JowettTalk

Drummond advised me to check the end float on the SC axle, but I have NO end float even with the backplate off. Could this be because the other side has taken up all the end float?

Obviously tomorrow I am going to have to take the other hub off and loosen the 4 bolts holding that backplate on to see if then the axle moves. 3-6 thou is what I am looking for so zero is not an option. If it is zero then I would suspect the bearings might seize, perhaps they were running hot and that is why the oil seal went on the 700 mile trip I did a couple of weekends ago..

Has anybody experience of this?

Hi Keith,

Fig.46 on page 64 of the Maintenance Manual shows that there is a solid spacer between the half shafts. Although it looks as though this spacer is fixed within the differential carrier, the manual hints that you need to have equal thickness of shims on each side to 'retain the axle shaft spacer in a central position'. This suggests that wear in the bearing on the other side might have allowed the shafts to move and eliminate the end float on your side? I suggest that the most likely cause might be wear in one or other of the outer roller bearings?

I am not sure if JCS have replacement bearings, but they are probably standard Timken bearings and available from stockists? You might have to search for Imperial sizes, but people like Land Rover specialists might have the bearings for the 3HA axle?

If time is short for obtaining spares from JCS, I do have a pair of outer seals, some shims and at least one inner seal, if you need them?

All the best,

David

Yesterday was spent looking at this in between going to the print shop with the Rally Program and looking at Jack's Zafira and, and, and.
Anyhow, on loosening the other backplate I had some end float and found there were no shims on that side. So I set up a dial gauge on one side and added slivers of shim on the other side until the desired 3-6 thou movement was obtained. Then I cut out 4 shims (24 thou) from some sheet and fitted them with some sealer in between each. On refitting the hub it rubbed slightly on the back plate so I set up the lathe and took material off the edge. It now does not rub. It had been doing this prior to the shimming anyway. This rubbing I think is caused by wear on the taper through not having a grease free and very tight fit. It is possible that a replacement drum was fitted at some stage in the distant past. I did check the back plate for distortion and will perform further run out checks today. The manual does say to fit paper gaskets to stop oil leaks but I used sealer in this case on all joints. If the paper gaskets were before the thick bearing retainer then that might make a difference to the end float or, if between retainer and back plate, to the rubbing of the drum. But it should be neither and should be fitted between oil seal and back plate.

I can only assume that at some stage 35 years ago the back plate was taken off and a shim 'lost'.

I cannot envisage any wear that would decrease end float.

Before measuring the endfloat, tap the half-shaft inwards with a mallet - then pull it out again by hand and attach a dial test indicator (DTI) to measure the end float. Now do the same at the other side to double check (should give the same reading as before). The shim thicknesses should be as equal as possible from one side to the other, and chosen to give a total end-float reading of .006" to .008". Failing to use the 'mallet-method' may result in the end float on one side appearing to be different from the other.

G McA