Lack of drive

[Duncan Grimmond]

Yes, the key was in two pieces, fairly neatly sheared. Thinking back, I did hear a bit of a bang-ette the other day from the rear and couldn't work out what it was. I had an investigatory feel of the brake, thinking it might have been a shoe sticking but I suppose it was the key shearing and I've had drive on the taper until today.

[Bob Culver]

The need to adjust the nut so the split pin fits discourages regular checking and tightening of the hub nuts. I ran my car for years with no pin, but one can be fitted outside of the thread. It is then a simple matter to regularly tighten; any persistent movement suggests trouble.

[Greig Smith]

Bob is spot on here, I use a special silver metal-fill type Locktite for mounting the hubs, the manufacturer claims it fills the tiny voids inherent with taper fittings, and definitely with older taper fittings - yes we lap the hubs to the side shafts, but generally there are grooves etc. So this stuff fills the voids and also builds up around the key and the key way making it a 100% fit.

I've noticed on the race cars that after a few runs the hub nuts are fractionally loose, often not enough to make a full segment to get the split pin to line up. In this case I use Locktite and fit the pin outside the nut if possible.... just to prevent loosing the darn thing if the planets suddenly decide to rotate counter clockwise or sumpthin'

Although looking around me right now, I think the world has selected reverse gear.....

Aye
Greig

[Peter Sweeney]

Sorry posted reply on the Key way thread. Loosing the plot must be a virus.

[bob46320]

when I fitted my half shafts I used a smear of "Liquid Metal" epoxy.

[Bruce Nicholls]

My half shafts have had no keys for decades and I have not had a problem to date. Never used any fixative products as I have always found the hubs difficult enough to remove as it is. No split pins either as the position of the castellations never lines up with the hole.