Oh god it gets worse.UJ woes

[wedgtable]

Ok so my outriggers are done my lights are all tweaked and working my fuel pump arrived this morning (I broke the old one yesterday) and is fitted/working. MOT cancelled this morning whilst waiting for fuel pump (thanks to Neil at TVR carparts phoned him at 4:30pm yesterday and part arrived at 8:30am)

Just crawled out from under the car sweating and covered in waxoyl hammerite and crud, put my wait on the rear offside wheel and realised that the UJ was stuffed. I don't think she wants to go to BBWF....

Any one know how long it takes to change one and if the part is easy to get. I am panicing now.

Cheers,
Mike

[barrington]

they are still easy to get from a local car spares shop you want to get the ones with the bleed nipple if poss it takes about 2to3 hours if you have all the tools

[number 7]

wedgtable said:

Ok so my outriggers are done my lights are all tweaked and working my fuel pump arrived this morning (I broke the old one yesterday) and is fitted/working. MOT cancelled this morning whilst waiting for fuel pump (thanks to Neil at TVR carparts phoned him at 4:30pm yesterday and part arrived at 8:30am)

Just crawled out from under the car sweating and covered in waxoyl hammerite and crud, put my wait on the rear offside wheel and realised that the UJ was stuffed. I don't think she wants to go to BBWF....

Any one know how long it takes to change one and if the part is easy to get. I am panicing now.

Cheers,
Mike

As you really need to take the driveshaft out, it's always better to replace both inner and outer UJ's at the same time, as they're fairly cheap. You just need a big engineers vice, and a socket of the right size to press in and out. And be very careful that the needles don't drop down when assembling. If one does, you won't be able to secure the circlips, and will have crushed the needle.

7.

[wedgtable]

number 7 said:

And be very careful that the needles don't drop down when assembling. If one does, you won't be able to secure the circlips, and will have crushed the needle.

7.

I am sure that that will make sense when I start the Job!! it sounds quite daunting.

Thanks for the info, sounds like I could do it in time. I will probably go with TVR car parts as all of my local motor factors never seem to understand "TVR" and I never know the part numbers.

Fingers crossed I will still make BBWF.
Cheers Mike

[rev-erend]

Or take the shaft off - take it to a local prop shaft place or garage and talk them into fitting the UJ's while you wait..

[wedgtable]

is that an expensive option? will they know what parts to use? sounds like a good idea. I am desperate and my credit card is out (for a change!)

[leorest]

It's quite straight forward if you've got a bit of mechanical aptitude. Plenty of grease will stick the needle bearings in place but even then I had one slip. Mind you umpteen needles in each bearing cap multiplied by four caps per UJ multiplied by four driveshaft UJs is a big number so the odds are not on your side.
If you orientate the grease nipples so they are on the same side of the driveshaft you will make the regular re-greasing job a lot easier. You do grease them regularly don't you?
Watch out if the caps bush in too easily. This means the hole has worn and the yoke could crack. Ask me how I know!

[leorest]

wedgtable said:

is that an expensive option? will they know what parts to use? sounds like a good idea. I am desperate and my credit card is out (for a change!)

As they know what they are doing and have all the kit it should be dead quick and the price should reflect that!

[wedgtable]

I consider myself a parrot mechanic, I can do it but don't know how or why. i have never played with UJs before so it is new territory, and will be good experience, just a shame that my attendance at BBWF depends on it!

Cheers Mike

[barrington]

if you get stuck im not working this sunday so if you an get the drive shafts of and bring them over to me with the new ujs we can do them in my garage bit of drive but hope it helps

[wedgtable]

barrington said:

if you get stuck im not working this sunday so if you an get the drive shafts of and bring them over to me with the new ujs we can do them in my garage bit of drive but hope it helps

That is a really great offer, thank you. I will order the new parts tomorrow and get the shafts off. I hope you haven't said that after a bottle of wine, I don't want you to wake up tomorrow and think Oh bo!!ocks I have lost my Sunday. Where abouts in essex are you??

Cheers ,
Mike

[barrington]

im on canvey if you email me i will give you my details

[shpub]

Just be careful that you get the right ones. several different sizes have been used over the years so check that the new ones are the same diameter as the originals otherwise you will end up alll bent out of shape

[jchase]

My first UJ took me around 6 Hours, and I had a 20 ton press. I think once you've figured it out, it shouldn't take more than two hours. The hard part is freeing up the big hub nut - and I had a 3/4 inch breaker bar I was jumping on!

[wedgtable]

Thanks guys, yeah I am just looking at the hub nut now, it could be fun already broken one 1/2 inch drive this week.
I have to say it is incredible how worn the UJ is. There is nearly 1/2 inch of play in it.

Also when I do the nut back up, the bible says loctite, is this enough? obviously after a load of torque on the nut.

thanks Mike

[leorest]

wedgtable said:

...Also when I do the nut back up, the bible says loctite, is this enough? obviously after a load of torque on the nut.

In my opinion it is enough, but it needs to be super clean before you apply the drop of locktight and you should re-check with a torque wrench at regular intervals. The near side (left) will work loose if not locked somehow (search the last couple of months using words like "wheel" and "came off" Those who have been burnt by this have resorted to cross drilling and fitting of a split pin! Though this does solve the problem it also introduces an issue in the future when parts wear or are changed and the holes don't line up anymore. I understand the splines are not available new any more but specialists have manufactured the hub nuts.

A line of paint as a visual tell-tail to show if the nut has moved would probably be wise.

So far I have done in excess of 20k miles and locktight has meant that at the regular check with the torque wrench the nut has never moved!

I've already put the torque wrench in the boot of the wedge so If anyone wants to check their nuts (insert joke here) at "the fest" then just search me out!

[adam quantrill]

If you wanna get to BBWF and it's the outer UJ you can do it without undoing the hub nut. You have to undo the lower link on a trailing arm setup. As I recall you don't even have to undo the disc end of the driveshaft.

Usually the outer one goes because it gets much more water, and it's the corrosion that does for them in the end when the grease dries out. The inner ones last twice as long.

[wedgtable]

Thanks Adam, unfortunately it is the inner one, however as I have it in bits I will be replacing both.

Cheers though,
Mike fingers crossed.

[anonymous-user]

Just to add my bit, be careful of the nuts that hold the drive shaft to the disc/diff. To do it properly you need enough extensions to be outside the wheel arch, and it’s easy to round of the heads!! Also these are specials "shock nuts" make sure you replace with new ones dont re-use. Most TVR specialists do em or you can get them from Ward Engineering at Tilbury (Jag back axle agent).

I managed to replace my UJs with the hub still on... bit awkward, however if you take your time and have an extra pair of hands now then all ok.

One last thing... read(!) the related chapter in the bible first, it will save you allot of buggering around.

[grahamw48]

Just remember to keep checking your nuts.