Rear Axle Removal

[Murrayminor]

Well what a nightmare, I intend on putting Gracie my '65 2 door on a rotisserie so have striped the majority of the body shell with just the doors and rear axle still in place.
I'm going to leave the doors fitted for now to assist with lining everything up (the shell has been braced inside)
So what I thought was going to be fairly straightforward job turned out to stump me.
Every nut was either damaged or seized solid, I think the car has sat on grass for some time due to the amount of rust on components.
Another thing that drove me nuts (apologies) was each nut was a different size, metric, imperial you name it they were on there.
I feel everybody and anybody who has ever worked on her over the years deliberately fitted an incorrect size nut on the suspension.


So I now have a rear axle held on by three completely rounded seized solid nuts, when I finish work today I'm breaking the cutting disc out.

Simple jobs eh!!

[philthehill]

When you come to refit the axle I would recommend that you use shackle pins with UNF threads. Those UNF threaded pins are much better finished than those with BSF threads.

[ManyMinors]

That seems a rather sweeping statement? Why should a UNF thread be better finished than a BSF (as original) thread? Surely it'll depend on the manufacturer and supplier involved?
Personally I would rather stick with the original thread and nut size.

[philthehill]

The post is about the pins not specifically the threads.
So:-
The reason I consider the UNF threaded shackle pins to be better than those with BSF threads is that the shoulder of those UNF threaded shackle pins I have purchased allow the shackle plate to butt up against it in a proper manner as the shoulder is better finished and is a proper square shoulder. The BSF threaded pins even the original BMC pins do not have a proper square shoulder and therefore the shackle plate does not fit properly as it should.
By all means stick with the original BSF shackle pins if you wish but I prefer a properly engineered pin.

The same can be said of the Minor lower trunnion pin. The Marina lower pin with UNF threads is again much better finished in that it has a ground and hardened surface. Therefore I only use Marina lower trunnion pins for that application.

Phil

[RobThomas]

That rumbling sound just now was Joseph Whitworth turning in his grave.

I, as much as anybody, can copy a simple design without too much trouble but still fail to 'Engineer' (with a capital E) to the correct standard. Whilst we still enjoy plentiful supply of parts at rock-bottom prices we have to accept that quality will not always be to the desired standard. I guess this is why the Chinese have made so much money in recent times.

A bit sad, innit.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Whitworth
Clever fellow. I have one of his sniper rifles here, too. (Not an original one, sadly)

[ManyMinors]

I still fail to see why you would assume that every UNF threaded pin would be of better quality than one of the original design. I fully understand basic engineering but I haven't had any problem purchasing well made pins with the original specification thread. As Rob says, it wouldn't be that difficult to make some anyway if you had to

[philthehill]

All I will say is that those shackle pins I have purchased with UNF threads have better shoulders than those with BSF threads.
Not all shackle pins with BSF threads are well made and some should be total rejects.
Anyway I will continue to use shackle pins with UNF threads and proper shoulders even if they are not original spec.
I can only advise and it is up to the person fitting new shackle pins to decide if they want a good shoulder for the shackle plate to fit against or a half hearted shoulder which does not provide good engineering practice.
As regards making shackle pins or for that matter the eye bolt pin which is the same item - I have made some special pins for the negative camber eye bolts which are required to be 9mm longer than standard to accommodate the front anti-roll bar mounts. The pins were made from EN8 steel and have UNF threads.
I have also just revised the rear spring front eye bolt so as to allow the fitment of Metalastic bushes to the rear spring eyes. Those bolts have UNF threads and are well made.
Anything that I consider does not meet my requirements is rejected even if it is considered normally adequate to the task.
Phil

[Murrayminor]

Well the cutting disc did the job, I now have the axle,springs and shock absorbers removed.
I'm getting a bit giddy about getting it up onto the rotisserie.
After I have added some more brace bars I hasten to add.

[philthehill]

Well done - please keep us all posted on progress.

Phil