Jowett Kestrel Rebuild & Restoration

[ian Howell]

Now here's a thing: -

I notice that there is a band clamped around the brake drum. Some of the drums I acquired from the Alan Benewith collection had very large hose clips round them.

As there was no sign of cracks or splits! I assumed this was to stop them 'ringing' when the brakes were applied giving rise to brake 'squeal'. I suppose they might also have been fitted to balance the drum?

I have removed the clips and fitted a couple of drums to the car, relined the affected shoes and used the car since with no sign of a 'squeal' or off balance vibration.

Just lucky so far or what?

[Jack]

I'd have thought used to balance the drum, I've seen similar used on prop shafts to balance them too. No idea how much the little lug weighs, but I guess probably enough to deal with any small imbalance.

The next question is how one balances a drum, presumably a wheel balancing machine would work if the centre hole fitted, and they could static balance them to find the heavy spot.

Jack.

[AlanBartlett]

My long saloon has always had the bands around the drums, as they've been on there I've always kept them on there, I've been told by several people that they were/are there to stop the dreadful squeal which I think could have possibly been down the brake linings. Since changing linings, though I haven't tried it without the bands may have solved the squealing problem in recent times.

[george garside]

I agree they are to prevent sqeell rather than balancing and this 'dodge' was widely use not just on Jowetts.

george
.

[ian Howell]

Jack is also right about prop shaft vibration on Javelins (and Jupiters?).

I had quite bad vibration on one of my Javelins and I think it also came up in the Jowetteer (probably early 70's).

I fitted a hose clip at one end - it made matters worse - so I turned it 180 degrees and the problem vanished.

I had no need for further experiment but I believe others did find it necessary to add a second clip either next to the first one and/or at the other end of the shaft.

Today of course there are any number of places ready to balance prop shafts, clutches, cranks, etc.

[george garside]

if I remember rightly there was a factory service bulletin detailing the use of jubilee clips to balance jav prop shafts - is there a copy on here somewhere. I think there was also one on balancing flywheel by using a half length clutch bolt in various positions to ascertain the heavy spot.

george

[Keith Clements]

A search on jowett.org 'prop shaft'

http://jowett.org/jowettnet/dt/magazine/j1-magazine.htm

A search on jowett.net with 'jubilee'
http://jowett.net/Parts/TechNotes-Part2 ... aneous.htm

[julian]

I've been working on a number of items on the chassis and engine, but one I thought might be of interest was my solution to a very badly worn brake pedal pivot pin. Pictures show the sequence.

After removing and cleaning..

IMG_6188-small.JPG

Pin after tuning down to size of internal diameter of a 1" o/d steel tube.

IMG_6190-small.JPG

After pressing on the steel tube.

IMG_6191-small.JPG

The pin then just needed a bit of polishing to re-fit onto the cleaned-up pedal, which fortunately was not badly worn.

[julian]

Work on the engine clean-up is progressing and to this end I removed a few components for access & inspection as shown below.

IMG_6187-small.JPG

And several days later...

IMG_6192-small.JPG

Apologies to the purists, but I couldn't resist a splash of colour on the cylinders. After all the Kestrel body is green/black, so why not the engine!

I'm currently working on the elephant's ear air intake & choke which needed refurbishing - pictures to follow.

[julian]

Today I stripped down the front hubs for cleaning & re-greasing as they were very "sticky" in operation.

Many thanks to Tony for the loan of his wonderful hub puller - a few pictures of the sequence on the left-hand side...

IMG_6193-small.JPG

IMG_6194-small.JPG

IMG_6195-small.JPG

All was OK on this side, but unfortunately the inner bearing on the right-hand side has a lot of play & will need replacing - just got to work out how to remove it. There is a felt washer behind the bearing which might provide enogh room for a puller if this will squash up enough - anyone ever replaced one of these?

[ian Howell]

Julian: -

I replaced all the front wheel bearings on mine a couple of years back. I don't recall having any particular problem removing the old ones, but my hubs did come off apparently easier than some people experience. I assume you have access to a 'conventional' bearing puller?

I am most interested in your repair to the brake pedal pivot. I don't have immediate access to any appropriate tube but I can easily turn up a sleeve to fit. There is quite a bit of slack in my pedal but I don't know if it is enough a) to worry about, and b) to justify the work involved.

As always - we shall see . . .

[julian]

Thanks for the information, Ian. The problem is the limited space between the back of the bearing and the back-plate to fit the legs of the puller. I found this interesting solution on the Internet, so will look at replicating this.

http://www.ttalk.info/WheelBearingPuller.html

[julian]

I ordered a new puller, which has the right spread & reach, but now it's arrived it's clear the jaws are quite large & I'm struggling with the lack of space behind the bearing. I'll try placing some metal strips/washers behind the bearing & try again.

In the meantime I've completed the air intake refurbishment and added a coupling for the choke cable...

IMG_6199-small.JPG

I've removed the clutch pedal and linkages as there was a lot of ply & very little clutch movement! Examining the parts explains why and I imagine is a common problem. Pictures below show the pedal pivot pin and the various couplings..

IMG_6196-small.JPG

IMG_6198-small.JPG

I've made a new pin today, but now need to work out the best solution for the other worn components. The return spring has broken, but the break is at the end which hooks around the mounting, so I may be able to fabricate something to attach to it.

[Chris Spencer]

Julian - The control rods look a little too far gone to build up with weld and fettle back to the original size (and is pain to do anyway) - in this case I would look at sourcing or turning down some rod to correct size - then replacing the worn sections by cutting them off and rewelding the new sections back on to the original rod - you could make up complete new rods but if you are anything like me - I like to keep as much as the car original as possible.

[ian Howell]

Julian: -

Just a thought - - - the brake operating rods are the same diameter as the clutch rods, but MUCH longer. So, use one of the brake rods to make two (or three?) replacement clutch rods and then just make ONE new replacement brake rod - Simples! (I think?).

That way you retain much of the originality of the vehicle (well as much as was delivered to you).

The rods are 3/8" diameter, so stock material should not be too difficult to source from a 'helpful' stockist (Such people do still exist, especially if you explain what you are doing).

Any comment Tony et al (Whoever Al is!)?

By the way - Happy New Year to all our viewers!