Saturday 17 May 2014

Taper Roller Bearing failure

I haven't had much time to attend to the cars recently, because one of our twin girls has had to go into hospital, and she is likely to be there for another 2 months or so, before she can come home, so most of my spare time has been taken up with hospital visits, and this will continue, so no Auto Eccosse and other similar events for me for this year,

However I did have a few hours to spare today, and a very nice man from Coventry had kindly lent me a hub puller so it was drive shaft repair time. Incidentally for those with Sprints who may want to do this job, don't buy the spitfire hub pullers - they are not deep enough - the original Churchill tool that fits Sprints and Spitfires is far deeper so fits both models, you do need to search out the proper tool.

Anyway with the correct tool and a few very hard taps on the hub flange using a steel drift and a lump hammer apart they came. The side that "felt" Ok was good and would have undoubtedly gone on for thousands of more miles, but this is what I found on the other side




The big bang that I heard from the back was obviously the bearing fracturing. There's no sign of blueing on the shaft or housing so I must have caught it in time - or so I thought.

I had been to see Mick Dolphin and had managed to get a set of NOS seals and bearings from him - the seals are very different from the ones currently supplied and it was good to get original good quality bearings although I could have bought some new SKF.




Anyway I pressed the new bearings on and assembled the "good" side first. However when I came to press the bearing into the housing from the side that failed - there was no need, the bearing simply dropped in ! I had inspected the housing and there were no wear marks, but using a vernier I found that the bearing housing was over .5mm oversize on the diameter - loctight bearing fix isn't going to give a reliable result. Its as if the entire housing has expanded - I cannot believe Triumph built it like this, as it should have failed ages ago.



If I cannot find a good second hand housing, I can buy new, as Moss stock them for the TR4 - which uses the same axle, although the method of mounting the axle is different. The new housing is sadly subject to the TR tax as its about £150

I had though of having the housing machined and fitting a sleeve, but the housing isn't very thick and it must carry a lot of cornering loads , so I think it will have to be replaced.

While I await parts I am going to fit the Trackerjack brake conversion to the front.


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