28-09-2017, 10:34 AM
1938/39 (heavy) back axle assembling.
I am just about to put the diff/shaft assembly back into the axle casings after all new bearings on the axle. The thrust bearings are fitted to the diff carrier; one went on too easily so was removed and put back with LOCTITE and the second one also had LOCTITE applied but it proved more difficult and took a lot of (fairly gentle) knocking on with hammer and drift (against inner race obviously).
I don't know how good a fit the outers will be in the case.....I didn't try them while they were off
I know that they will need to be able to be moved in their housing to get the correct backlash so assembling with LOCTITE is not an option so hoping they will be tight (the ones removed by unscrewing the adjusters were a good fit
)
Question
What is the best way to fit the casings assuming the thrust bearing outers are going to be a good tight fit in their housing?
Thoughts/musings
1. Put one half at a time on......starting with which half?
2. Don't like the idea of pulling the 2 halves together with the bolts around the flanges incase of distorting.
3. Don't like the idea of putting one end on wood block on ground (with hole for half shaft to sit in) and hammering on other end (via block of wood) as I am aware that shock will be transmitted via outer race to balls against inner race and possibility of thus creating small indentations on the races.
4. Heat around casing by bearing housing then combination of pushing, drawing together with bolts and gentle knocking on end as in 2??
I have one of those induction heaters with the long element that can be wrapped round the case. I have not had any experience of heat application so would be working blind as to how HOT to get it before bearing race would go into housing easily and how quickly it would cool down and require further heating to continue the process.
5. I have a floor standing hydraulic press which I could probably find a way of rigging up wood blocks at each end of casings to push the 2 halves together, perhaps with added heat as well?
All comments gratefully accepted.
I am being somewhat fussy about this car rebuild because I am getting on in age and expect this to be the final major work I will ever have to do before having to retire from driving and am expecting around 65 - 70 bhp to be being put through the transmission.
Dennis
I am just about to put the diff/shaft assembly back into the axle casings after all new bearings on the axle. The thrust bearings are fitted to the diff carrier; one went on too easily so was removed and put back with LOCTITE and the second one also had LOCTITE applied but it proved more difficult and took a lot of (fairly gentle) knocking on with hammer and drift (against inner race obviously).
I don't know how good a fit the outers will be in the case.....I didn't try them while they were off
I know that they will need to be able to be moved in their housing to get the correct backlash so assembling with LOCTITE is not an option so hoping they will be tight (the ones removed by unscrewing the adjusters were a good fit
)Question
What is the best way to fit the casings assuming the thrust bearing outers are going to be a good tight fit in their housing?
Thoughts/musings
1. Put one half at a time on......starting with which half?
2. Don't like the idea of pulling the 2 halves together with the bolts around the flanges incase of distorting.
3. Don't like the idea of putting one end on wood block on ground (with hole for half shaft to sit in) and hammering on other end (via block of wood) as I am aware that shock will be transmitted via outer race to balls against inner race and possibility of thus creating small indentations on the races.
4. Heat around casing by bearing housing then combination of pushing, drawing together with bolts and gentle knocking on end as in 2??
I have one of those induction heaters with the long element that can be wrapped round the case. I have not had any experience of heat application so would be working blind as to how HOT to get it before bearing race would go into housing easily and how quickly it would cool down and require further heating to continue the process.
5. I have a floor standing hydraulic press which I could probably find a way of rigging up wood blocks at each end of casings to push the 2 halves together, perhaps with added heat as well?
All comments gratefully accepted.
I am being somewhat fussy about this car rebuild because I am getting on in age and expect this to be the final major work I will ever have to do before having to retire from driving and am expecting around 65 - 70 bhp to be being put through the transmission.
Dennis