Soooooo...you all remember I said i was "really close to the MOT" ???
Well, being true to my work ethic, i thought i'd investigate a small oil seep from the o/s freewheel hub.
Thinking it'd just be a borked oil seal in the axle tube, i started to take the stub off in high hopes of a 30min job..........
Fat.Fooking.Chance!
After the FWH was off (found a load of mud, sand and random **** in there...NOT a good sign) I pulled the stub and drive shaft out.....and what do I find in the swivel housing..... ???
The ****ing remains of the axle/shaft support bearing !!
Looks like Captain ****wit had taken a bash at removing the collars, and the borked cages ...then simply given up - leaving the shaft collar split and rattling around, the mullered outer race still in the swivel housing, and the rest of the bearing rollers still mooshing around in the grease/sand/mud !!!
took me 10 mins to get that lot removed, hardly a bloody taxing job. Expensive, though..... £30 for the bearings, and another £28 for the oil seal collar - Ouch.
So.....MOT is now on hold until i've rebuilt the swivel .. annoyingly, i can't remember if i checked the N/S so that has to come off aswell !
The more I find, as ever, the more i'm convinced this poor truck was left in a riverbed, or partially buried in ****e.
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BUT some GOOD news is that i popped into CWS in Glastonbury today, so see if I can get some corner glass for the cab.....and the chap in there told me that Defender glass would fit perfectly......and for both sides @ £30 i was willing to take the chance.......and fook me, they DO !!
Woot ! Yay!