Replacing De Dion tube rubber boot...

[richarduk]

Not sure what its called but the rubber boot on my De Dion tube is split and needs replacing. Not my info in the haynes manual. Any tips? My thoughts are undo the half shafts from the diff and the four bolts holding it to the rest of the suspension and pull from under the car. Then replace there, looks to me if I just start doing it in situ it could all fall apart? Anyone got any pics of one being done?

Thanks.

 

[Mad_Dan_Eccles]

The easiest way is to drop the de Dion tube altogether and refurbish it on the bench

- Jack up the rear of the car and support on axle stands
- Pull the wheels, hubs and driveshafts
- Unbolt the upper suspension links and then separate the de dion at both ends

Now you can take the tube apart and work on it without needing to keep your neck ata a funny angle and without assorted road grot falling in your eyes, nose and mouth

While you have the tube out it would be worth lookin at and probably redoing the oil seals and perhaps the bushes on the rear end; they will likley all be of similar age and if the bellows seal has split from old age then there's a fair chance that the other rubber parts are also past their best

Putting it back together is simply the reverse of taking it apart, but the manual suggests you don't torque the bolts for the upper and lower arms until the car is on it's wheels again - this is a devil of a job if you don't have a pit or a stand to can get under the car with the weight on the wheels. Torque figures with the car back on the ground are 54lbft

Aidrian

 

[harveyp6]

If you just want to replace the boot, mark where the elbow meets the de dion tube, then remove the bolts, and nuts joining them together. Cut off the old boot, and stretch the new one over the end of the tube. bolt back together using your marks. Fit the expanding clip to the outer end but don't fit the clip that goes round the outside of the tube until the car is back on the ground and has been driven round the block. If you have a level plug add a few shots of oil, if not add them through the boot and fit the clip.

If you want to remove the tube there's no need to remove anything other than the ring of bolts/nuts at both ends.