| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Bob Clare
United Kingdom
278 Posts |
 Posted - 26/05/2017 : 00:30:12
|
All those years of Triple-M ownership and still I learn an object lesson the hard way!
Some stub-axle bearing problems prompted me to take a good look at the front axle set-up. I dropped the whole front suspension and started from scratch. The following emerged:
1. The left side stub-axle was left-hand threaded and the right was right hand - wrong;
2. The shock absorbers badly needed the Brassington treatment;
3. All the ball-pin return springs needed tightening quite a lot to meet the "quite tight and back-off a quarter turn" requirement;
4. the track rod-end units attached to the rod are opposite threaded left hand on the left end and right on the right - quite correct. But if you remove the track-rod and then fail to grip the end unit whilst tightening the end return springs you risk lengthening or shortening the track rod by screwing the whole end unit round on the rod.
Everyone knows that but the old and senile amateur engineer forgot it and the test drive after reassembly could be likened unto riding a camel on legal highs.
Measurement demonstrated that an N Type can JUST be steered with a 1/2" toe-out. I do not recommend trying.
So grip your track-rod end when spring adjusting and check the toe-in before test driving.
Bob Clare |
|
|
Oz34
United Kingdom
2495 Posts |
Posted - 26/05/2017 : 08:43:04
|
Bob, I'm rather intrigued by "The Brassington Treatment". What did Bob do that we should all remember?
Cheers,
Dave |
 |
|
|
coracle
United Kingdom
1873 Posts |
Posted - 26/05/2017 : 11:43:29
|
I think the stub axle arrangement as in 1 above is correct: LH should have a LH thread & RH a RH thread thus the bearing drag will always tighten them up when going forward.
It is the KO's that have a LH thread on the right and RH on the left; similarly any drag from the KO will tend to tighten. |
|
|
|
DickMorbey
United Kingdom
3672 Posts |
Posted - 26/05/2017 : 13:00:57
|
Nigel, that's what I thought, too!
Dick Morbey
PA/PB 0743
Frieth, Oxon, UK |
|
|
|
Bob Clare
United Kingdom
278 Posts |
Posted - 26/05/2017 : 13:05:47
|
Dick and Nigel are, of course, correct, as was Peter Green when he rang me to query item 1. Ah me - serves me right for writing stuff at half past twelve in the moring!!
The entry should have read:
"1. The left hand stub axle was right hand threaded and the right was left hand - wrong."
I hope no one has started to take their stub-axles apart, if so, my apologies!
As for the shock absorber adjustment, I can't remember where I read Bob Brassington's note on this but it said something like "jack the car up under the chassis until the wheels are off the ground and support on stands, jack the axle up until it's near the top of the travel then release the jack quickly. Adjust the shock absorbers until the axle descends in a fairly gentle and horizontal manner." Of course that was a comment on Andre Hartfords not hydraulics.
Bob Clare
|
Edited by - Bob Clare on 26/05/2017 13:15:57 |
|
|
|
kimber
United Kingdom
1526 Posts |
Posted - 26/05/2017 : 13:09:46
|
quote:
Originally posted by Bob Clare
All those years of Triple-M ownership and still I learn an object lesson the hard way!
Some stub-axle bearing problems prompted me to take a good look at the front axle set-up. I dropped the whole front suspension and started from scratch. The following emerged:
1. The left side stub-axle was left-hand threaded and the right was right hand - wrong;
If you mean the nearside stub axle, the nut retaining the hub bearings should correctly have a left hand thread - the idea being if the bearing fails catastrophically and it spins it will not come undone if the split pin also fails (all highly improbable of course). o/s stub axle has a conventional thread.
Bob Clare
Ah, OK, edited to add that others have clearly picked up on this in the time it took me to type my posting.
I think we are all now in agreement. |
Edited by - kimber on 26/05/2017 13:11:47 |
|
|
|
Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1481 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2017 : 10:58:41
|
Yes, Mike Hawke also advocated exactly the same method now attributed to Bob Brassington. I have always found that this method for my taste often results in a slightly soft setting, but it serves to emphasise that the s/a is designed to merely damp out excessive spring movement and not to remove it completely. Overtightening the shock absorbers puts an enormous strain on the lever arms and link pins.
Colin B. |
|
|
|
DickMorbey
United Kingdom
3672 Posts |
Posted - 27/05/2017 : 11:36:09
|
Colin is correct about the perils of overtightening dampers. I managed to break two of the top mounting plates (those rare 90 degree items) before realising my error!
Dick Morbey
PA/PB 0743
Frieth, Oxon, UK |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Forum Locked
Topic Locked
