URGENT! Axle Casing Needed TODAY - Rockingham

[Matt Tomkins]

Hi All,
I have just heard from the OUMF team that the Bluebell Team, who race in the HRDC, have bent their axle casing in practice at Rockingham this morning and are desperately seeking a spare to be delivered to them in time to fit it before the 3pm race.

If there is anyone local who could help them, please contact Dom Norman of the OUMF team on 07534 012680

[bmcecosse]

How do you bend an axle?

[Dom Norman]

Hub nut worked it's way loose and the half shaft fell out half way round the track bending the axle as it went! Had to be bashed into shape, hub nut welded on, half shaft bashed on (hub wouldn't sit straight as the axle was bent) and crushed on. And they would've got first in class if they hadn't spun on the penultimate lap!

[speedbox24]

Thank you, thank you to Matt and Dom and all the wonderful people who helped us with this, you are all stars in the true spirit of motor racing. We thought were loading Bluebell up and going home, but the OUMF boys and Jez Thomas (one of our rivals!) wouldn't let us. For me, if the last few inches of the axle casing are destroyed and there isnt a hope of the LHS LH thread nut going back on, no thread left anyway, and its an elongated oval where the hub bearing should sit, it's a new axle or nothing. But despite driving rain and no shelter, these guys worked a miracle, and somehow hammered it all back to re-fit the hub, then welded the remains of the stripped nut in place. Somehow persuaded the damaged half-shaft back in, the wrecked brakes back on and we were away to qualify with seconds to spare - and Mark qualified her 17th, 5 seconds ahead of all our class rivals and in front of many bigger cars. The race was a bonus, and she survived the 45 minute race with driver change half way, despite a few silly mistakes. she's just the greatest little racing car, brilliant fun, but we wouldn't have made it without you guys, so thanks again. Andy and Mark.
PS DONT resort to welding for a road car, but make sure your hub nuts are very tight! And, lesson for everyone: The little inner tab in the hub nut lock washer that fits in the axle hole can shear off. I'll investigate either making my own, thicker ones, or be using TWO tab washers in future AND loctite.

[LUR759H]

NOT A GOOD IDEA POSTING DOMS MOB NUMBER FOR THE WORLD TO SEE!!!

Alan

[les]

His location would have been ok though!