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Hi Ian,
The axle came without any hubs. I was planning to fit the ones from the RN banjo axle, and then put the Ruby axle with its semi-Girlings onto my RN.
Is the full-Girling axle you mention what I've seen called the 'heavy axle'?
Thanks,
Roger
Location: Dorset UK
As Ian says, it looks like your axle has a mix of halfshafts with one from the later 'heavy' type. A quick look through our suppliers on line catalogues will tell you that halfshaft nuts for both types are available.
Loctite for keyways and tapers. Firstly, within reason, the fit of the key is not too important as it's only there to locate the hub on the halfshaft when fitting. The drive should always be through the taper, not the key. Loctite on the taper - be careful what you wish for. You might want to take it apart one day. Having spent the best part of the last two weeks trying to split two halfshaft tapers that weren't fitted using Loctite and failing such that both hubs had to be cut off it's not a route I fancy. I know others will disagree but it's not for me
Steve
Location: North Yorkshire
That's right Roger.
Full girling and heavy axles also have much longer keys and hubs to suit.
I fully concur with Steve's thoughts on loctite and and tapers.
Don't do it unless you are certain YOU won't want to take it apart again.
There are indeed several different dia.of half shaft but I don't have the details to hand here in the wilds of North Britain.
Location: Bristol
Location: N W Kent
Each will have their own experiences, it is all down to what you are comfortable with, personally I am with Stuart under some conditions and Ian under others. If a hub and taper have old damage I use Loctite, and seem to be able to get things apart again. however a perfect set of hub and half shaft I fit sans Loctite, as there should be no need. The worst hub I have ever had to remove was one that had spun and virtually friction welded itself to the halfshaft, It took a very big sledge hammer to remove that one!
Location: NZ
Location: North Yorkshire
Many thanks to everyone for their advice. Now to investigate further!
Stuart - please could you explain how you 'jump' the hubs off the halfshafts?
~Cheers,
roger
Location: Dorset UK
Location: N W Kent
Stuart,
Thanks for that clear explanation. I use a club hammer, but the idea of combining croquet (my only sport) with vintage car fettling (my favourite pastime) is very appealing and I shall certainly try this technique next time. It should achieve a more straight-on blow than my method.
Finally, can anyone confirm if the 'light-type' halfshafts from my March 1932 banjo axle will fit my semi-Girling Ruby D-type?
Many thanks,
Roger
Location: Dorset UK
Hello Roger, I've previously asked the question the other way round.e.g. will the insides of a D axle fit a banjo case and the answer was yes, it will but you need to check on the type of bearings fitted.
I dont suppose that you want to sell the banjo axle casings? I really only need the actual banjo but would take all three parts if necessary.
Location: Near M1 Motorway Jtn 28
Location: NW Devon
Thanks Brian,
I think that one solution to my problem is to use the half shafts from my banjo, especially as the tapers are a good fit with the hubs. For the time being I shall keep all the parts 'just in case', but if I do decide to sell I shall email you.
Yes Dennis, you are right, Loctite say heat is the way to separate a joint if one of their more powerful products has been used - eg, 660 otherwise known as Quick Metal.
Roger
Location: Dorset UK
Location: N W Kent
Location: Shropshire
OK, egg on face time!
I have now split my D-type axle case with a view to fitting the half shafts from my banjo axle. This is a capital idea as the hubs I am using are also off the banjo and all have decent matching tapers.
On closer scrutiny on the brightly-lit bench it is clear that I do actually have matching correct half shafts in the D-type - but what I had taken to be one with a larger thread had, in fact, been walloped on the end (probably to remove the hub) which had slightly mushroomed the thread giving the impression to this mechanic grovelling about on the gloomy garage floor that it was of a larger diameter.
Now I have a couple of questions to help me make one good axle from the two:
1. I haven't yet removed or dismantled the torque tubes, so I don't know the state of the bearings, but I have measured about .050" pinion end float on the D-type. This seems too much, but it isn't clear to me how it should be adjusted. Advice please.
I have noted the eye-watering price of the torque tube AC bearings and hope that I can avoid having to buy a pair!
2. The AC differential bearings all have varying amounts of movement if I hold them between finger and thumb and 'rock' them while they are still on the diff. What is the correct way to establish if they are reusable?
Cheers,
Roger
Location: Dorset UK
Location: N W Kent
Stuart,
Many thanks for your advice in your last post.
I have now dismantled both torque tubes and find different faults in each. All the bearings have differing amounts of wear, so I have ordered a complete new set for the D-type which should put things back to as good as new.
I plan to keep the banjo diff assy and the banjo undamaged half shaft as spares for the D-type as I believe they are the same (??).
But I see that the pinion shafts are different, the banjo having a shoulder behind the pinion that the D-type does not. However. . . will the complete banjo torque tube & pinion assembly (with its mated crown wheel) fit the D-type? It would be good to rebuild that and keep it as a spare also.
Advice, as usual, much appreciated.
Roger
Location: Dorset UK
Correction - I should have said that the D-type pinion has the shoulder . . sorry!
Roger
Location: Dorset UK
Along with the matching Crownwheel, either pinion will fit either axle but you need to use the matching radial load bearings (the one that sits against the pinion gear) and the matching spacer.
If you banjo axle is as it left the factory, it will have a ball bearing against the pinion gear. The Semi Girling D type should have a roller bearing on the 1 1/8" stepped shoulder next to the pinion gear. On both pinions there is a spacer between the paired AC thrust bearings and the radial load bearing, but as these bearings are not the same width, you need to use the matching spacer to the bearing style. The roller race radial load bearing spacer is narrower as the the roller bearing is wider than the ball race used on the earlier axles.
The outer diameter of both radial load bearings are the same, so, the ball and roller styles will interchange between the axles. If you look at your D type axle, there is a peg sticking out just below the roller bearing outer track, this was to stop the track wandering down towards the Crownwheel. When I've installed roller type CW & P assemblies in early axles, I've always drilled and tapped the banjo case and fitted a peg made from a sawn off bolt.
The diffs and short taper shafts will interchange between your two axles.
Location: N W Kent
Many thanks, Stuart. I shall let you know how I get on.
Roger
Location: Dorset UK
All proceeding well. However, a couple more questions:
1. Is it necessary to replace the felt seal behind the pinion ball bearing at the anchorage ball end? The usual suppliers don't list one.
2. How does this ball bearing get its lubrication? Is it greased via the nipple on top of the anchorage, through the 2 holes in the spherical torque tube end?
Thanks,
Roger
Location: Dorset UK
1) I believe a sealed bearing is available for the top of the torque tube from cherished suppliers.
2) Yes, it's lubricated via the spherical bearing. On my 1929 axle there was only one hole so the torque tube needed to befitted with the hole at the top.