Merry Christmas

Back in the shop

As always, my first task is spending 3 hours putting  away tools and cleaning.

One of the top items on the list for next year is to stop having to work on the gearbox during the race event.  All of the dogs on my gears are worn(above photo).  The arrow on the right shows how the corner is worn.  There is a race shop out in Minnesota that will  re-cut the edge to put a nice 90 degree corner back on it.  It's not to expensive, in fact I can have ten gears cut for what one new gearset would cost.

Happy Thanksgiving

New addition for the tool box

A Hewland Forksetting Jig.  This tool enables you to setup the shift forks with the gearbox out of the car.  As you start the setup you want the clutch ring(dog) centered on hub between the two gears.  What happens if it's not centered the one dog doesn't fully engage.  So after just a little bit of wear it fails.  This might be happening with my 3rd gear, it always wears the most.  I'll save this project for the winter.

Not new, just needs a little straighten and cleaning.

Not 100% sure it fits, but does have HEWLAND DG stamped on it.

2018 race schedule

The F5000 group schedule is:

VARAC Candian Vintage Grand Prix at Mosport June 14-17  (tentative)

Road America July 19-22

Rolex Montery Motorsports  Reunion  August 18-19, 23-26

My schedule:

VARAC at Mosport June 14-17  I'm going even if the group doesn't go.  It's a great club and fantastic track.

Sommet Des Legends  Circuit Mont Tremblant QC.  Early July.  This is tentative, this event has not been confirmed yet on the 2018 race schedule. 

Road America July 19-22.  Most likely. 

Rolex Montery.   No.  Glad I did it once, but no reason to repeat.  

That should be it

I went back to my original radius rod setting that add about 1/2" to it's length which increase the distance between the axle and A-frame. 

This setting  gives me the clearance that I needed.

Just double checking to make sure my toe-in toe-out settings remained the same after the adjustment.  They did.

Back to the original problem

Now that the axle parts have been replaced, I can focus on the start of this problem.  A wheel base modification was done to try to correct the car from hunting on heavy braking at Road America.  However several other changes also happen at the same time, I believe the wheelbase had no connection with the problem at Road America.  So it's back to my original chassis settings to cleanup this problem of the axle hitting the suspension, once and for all.

I removed the spring and lowered the car to simulate race conditions.

A little side tracked

Yes, I got little side tracked.  Every once in awhile I need that aviation fix.  AOPA was having a fly-in at Groton, CT.  Just a little over 3 hour drive.  Decided to go for a couple of seminars and volunteer parking aircraft. The weather is just perfect.

A little more about the Fly-in. Click here

The event really starts today at 4pm and continues Saturday till 3pm.

This was a all day seminar on ditching.

TBM 930  The Ferrari of the sky.

Yes, this could be your home for many days.

Race trailer "Fitting"

Before winter sets in I wanted to make sure this race trailer idea was more than just a vision.  In my head, the construction of the trailer made me think that it would be a good fit.  Fortunately it worked out. Went through the process of loading and securing the car to the trailer.

Measuring the trailer tongue weight.

It's important to have the correct tongue weight.  With the trailer empty it's around 475 lbs.  With the car it's 350 lbs.  Once I load up the box that should bring it to 550 lbs.  I'm look for 500- 650 lbs.

I have to relocate a couple of the tie down pickup points.
But overall it turned out better than I had imagined.  Still have to
take a road test.

Wrapping up the rear suspension

Just finishing attaching the rear suspension parts.

Old School Race Trailer

We'll, I found one.  I knew in the back of my mind I would need a trailer sooner or later.  I purchased  this about 3 weeks ago in Pennsylvania.  It was custom made for a race car, that's why it has the large storage box and a winch.  I towed it back with the pickup truck and tows real nice.  More about this in later blogs.

Making progress

Yes, making progress.  The nuts I ordered arrived and now both left and right shafts are completed.  So now all the damage from 2 years ago at Laguna Seca is repaired.

Working on the right half shaft

Right side is ready.  Now I'm just waiting for the nuts.

Working on the left half shaft

New donuts look good and fit right.

Needed a reference photo from 2009.  Just to make sure
all the parts are in the right place.

Unfortunately I forget to order more nuts to complete the job.
They will be here next week.

Right Bolts

At last, the right bolts.  Now I can reassemble the axle shafts.

The one on the right is new.

This needed more threads, shorter and the head of the bolt
had to be turned on the lath to make smaller.

Wrong bolts

The bolts I ordered are the wrong size.  The bolt on the left is the one I needed.
The bolt in center is what I got.  The can't be threaded all the way.  
The one on the right is the length I need so I can cut off the end to make it shorter.  

Axle bolts ordered

Just ordered the socket cap bolts I needed to complete the axle shafts.  Their not a very common sized but I found what I needed from a place in Massachusetts.

The new addition.
2001 FORD F-250 SUPER DUTY LARIAT. 
It was a 1 owner (85yr old)with only 71,000 miles.
This will be our new tow vehicle that will replace our old van.
Been working on it for the past couple of weeks , brakes, ball joints shocks. etc. It has the tow package rated at 9000 lbs.  

10 Years later

June 11, 2007 the day we took ownership of Justice Bros. Lola T192.  It's hard to believe it's been 10 years.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there.

Spring update

We'll, I have made no progress with the race car.  Other projects have taken all of my time.
 Also have heard nothing from the F5000 group.  There last news release was back in 2016.
I might not be working on the race car, but my hands are still in the grease.  Replacing the clutch on my 1947 Ford 8N tractor.  I've owned this for the past 20 years.

Clutch

A great buy on ebay

I got a great deal on ebay the other day.  New rubber drive donuts.  I don't know why these cost so much money, $750. each from Taylor Race Engineering.  That's what I paid when I replaced them in the car rebuild.

Bought both for $100. on ebay.  Brand new never used, still
has the steel retaining bands on them.

Axle shaft done

Axle shaft is done and ready to install.

Back on the car.  Now I have to order a few more items
and then I can complete the installation. 

More axle repair

I have been a bit under the weather this past week and a half.  But better now and back to work.

This was another problem area on the axle shaft.  In the picture below the rubber donut would be between the upper and lower flange.  Then bolts would attach top and bottom.  This is where the bolts broke, both the 3 on the outer and 3 on the inner.

These bolts just snapped.  They needed to be removed with
a easy out.

Steel spacers done

Steel spacers are completed.  Also ordered more nuts and bolts.

Three replacements and three spares.

New flange installed

I use a pipe to press the flange on.

I did need to remove the shaft from the upright.  There
was no other way to press it on.

Last thing to do is install the C-clip in the shaft groove.
If it fits. the flange is in the proper position.

The shaft is now reconnected and ready to be placed
back on the car.