When Berlingo Rear Suspension is Low - Remove the Torsion Bars Using Hydraulic Ram

Step 1 try slide hammer + M8 studding to pull out bar - result no good threads in nut failed torsion bar didn't start to move.

Step 2 watch YouTube videos - no practical use !

Step 3 start looking for a hollow hydraulic ram to pull the bar out.

Step 4 decide on 30Ton x 50mm ram on eBay

Step 5 ram arrives - buy a pipe to connect a hand pump I already had to the ram

Step 6 pipe connector didn't fit ram ! Find a suitable 5/8" tapered thread adapter from Completely Hydraulic

Step 7 fill with oil

Step 8 make a 8mm stepped collar to mate ram with 8mm threaded rod

Step 8 make a hollow tube to go between the ram and trailing arm shoulder

Step 9 assemble everything and start pumping the hand pump - result rod snapped at torsion rod !

Step 10 heat trailing arm with blowtorch and try again with a fresh threaded rod - result the rod stretched and broke.

Step 11 Try again stretch the rod 20mm then use a brass drift and hammer on the other end of the torsion rod - result success the rod pulled out !

Step 12 repeat the process on the other torsion bar

Step 13 the anti roll bar is easier to remove because the splined socket in the arm is split

The two rods are 20.6mm x 1030mm

Without hammering the spline from the other end the rod broke , hammer + ram worked without heat

Second rod broke

Threaded steel collar to locate the 8mm rod in the ram center

You can see after stretching the thread pitch is larger on the pulled side - the rod can only be used once!

View down ram support tube - allows splines to pass through

Rod after use has stretched 10mm

Hand pump with pipe couplings and oil supplied by Leigh Baxter Hydraulics Essex

Ram disconnected without loss of fluid

View through ram 

Ram with connector replaced

Hand pump

Pipe and ram are connected

Threaded collar in action

Close up of trailing arm

Shows ram is use pulling torsion bar out

The RCH-3050 ram from eBay - comes with a connector that nothing mates with - but the hole in the ram is standard 5/8" tapered thread

The left coupling is a standard type, the right one is standard on the ram and cant be used - the ram is Chinese

Original connector fitted to ram - remove it

Left is connector at the pipe end - obviously it wont mate with the ram connector

Bad connector again

Assortment of adapters from pipe to coupling

Hand pump with 5/8" tapered thread

April 2020 SARebuild 18 Traction Motor

28 MAY 2020 After the last motor problem I have modified the armature shaft replacing the inner stupid circlip with a steel sleeve spacer for the 50/90 x 30mm bearing. The aim of this is to limit the end float.
Mods to the gearbox casing are to drastically increase cooling air flow.

 This rotates at 6000RPM at 60MPH

 Running a constant 55MPH causes an unintended pumping effect in the gearbox. This eventually pumps all the oil out to the near side wheel the gearbox will eventually run dry!

 Mods to the field winding are to thoroughly clean it with white spirit - dry it then saturate it in clear varnish - something the manufacturer didn't do for some reason

 Tape up the field winding wires to help pull them through - helps re assembly

 50mm thrust washers replace non extant thrust washers in the original

124024 miles. Another breakdown on the M4 East J6 I'm sorry to report. I was in the section without hard shoulder when the motor again cut out! I needed to call the AA for emergency recovery. (it took 4 hours) 30-1-2020
When I got back I removed the motor again and pulled off the ends. The circlips restricting the armature shaft end-float had worn away a section of the shaft allowing the windings to come into contact with the gearbox casing. This shorted the armature windings destroying them!

Brush holder worn away due to armature end float