1934 SLM rear axle hub

[mothy]

I am playing safe with this post and hope to avoid any unnecessary trauma and damage in dismantling one of my rear hubs.

I am not sure if its a bearing or loose taper yet, but I detect a small amount of in and out movement when I grab hold of wheel and shake it. This movement is not present at all positions of the wheel when one turns it and shakes it.

So exactly how does one remove the hub and dismantle the bearings out (I did notice a previous post about having to use a serious strength press).

This comes about as I prepare the car for its voluntary MOT next week. I thought that I would have all the wheels off and have a good lube and clean all round. Adjusting the brakes showed that I had a seized wheel cylinder. Sometime later that day after changing all wheel cylinder rubbers and cleaning up the wheel cylinders I had a happy celebratory pint at the local. During the course of the day I noticed the rear wheel movement, hence the posting.

So maybe if I had not been putting the car for a voluntary MOT, I might have missed the brake issues for some further time.

Thanks

Roly

[mikeyr]

a good press is required I think. I am not sure you could do without one but you guys over there are much smarter about these things.

Just remove the nut and then press the bearing housing off. I was told you really never should remove the splined hub from the axle and I know that one needs a HUGE press as my 12ton would not separate the hub from the axle shaft. Silly me, I thought that was the way to get to the bearings, but once I cleaned off the grease I found that nut and then pressed the bearing housing off. I also took advantage of it being removed to machine it for a proper seal instead of felt.

But in order to keep you next week apt. for the MOT, just tightening that nut up "may" do the job, but I would not drive long distances without really looking into the bearings, they are relativaly cheap.

[mothy]

Thank you for that info Mike.

I also had a long chat with Dave Hardwick last night (there is not a concept of short chat with him!) and he described exactly what you say and stated that it should take no longer than 30 minutes to have the bearing dismantled on the bench.

He also said to leave alone, the half shaft attached to the spline, unless of course it turned out to be loose.

Apparently these early axle hubs are much easier to work on.

I will post up my experience of the refurbishment.

Thanks

Roly

[mothy]

Bearing replaced ok. However no reduction in the amount of movement when the wheel is shaken. The brake drum moves relative to the backplate.

If the wheel is rotated 90° then the movement is reduced to nearly nothing.

It is not the halfshaft being loose on the taper. I had the halfshaft clamped in the bench vice and could not get any movement on the road wheel.

I can only conclude that all is not well in the diff where the halfshaft splines into the sun wheel. I have to admit that the diff has for some time made "vintage" noises.

I'll pull,it apart next week and see what is what. That's if the Austin Seven stops demanding attention as well!

Roly

[mothy]

Progress of sorts. The diff is out and bits inspected.

The offside halfshaft has a very sloppy fit into the diff. There is enough movement to be felt at the wheel.

So I am not sure what is worn and what is supposed to be like what it is.

The tube that the halfshaft slides into has enough clearance to start entering a 0.025" feeler gauge.
The inner spline which I presume is on the sun wheel can be moved using a screwdriver about 1/8"

Later on I discovered that the other halfshaft has a greater diameter at the point where it sits in the the of the diff, by around 0.022". Clearly this does not slop around as much. So maybe its a halfshaft issue.









Then to complete the afternoon I have found 2 chipped teeth an on the crown wheel. I am cleaning off two spare diffs which have decades of crud on them, to see if either are serviceable.

[mothy]

It is work in progress, the putting back together starts shortly.
Interested people can see progress here http://www.mothy.co.uk/singeraxle.htm on my web site.

Roly

[mothy]

All back together and tested ok.

Roly

[cdk84]

Hi Roly,

I note that you had the steering box on your Le Mans rebuilt.

In the thread on the rear axle you state the play at the steering wheel diminished from 5 to 1.5" after the rebuild. Can you tell me if, after time and further driving, the steering box remained in adjustment or loosened up?

How long did the box stay 'in tune'?

Do you feel the work was worthwhile?

Thanks very much in advance,

David

[mothy]

Hi David

The steering box has remained in adjustment.Yes it did free up and selfcentres Ok now, the free play at the wheel did not suffer as a result.

Yes the work was worthwhile, a couple of hundred pounds for maintaining safety is not a huge cost. The car feels more precise through the bends.

Roly

[cdk84]

Hi Roly,

Thanks for your response about the steering adjustment.

I agree heartily about safety being well worth its cost. (in favor of safety is the only place I 'cheat' in vintage racing)

How many miles have you driven since the rebuild?

And do you generally treat your Singer delicately, or drive it hard?

Thank again.

Regards,

David

[mothy]

Not sure how many miles. Maybe 1500.

Driven hard occasionally. Gave an E Type a run for its money one day. Five miles or so and I was chasing it along winding roads.

Anybody notice that Morgan owners ignore one, and never wave back?

[mikeyr]

Hey, if I was in a Morgan and actually saw a Singer on the road I would wave back (probably frantically).

[mothy]

The Morgan Factory is just 8 miles from me and there tends to be quite a bit of visiting Morgan car traffic. I suspect they feel their car is an individual "modern" and relate. My over the field neighbour is their three wheeler tester and and quality control engineer. He has no problem in waving at me - usually because he wants a pint!

If you are ever over this way the factory tour is very worth while.