My Spitfire 1500.

[johny]

Doesnt look bad enough for that, whats the main bearing like?

[Peter Truman]

Remember the seal on the inner side of the bearing housing ie diff side needs to be put in backwards ie to get grease out when you service by pump grease in or otherwise the grease will. Be pumped or run into the break drum side. Don’t ask how I found out?

[Richeee]

Thanks for the information / reminder. I knew it had a specific way, but not read up yet which way. 

Please all keep chipping in.   All useful.

 

[Richeee]

6 minutes ago, johny said:

Doesnt look bad enough for that, whats the main bearing like?

Main bearing very good and smooth.

The uj , and all bearings will be repaced along with trunnions and arm bushes. Deffinetly rear offside.

Another week when back together should tell.

[Pete Lewis]

new shaft is not a bad idea . used one fitted to the opposite hand to its life span can emanate a fracture and 

end up with the torsional memory being unwound from years of use/loading and  kaboom    shear off

any second hand are ok if its got the backplate on that gives you the which side clue .

Pete

[johny]

You have a choice of trunnion bushes: cheaper original mild steel sleeve, plastic bushes with rubber seals to try to stop water ingress and corrosion or more expensive stainless sleeve with no seals and poly bushes... 

[Richeee]

Looks like i can read the table whilst waiting for new driveshaft to turn up.

[Richeee]

Well it could have been a very long read.   

New long toilet shafts are the covid toilet paper.   No where, unless used.  Club shot, firchetts, Paddock, moss , Rimmers.    None to be hand.    Was looking at smoothing mine and reusing temporarily.   Rimmers on their website say 18th Sept.

Then remember that a member at a club are esteemed area organiser said he may have some old complete assemblies that i could investigate.    So friday i did.

And collected a couple for some plastic money. Well not made of paper anymore.

1 was solid and the other had some free play. Only 1 way to find out.   Strip them down.

The first one was rusted out drum shoe end and had to use a 3 leg puller just to get the drum off.   But was able to eventually strip and find it was just as bad as mine.

Whilst doing these my son in law sent me pictures of what i was missing at Exbury today.

Grrrrrr

Any way stripped the 2nd one and all bar some witness marks was actually quite good.   Wrong hand so may have a break later but hopefully be ok till new ones are available.

So start building up. Then stripping as i forgot the paper gasket but soon all built up. 

But got a bit left over aghhhh.   Have to take the nut off again.

One problem , the oil thrower , stone guard is loose.   Dont want to burn the seal near by but might just give it a quick dab of weld in the morning.

 

 

 

[Richeee]

When welding the stone guard to the shaft.    I can tell you from first hand experience not to use brake cleaner as a weld coolant.  🔥. 

Anyway disaster avoided.

Decided then on hotest day of the year to lie on the gravel drive and sweat like mad putting the drive shaft back in. 

One of my little bleeders is staying with me for the summer so he was quickly put to use when i reconnected the brake line.   Good job all that time and effort i put into his training was not wasted. Down , release , hold it  Down and it was all soon bled.

Took for a spin and all good, and the rumble had gone.   Hurrah. 

 

Will when available purchase a couple of drive shafts because would like to do them both.    But for now all good.  

Club run Wednesday.    Shuttle worth in a few weeks.   Hopefully now all sorted.  Till something else breaks.