A7 universal joints

[Ian Robert]

Hi 
After at last getting my A7 Ruby (1937) running again after a long rest I manouvered it on the drive and broke a half shaft.
Removing the axle seems reasonably straightforward and I am following the advice to leave the torque tube attached and disconnect the rear universal joint.
On examination it seems that unbolting would be very fiddly and long winded as there is little room to manoeuvre.An easier solution seems to be to remove the circlips from one of th UVjoint "pins" .
Looking at some old service books it appears that it may have needle roller bearings which if they are not in a cage could be difficult to keep together in which case I will have to remove the bolts
Am I missing something or is there an easy way.
Hopefully somebody will say yes and tell me

Ian

[Derek Sheldon]

Hi 
After at last getting my A7 Ruby (1937) running again after a long rest I manouvered it on the drive and broke a half shaft.
Removing the axle seems reasonably straightforward and I am following the advice to leave the torque tube attached and disconnect the rear universal joint.
On examination it seems that unbolting would be very fiddly and long winded as there is little room to manoeuvre.An easier solution seems to be to remove the circlips from one of th UVjoint "pins" .
Looking at some old service books it appears that it may have needle roller bearings which if they are not in a cage could be difficult to keep together in which case I will have to remove the bolts
Am I missing something or is there an easy way.
Hopefully somebody will say yes and tell me

Ian

Ian,
It's not difficult, what you suggest is.
Jack one back corner off the ground so that the prop can be turned. I use a large screwdriver pushed through the UJ to stop it turning whilst undoing each of the four nuts. It really is not difficult. Infact if you are finding this part difficult best get a professional to do the whole job.

[Peter Naulls]

Ian,
Use an open ended spanner, it's much easier than a socket. You can access the nuts either from under the car or through the little hatch in the transmission tunnel. There's no need to remove the bolts, just remove the nuts and slide the propshaft forwards.

Peter.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Peter is spot on but even better is a ratchet spanner - makes jobs like this so much easier.

A 13mm one will fit, if you don't want the expense of a whitworth one - credit must go to Robert Foreman for this saver!

[Ian Robert]

Ok thanks for the responses I will do what I first thought was the answer and unbolt the UV joint, it was just because the amount of turn on each bolt was so limited I wondered if there was a quicker way, hopefully once started they can be turned by fingers.
I have whitworth spanners but it is useful to know 13mm will fit as well, it is always fun with pre-war cars trying to work out what sort of bolts have been used especially when you are not sure what previous owners did in the first 50 years.
The car is over a pit so access is reasonable but as I am only 10 years younger than the car My preference is to go for the option that involves the least amount of hard work

Ian

[Speedex750]

Hi Ian,
If it's 'just' the half shaft you want to renew there is another way. Undo the bolts around the differential casing and remove half of the axle casing - just one side. The differential and both half shafts then slide away from the pinion. I've done this a few times lying under the car, it'll be easier still over a pit?

And on reconstruction follow all the other advice on the Forum about halfshafts particularly about tightening them v b tight - and following them up over the next few hundreds of miles.

I hope you get it moving again.

Dave

[Bob Culver]

The disentangling from and reuniting of axle casing with the spring is often a mission; a second pair of hands likely useful. Nonetheless removing an axle shaft, or direct reassembly is not overly complex. But close attention to all the check points (axle and hub oil seals, cracks in other axle, taper fits, puller thread on hub, studs, retention of exact crownwheel positon and loading influenced by gasket,  axle shaft assembled length etc) can develop into  a saga.

There have been very many posts where Derek's last sentence would have been the most appropriate reply!

Although In my observation  with old cars professional “mechanic” attention, unless by someone familiar with the a model, is often less capable than a patient amateur.

The experts may comment but I suspect the axle assembly releses more easily if the springs are supported so that not fully drooping down.

[Ian Robert]

Thanks for the replies, I have unbolted the UV joint and the torque tube support. I have also removed one of the suspension pins, llike everything else once you see how it goes together it is fairly straightforward.
Re " professionals" as I told a professor of my acquaintance professing to know something doesn't mean you actually know it.
Having said that I have outsourced some of the work on my Wolseley hornet special, mostly in the interests of domestic harmony! but A7 mechanics are fairly basic and therapeutic.
I don't know why the post does not appear on the forum, I suspect I am doing something wrong. THAT is where I need a professional.

Ian

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Thanks for the replies, I have unbolted the UV joint and the torque tube support. I have also removed one of the suspension pins, llike everything else once you see how it goes together it is fairly straightforward.
Re " professionals" as I told a professor of my acquaintance  professing to know something doesn't mean you actually know it.
Having said that I have outsourced some of the work on my Wolseley hornet special, mostly in the  interests of domestic harmony! but A7 mechanics are fairly basic and therapeutic.
I don't know why the post does not appear on the forum, I suspect I am doing something wrong. THAT is where I need a professional.

Ian