The right angle drive for the speedometer on my Healey is broken.
The short square shaft which mates with the shaft coming out of
the overdrive unit broke off inside the right angle drive. I noticed
that The Healey Surgeons sell rebuilt units ($68.50 with a core)
so these are evidently rebuildable. Near as I can tell it has only
two moving parts. Has anyone ever tried to rebuild one?
If so, where can you get parts?
BTW:
I have started the rebuild on my gearbox (Healey). Last Monday,
I spent the day removing as much of the interior of the car as I
could (seats, carpet ...). Then, following various bits of advice
from the net (thank you), I supported the rear of the engine
by placing a large block of wood under the oil pan and jacking it
up slightly.
I removed the gearbox cover and the drive shaft (both ends).
Then, supporting the gearbox with a floor jack,proceded to unbolt
everything which held it on at both ends, labeling all of the bolts
as they came off.
Removal is a bit tricky. You have to slide it back into the
drive shaft tunnel so that the first motion shaft will clear the
clutch. (It's easier if the drive shaft is completely out of the
way.)
Then you slide it forward, angling it toward the passenger's
footwell. You need to remove the parcel shelf to get enough
vertical clearance. Once I had the bell housing clear of the
forward bulkhead, I was able to pivot the whole thing around at
a right angle to the drive shaft. Now I am just waiting for
a helper to lift it down to the floor.
The whole process took me about 8 hours although I probably
spent at least an hour of that time convincing my self that
the box would not come out the bottom. (The BMC shop manual
does not say.) Also, I took time to label the parts and put them
in separate plastic sandwich bags and to make a few sketches
(like where the dowel bolts go in the bell housing).
I'll give progress reports on the rebuild as I go along.
Peter Schauss
pschauss@aol.com
1980 MGB
1963 Austin Healey 3000 MK II
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