Phoenix crank location

[Chris KC]

Good luck John. I would only add - sorry if teaching to suck eggs - that if you do end up taking more off the crank try to 'blend' it and avoid creating any 'notches' that may act as stress raisers; also avoid getting it very hot in the process - if necessary do a bit at a time.

[John3528]

Not teaching Granny at all, your points noted and very gratefully received. Part of the fun of this Austin Seven is coming across different mechanical problems and learning from others. Today has been a perfect example of this.

[Greig Smith]

I also opened up the oil pockets on the Phoenix crank I have in the race car as I felt that they were rather small and I was concerned about oil feed to the bearings... granted I'm revving it to 6k and have the Forrest double oil conversion on it, but while it was out I opened them up and radiused the holes before having the whole lot balanced

Probably not required for a road car, but it was a mornings work and peace of mind was how I viewed it

Aye
Greig

[John3528]

Many thanks for that thought Greig. I'll look at that aspect when I get the crank out. My first job is to make the tool to push out the front bearings!

[Chris KC]

They will normally come out fairly easily with a long, thin drift held against the inner race of the rearmost bearing, as long as you warm the case up first to expand it away from the outer races (n.b. On A7's they are not normally tight on the shaft, though on a new Phoenix shaft that might be different). I've had mine out with a long tent peg in the past.

[AustinWood]

I found the bearings were tight on the shaft of my 1-1/8 Phoenix. The front web did come close to the crankcase but a small chamfer fixed that.
So long as the little ends aren't tight against the pistons and there is some clearance I wouldn't think it would matter much. Possibley not worth the trouble of trying to fiddle it. So long as the crank is properly located I would probably leave well alone if it were me.

[Terrytuned]

They are tight on the shaft of a Phoenix crank, they don't need to be I polish out the bore of the bearings with an emery wheel until they are a sliding fit on the crank secured by a 5/8 nose bolt they are not going to move. Terry.

[Colin Wilks]

Terry, please will you explain your logic for machining the inside of the bearing rather than the shaft of the crank? To my simple mind it would seem easier to maintain concentricity by doing the latter.

[Greig Smith]

I'm pretty sure Terry's answer will be because bearings are cheap and cranks are not.....

Least ways that's how I view it

Aye
Greig

[Terrytuned]

If you reduce the size of the crank you will end up with a loose fit timing gear, using an emery flap wheel of a suitable size I have never had a problem you only need to remove a thou or two at the most. Terry.