Hi all,

You guys have helped me out with advice before and I find myself back again with the hope you can help me get over my latest stumbling block.

I am trying to install new cotter pins in conjunction with re-installing a set of rear springs.

To start with I want to query the way to insert the cotter pin into the casting: the workshop manual I have shows a diagram telling me to install this from the rear and bolt up from the side where the spring would be. The biggest issue I'm having with this is to insert round the web on the casting! the pin doesn't sit home with ease and even when I do manage to get it on the hole (with no spring pin installed), the web/boss on the casting would stop me help it home by pushing on the end...Is it acceptable to insert from the other direction and bolt up on the rearward hole???
(When I took these out, one appeared to be installed one way, the other the opposite; hence I know the potential drama this may cause in trying to remove at a later date)

The old and new cotter appear to be parallel down the length and do not have any kind of a taper on; so I am assuming a straight through is in the casting, this seems to be confirmed as I can insert the new cotter pin into and through the casting with no spring pin installed from the forward/'spring' side.

After establishing a straight hole for the cotter I continued on to install the old spring pin & spring and am struggling to line up and insert the new cotter pin. I can see the flat on the spring pin through the hole in the casting. However I can no longer get the pin round the webbing at the rear and line up with the hole, the spring-pin seems reduce the amount of room available enough that inserting from the front seems the only logical thing to do...(I await some advice on that line of thinking).

I have only used 'finger-force' so far before writing this post but I can insert the cotter pin from the spring side and it starts to go in, it tightens up and after a round of filing down the flat on the cotter to match the old pin (the thread on this making this now scrap, after removal proved problematic), it goes in a little further. Resisting the temptation to help it along with a little hit I have decided to write this post first! What advice do you have as to making the cotter pin fit into place, should it slide most the way/all the way in before hitting it tight?

So in summary:
1. Is it ok to insert the rear spring cotter from the forward hole?
2. Any advice on making it fit/installing into place?

(apologies I seem to have downloaded my thoughts into one long post!)

Location: Oxfordshire

I had to do this fiddly job recently-- not easy but worth persevering. Once you have the spring pin correctly positioned, see if you can refit one of the old cotter pins, entering from spring side and gently tapping home. When you can see enough thread protruding, drift it out and fit a new one. This presumes you haven't thrown the old ones away!
Good luck.

Charles

Ryan you need to shorten the cotters just enough to clear the casting when inserting the pins from the rear, if you take the easy way out now by fitting them with the nuts at the rear you will struggle when you next need to remove them.
You may find that when you put the pins in, you will not be able to get them to enter the outermost axle flange, I put an adjustable spanner on the bottom spring leaf to twist the leaf until you can get the pin to enter the outer flange.
Another thing is to check the flats on the new pins are not blocking the cotter hole when taped up tight to the axle, if they are remove and Increase the flat to clear. It's not unusual for pattern pins to have the flats in the wrong place.Cheers Ian M

Location: Bristol

Ryan Just to make it clear should read EDGES of the flats may block the holes for the cotters. Ian M

Location: Bristol

And the casing is machined flat for the cotter nut and spring washer seating on the front- the rear is not machined.

Cheers, Tony.

Location: Melbourne. Victoria, Australia.

Evening all,

Just wanted to post a little update should anyone else stumble across this thread. After some persistence I have managed to fettle down the new cotter pin to suit. My attitude was to take it step by step and it paid off when the cotter pin fitted round the web on the rear side and slotted home with a reassuring gentle tap to tighten up and expose the thread on the spring side. Now just to repeat for the opposite hand!

If my understanding of how to post a photo is correct, hopefully a picture will appear below showing the original, the fitted and the as-new pins:



https://www.dropbox.com/s/t2n2h4aekzehcen/Photo%2013-03-2017%2C%2013%2013%2056.jpg?dl=0

Many thanks again for everyone's help and advice!

Location: Oxford

Just going to try once more with this photo, this time following the instructions on another forum post, so here it goes:

Location: Oxford