacer2.jpg[/img]
[img width=800 height=600]http://www.atomguy.com/OuterSpacer1.jpg[/img]
[img width=800 height=600]http://www.atomguy.com/OuterSpacer2.jpg[/img]

[Heywood-Yablowme]

Those last photos make the spacer appear to have a worn groove in its surface.

[1965Cobra427]

Based on (too much) experience, I'd say that the first series of photos is what just about anybody can expect to see once their Atom has a couple thousand miles on it. All the rough appearance is really just dirty wheel bearing grease that has moved around in the vicinity (inside and outside_ of the seals. I've not seen any case with OEM Brammo setup which did not show a similar appearance. The spacers in the close up show a likewise normal amount of wear and deformation, much less that those of us who have run very hard on slicks and a somewhat rough surface track. Ours are actually peened down and the surface material is visually displaced to the outer diameter of the spacer. (As if it had been hammered by an axle or bearing race-shaped mallet, which it had.)

I believe that the fully sealed bearings that the aftermarket designs will substantially clean up the appearance, since the grease won;t be all over everything and the hardened spacers (I am only speaking of the Unique Fabricating right now, since that's what I am very familiar with) will eliminate the peening and it's attendant loosening of the axle nuts.

If you have uprights on order, that will be great. Short of that, a good clean up, repacking of the bearings, new seals and a set of Hickock (FourFather) hardened spacers will produce a great improvement over Brammo OEM.

[bolus]

My internal spacer is fine.  that's not a groove, just dirty

[img width=800 height=450]http://bolus.shackspace.com/atom/spacers1.jpg[/img]

The external is a little chewed up

[img width=800 height=450]http://bolus.shackspace.com/atom/spacers2.jpg[/img]

[maverick1]

Nick, it's too bad your car's all torn apart, Peter, Josh and I were at the Streets of Willow track yesterday.
I finally got my car back together and running.
For those of you who have not yet changed out their fuel filters, you do need a special fuel line release tool or you will never get the filter off.
I have over 10,000 miles on my Atom and I decided to change my transmission oil. It was very dirty. I recommend changing it for those who have not done so yet.
Peter was running DP's new rear uprights and they seemed to hold up well.
I ran my personal best, in the last session of the day. Just kept repeating...smooth smooth smooth
It was very very hot.
cheers

[nickpoore]

Sorry to miss you at the track yesterday - I really, really wanted to go.

Since you have the tool; you are officially invited over to my "Nick does his fuel line" tech-day.

[DarthChicken]

[quote="bolus"]
The external is a little chewed up

[img width=800 height=450]http://bolus.shackspace.com/atom/spacers2.jpg[/img]
[/quote]

A LITTLE chewed up?