Ominous axle knocks.....

[morriskid2010]

Hi,

I have just upgraded to a W1500 diff and EN24 shafts from Birmingham MMC, which are probably way overkill for my new 1275 A+ that's due to be fitted soon.

After taking the car on a couple of 20 mile plus trips, I started to notice a clonk coming from the rear when I accelerate/decelerate. But it only seems to happen at low speed (1st, 2nd) and the diff is nice and quiet when cruising and cornering.

After i had made a few harsh starts from roundabouts, it went quieter, then when I went to back it into my drive, it made a bigger clank than it ever has, leaving me a little worried....

I've checked wheel nuts but not any u bolts or anything so that will be on tomorrows agenda.

I'm wondering if a new halfshaft is loose on the splines or something?
What do you guys reckon?

[bmcecosse]

Diff flange nut loose? Remove the prop shaft and check. And refer back to the supplier!!

[morriskid2010]

Hi bmc, never thought of that. The axle u bolts appear tight and have been double nutted by a previous owner, although i just discovered the driver side leaf spring has 6 leaves and the other side has 5. Hmmmm...

When i next get a chance i will investigate that nut. How tight should it be? A windy gun job perhaps?

[bmcecosse]

I believe it's supposed to be very very tight. Wedge the flange to the ground when tightening - don't put the strain into the diff.....

[Mogwai]

If that nut has come loose you will need a new collapsible spacer to reset bearing preload . don't just gun it up as it will overload the bearings

[morriskid2010]

Thanks guys for the advice on this.
I've found the spacer on ESMs site. Is it a straightforward job once the propshaft flange is removed? I guess I should replace the diff oil seal while I'm there? I plan to do it within the next couple of weeks as work is very busy ATM so evening workshop time is tight.

I'm just hoping it is the nut because otherwise it has to be a fault with the EN24 shafts i guess. It won't be the first bad batch either if it is. I've had two calls from the supplier asking me if I had to resort to brute force to get them in as the spline depth on the diff end was not deep enough. Had to carefully file and emery keyways deeper until they fitted, only to find that a woodruff key that secures the hub flange to the shaft was sticking into the axle tub half an inch too far.

Happy days!!

[Peetee]

I Bought a Wolseley diff from ebay not so long ago and had to return it. I hope it's not the same one. It looked fine but the planet gear bearings were worn and loose.

[bmcecosse]

I wouldn't have worried about a new spacer - and that diff with worn bearings would have been easily 'revived' if the price was right......

[morriskid2010]

My diff wasn't bought from eBay. I got it from a vehicle trust in Cornwall who had broken a rotten Wolseley 1500 up and they informed me it was a nice one. They were pretty good folks and helped out a fair bit with postage etc.. Turns out its pretty whine free. I did check the backlash before it went in and that was fine too.

They still have a few bits and some that aren't listed, along with mower bits and a few motors for sale also.

http://www.mayatrust.com

I fancy the Renault 5 Gordini Turbo that they list, dad had a turbo one for years and it was great fun, we sold it for a few hundred quid on eBay a few years back with a bit of rot.

[morriskid2010]

Just an update on the situation with the diff problem. It's sorted.

It turned out to be nothing to do with the diff, which makes me happy!
My dad and me had just bled the brakes, so we decided to check out the noise. We put the car up on axle stands, put the handbrake on, started the car and did a few jerks in reverse and 1st gear.

The knock could be clearly heard from immediately behind the hub cap of my alloys, so I popped them off. My dad saw that the halfshafts were a 2 piece item and suggested that the supplier might have left the nut loose holding the hub flange on to EN24 shaft. When i got the breaker bar and a socket out, they were as loose as....

Makes me wonder whether the keyway slot in the shafts is machined properly if there was so much slack.
Tightened them up and the car is now absolutely silent, plus my new JLH front hubs and discs seem to have stopped the wheel wobble at 60 mph that i was having with the old setup.

Happy days!!! Just so glad it wasnt the diff!

[bmcecosse]

Don't understand your 'two piece half shafts' - certainly not Minor items...... Or perhaps do you mean the hub (and it's retaining nut) which are left on the axle when you withdraw the half shafts.

[chrisryder]

two piece half shafts are 'un-breakable' EN24 ones. splined both ends, with a hub bolted onto the end rather than the all-in-one standard type.

is there nothing to keep those big nuts tight? no lock washer or split pin?

[morriskid2010]

They are like you describe Chris. The Birmingham centre and others list them as EN24 'Competition' shafts.

Mine are splined at the Diff end like the standard Morris ones, but instead of a cast-in hub flange they have a machined EN24 item that goes onto the hub end of the shaft with a key way, and is secured with a big nut.

As you say Chris, there 'should' be some means of securing the nut, and I will tell the guys at birmingham this when I phone them at some point. The noise it made was horrendous, and I was lucky not to damage the shafts.

When I have the shafts out next I will find a way of locking them, perhaps machine some half nuts up..

Have you got EN24 shafts Chris?

[chrisryder]

i haven't, i've only ever seen them! not treated myself to a set yet, but when i get more power i may need a pair!

[bmcecosse]

Thanks for the explanation folks - not seen these fancy shafts.

[Mogwai]

down the page are the Midget ones (same thing just shorter)
http://www.petermayengineering.co.uk/sp ... oducts.htm

[chrisryder]

it says the hubs are shrunk on, and the nut is just for safety, so even if the nut is loose, the hub shouldn't really come loose...