Just an idea
Moderators: Ian Grace, Will Grace
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Highlander
- Posts: 489
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:52 am
Just an idea
I am still looking at my new back axle diff cage which is now on the bench (Thanks to Ian and Toby) I had hoped to put it straight back into my axle but most of you said 'have a good look first'. Ian suggested looking at the Members Area where an article appears called Rear Axle Repairs. The computer is not second nature for me but I got there and another world can to light!!! The article re axles is first class - far to difficult for a non engineer to understand but well illustrated and if taken step by step even I learned something. My idea - Why not publish this article in our Magazine or Newsletter? It is only 6 pages and I am sure, with all the 'new' minors that have appeared in the last year, members would appreciate such information. The first question you will ask me is why dont I print the article off? I cannot!! A Granddaughter will and that is her next task. I am sure that there must be other article - engine, gearbox, wiring, brakes etc that could also be published in the Mag or Newsletter. It is too early for me to join Ian for my double dram so in the meantime lets all get writing and fill the forum with super ideas like mine!!!!! Highlander.
Re: Just an idea
Good thinking! I try to publish as much technical data as I can in the Magazine - under Technical Topics. The early Magazines all had fairly major Tech Topics articles covering all the main areas of interest. I will pdf these and make them available on the website as a set, since we have so many members who have joined since those early days and won't have the early Magazines. (I'm currently in the middle of a fairly major overhaul of the website, as you may have spotted. Then we can see what areas are not covered so well and make up the difference. In the meantime, if anyone wants to offer material for future Tech Topics, don't hold yourself back! Jack Prior's article will also appear in full in the 2008 Yearbook.
Re: Just an idea
OK - Just put the first 11 articles in the Members' Area - Enjoy. And let me know if I screwed up any of the links! I'll add more shortly - got to go Christmas shopping...
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Ken Martin
- Posts: 110
- Joined: Tue Nov 28, 2006 10:05 am
Re: Just an idea
I have read your VMR and PWMN Forum postings on rear axle repairs and caught up with your rear axle problems and I sympathise!
The general rule I follow with final drives or ‘diffs’ is to leave well alone if all looks well. It is notoriously tricky to set used crown wheel and pinions up again after they have been disturbed, as they are likely to have worn to suit the arrangement they had become accustomed to over many thousands of miles.
However you clearly had a ‘shot’ unit in your car and have evidently dismantled the replacement unit and been reading Jack Prior’s paper for advice and information. The late Jack Prior was a friend of mine and he wrote the article on rear axles for me about 25 years ago. It was later published in The Journal of the Morris Register. It is very detailed and technical - Jack was a wonderfully gifted technical writer – in fact latterly he did this for the RAF I think.
However a more accessible and practical bench guide written by Mike Allison, can be found in Chapter 11 of the book entitled ‘MG Road Cars Volume One – Four Cylinder OHC 1929- 1936’ by Malcolm Green. However even this does not make the task easy!
If for any reason you take the crown wheel off the differential cage then I recommend that you buy a set of self-locking nuts and bolts from Sports & Vintage Motors (or similar) for reassembly, as adjusting the depth of the castellated nuts to be just tight enough AND have the split pin holes aligned is a time consuming and patience testing task. Last year I spent hours reassembling a final drive using part-worn gears around new bearings and had to give up as I could not get the crown wheel and pinion to mesh smoothly throughout the circle. Fortunately I had a good spare unit to use albeit one with the wrong ratio. Sorry to be downbeat, but honesty is the best policy!
The general rule I follow with final drives or ‘diffs’ is to leave well alone if all looks well. It is notoriously tricky to set used crown wheel and pinions up again after they have been disturbed, as they are likely to have worn to suit the arrangement they had become accustomed to over many thousands of miles.
However you clearly had a ‘shot’ unit in your car and have evidently dismantled the replacement unit and been reading Jack Prior’s paper for advice and information. The late Jack Prior was a friend of mine and he wrote the article on rear axles for me about 25 years ago. It was later published in The Journal of the Morris Register. It is very detailed and technical - Jack was a wonderfully gifted technical writer – in fact latterly he did this for the RAF I think.
However a more accessible and practical bench guide written by Mike Allison, can be found in Chapter 11 of the book entitled ‘MG Road Cars Volume One – Four Cylinder OHC 1929- 1936’ by Malcolm Green. However even this does not make the task easy!
If for any reason you take the crown wheel off the differential cage then I recommend that you buy a set of self-locking nuts and bolts from Sports & Vintage Motors (or similar) for reassembly, as adjusting the depth of the castellated nuts to be just tight enough AND have the split pin holes aligned is a time consuming and patience testing task. Last year I spent hours reassembling a final drive using part-worn gears around new bearings and had to give up as I could not get the crown wheel and pinion to mesh smoothly throughout the circle. Fortunately I had a good spare unit to use albeit one with the wrong ratio. Sorry to be downbeat, but honesty is the best policy!
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Highlander
- Posts: 489
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:52 am
Re: Just an idea
Dear Ian and Ken, Thank you so much for your prompt answers to what, to some, may seem frivolous questions. Some of us are just old vehicle enthusiasts,who over many years have learned to keep these vehicles running by looking and watching others. This last year or so I have noticed, in our Register, many 'new' enthusiasts who have not had the advantage to have Fathers, Uncles, Brothers or old fashioned car mecanics on hand to help. This Forum gives us all the chance to pool all our expertise to the common good. Amen!! I am e.mailing you both separately. Highlander.