Got 2/3 of a set of bearings. Woodrows manual implies to fit the back bearing first. Is this the accepted method?
When I took the crank out of case I removed the rear one first, and usually find that assembly is the reverse of dissasembly. Currently I'm waiting for the rear bearing and want to get on putting the engine together. As a side note, I'm putting a ball and a roller in the front as original.

Hi,

I must admit that I fit the front bearings first. Once they are located and locked up with the front retaining plate and the starting handle nut done up reasonably tightly ( thus both the inner and outer races of the bearing being under load ) you can then lift the rear end of the crankshaft up and down ( and from side to side ) to see if there is any detectable movement at the rear of the crank. If there is, either the pre-loading on the front thrusts is wrong due to bearing / housing sizes or the bearings are worn or not assembled correctly with 'thrust' to 'thrust' in the centre ( obviously where the dual thrust races are used ). Properly assembled front bearings should not permit the rear of the crankshaft to rock around. Having checked this I then insert the rear bearing and then lock up both crankshaft end nuts ( after flywheel is attached ) as tight as I can get them.

No doubt someone will disagree but that is how I do it.

Malcolm

Hedd

Might be worth just checking the inner race of the rear bearing is a good fit on the crank as well?
I had to glue mine on with Loctite.

Steve.

When I fitted the last engine, a bought in runner and best part worn out (but boy did it go!) I could physically turn the inner race on the rear roller by hand, when i checked it while fitting the new oil seal. I did as you say, stuck it on with loctite. But 4000miles later when the engine expired the sod was loose again!

It sounded like the rear bearing fit surface on the rear of the crankshaft has worn due to the race turning, it should be a tight fit. It could have been repaired by having a few thou. nickel plating done or by metal spraying but then you would need it machined back to size, alternatively find another crank.

That engine is now consigned to a boat anchor. The only bit going on the 'new' one is the cylinder head. incidentally all the numbers on that engine matched up, crankcase, crank and flywheel.

Hedd
I used the high strength Loctite bearing retainer, it was pretty hard to remove when I stripped it down!!

Apparently you can also use the flywheel to push up against the bearing if you lap it on enough? I would have thought you would run the risk of the flywheel not being on the taper tight enough if you tried that though?

My crank looks fairly bad were the rear main sits, so I just glued the bearing back on safe in the knowledge that its going to break sometime anyway!!!


Steve

Dont worry, current crank is fine.

When I rebuilt my 2 bearing engine I was advised to put two thrust bearings in the front (1971). Why?
The crank will not "float" backwrds and so the clutch is always firm and will not degrade as quickley.
Austin did not use two thrusts because the tollerances were not there. with todays bearings at 2 to 3 thou this is not a problem. One os the best changes I every made to my VERY original car

Pat USA