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.

Removing the axle shaft

Decided the only proper way to install the new flange was
to remove it from the upright.  Only had to disassemble the universal. 

Again, a little extra work but much easier to accomplish now.

Ready to press out

Will use the press to remove.

New flange on the left, old on right.

Top arrow points to the flange that has to be removed.  The lower
arrow shows this is still connect to the rest of the assemble.  I think
I will have to remove the shaft from the rest of the assemble to press on the new flange. 

Installing bolts on new flange. There's a shoulder on the
bolt that requires it to be pressed in(top red circle)

Easy with the right equipment.

Left rear corner removed

It might take a little longer now, but removing the whole assemble gives me better access to repairs.

A lot easier to remove and work on the bench with it.

This is what I need to remove in the hydraulic press.

This steel rod won't work

Yep,  this is not what I used last time.  Located the old  receipt and found I ordered the steel tube(form Aircraft Spruce) with the correct ID & OD. All I have to do is cut it to the correct length.

It would have been a lot of work to drill that hole.

Aluminum spacers done.

The aluminum spacers are completed.  Three for replacement, and three for spares.

The drilled hole has to be centered.  Without the lath
this would be almost impossible to achieve.  I'm only 2 thousands of an inch off
center. 

Materials arrived

The materials arrived yesterday.  The aluminium rods look perfect for what I need to make.  However the solid steel bar(top of photo) doesn't look correct.  I made the steel spacers before and I don't think I drilled a 5/8" hole in the center of the rod.  I will have to look in my old records to see where that came from.

More axle shaft parts ordered

I've ordered lath bar stock, aluminum and steel. Should be here next week.

I'll need to make 6 of each.  These are parts that came adrift at
Laguna Seca back in 2015.  Probably still laying around the race track.

The small spacer is one I made in order to take up the
 void of the new(smaller)
 rubber donut(right).  The donut on the left is from 1975,
 no longer made in that size.
The longer spacer is made from aluminum and that I will also make on the lath.  

A fresh start for 2017

The weather turned warm again so took the time to finish cleaning the barn and shop.  The shop becomes a catchall for tools and whatnot.

Before you know it, it's a big mess.

That's a little better.

Back to working on replacing the axle flange.

Happy New Year!