Bedford HA Inspection And Repairs

Picture of By Rob Harvey
By Rob Harvey

As our 1982 Bedford HA Van is now live on the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions website, classic car technician Jonn has been looking at it to make sure it is ready to go to the lucky winner in a couple of weeks time.

Here are his notes:

Take into workshop to finish inspection. Secure rear brake pipe to piece to rear axle. Secure wiring in offside front arch. Remove screw from offside rear tyre, not punctured. Tighten fuel tank union. Check axle and gearbox levels, ok. Tighten front crash bar. Strip brakes and inspect. Remove nearside rear adjuster and free off. Refit and adjust shoes. Delip all drums. Regrease and adjust offside front wheel bearing.

Strip and remove offside rear half shaft and bearing. Heat up bearing to remove but unable to at this point. Christian cut some plates for me to use. Heat up again and use plates to hold bearing whilst knocking half shaft from above. Remove and clean all surfaces. Make new hub gasket and clean backplate, ready for new bearing etc.

Remove rocker cover and associated parts. Check and adjust tappets. Found clearances were massive on most. Setting 0.08thou or 0.2mm. Some clearances were up to as much as 0.80thou or 2mm!!! Set to correct clearances and refit rocker cover etc. Check operation of seats. Both slide but you have to be sat in them. Found key for doors but no door lock will operate via key. If it is the correct key.

Press new wheel bearing and spacer onto half shaft. Lube o ring on bearing and hammer back into axle. Secure seal flange and backplate. Refit drum and wheel and adjust brake. Lower to ground and torque up all wheels to 68nm. Inspect drivers door lock. Remove door panel and view mechanism inside door. Found lock barrel on handle not fitted correctly. Reposition barrel inside door and test. Ok. Refit door panel. Check passengers door locks from inside. Reposition handles.

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