A TALE OF TWO D9s (OR BRAKING NEW GROUND)
The mechanical overhaul of D9 4871 has continued over the Winter and Spring months. Content with the fact that antifreeze could now be safely left in the cooling system without most of it immediately leaking on to the floor, attention turned to a brake and hub overhaul. Whilst it appears that there had been thorough chassis overhaul by Stourbridge garage just prior to its withdrawal, that was 30 years ago... Sadly some of the somewhat expensive wheel bearings had failed simply as a result of prolonged periods of inactivity, so also had the hydraulic parts of the braking system prompting a comment from Kevin that ‘Surely the brake fluid should be on the inside of the wheel cylinders??’
The usual number of failed wheel cylinders, hoses, master cylinder, servo pump, etc., were duly replaced with refurbished versions plus the odd brake shoe and wheel bearing or two. An interesting ‘find’ wedged in near side rear brake shoe was the remnants of a sheared wheel stud from a previous failure. So now it starts, runs and stops.
Attention now turned to the replacement of the rear rubber suspension units since at least two of them have converted themselves into voided bushes! Whilst we have been aware for sometime that the rearmost transverse crossmember supporting two of the four units has been somewhat ‘whiskery’ and in need of the Metal Doctor (this vehicle has had four Carlyle Works body overhauls after all….). Dave Parry and I were somewhat concerned that after removing the nearside rear suspension unit it came away with most of the crossmember attached. We are now reverting to ‘Plan B’ and will be replacing the offending structure in its entirety which should keep some of us out of mischief well into this winter and beyond.
Meanwhile the other D9, 5016, has failed to carry few passengers this ‘Summer’ living up to its name of the ‘Rain Maker’, but it did carry a good load at the Aston Manor Open Day on 8 July (but it poured on the way home!). Whilst not in use a change of rear shock absorbers (and my personal thanks to the last fitter who put one of the mounting bolts in the other way round not thinking that someone might just remove it some 30 years hence!) has now removed the bouncy castle ride.
This particular D9 has also been cursed since its purchase in 1984 by ‘poor’ brakes (aren’t they all like that?) and whilst fully complying with test requirements in terms of efficiency, freedom of leaks etc the lengthy pedal travel has been somewhat unexplained despite most of the system having been renewed over the years in an attempt to cure it. Eventually it gave cause to render its removal from service prior to the Spring Bank Holiday Open weekend [Omnibus no.180]. One fine day in June therefore found it on the pit with myself and Dave Parry electing to not go home until the cause was found! By clamping off various parts of the hydraulics in turn, a solitary copper washer on one of the rear wheel cylinders was found to be defective (it wouldn’t leak fluid but would occasionally draw air in on release of the brakes). So not only was the curse of difficult bleeding overcome but we were now rewarded with an extremely short pedal travel.
The task of the first brake test was ‘volunteered’ to Kevin with myself on the platform giving ‘three bells’ when the road behind was clear. The resultant efficiency was never expected with all four wheels ‘locking out’ and yours truly being thrown the entire length of the lower saloon; the bruises to my left arm took some weeks to disappear. I am reminded of a similar incident in 1979 when Lloyd Penfold managed to hurl a somewhat younger Peter Murphy the full length of D7 4482 at Warrington (complete with flask in hand) after some fettling of its brakes. Meanwhile 5016’s brakes were then passed off as ‘satisfactory’.
Jeremy Price
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
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