I had the same problem with the circlip coming loose, the cup was still
there. I just pressed it back in a little and put in a new circlip. After,
of course, I bought a new UJ!
> ----------
> From: Richard B Gosling[SMTP:Gosling_Richard_B@CAT.com]
> Reply To: Richard B Gosling
> Sent: Friday, March 24, 2000 10:01 AM
> To: spitfires
> Subject: Re: Spitfire-related topic
>
>
> ---------------------- Forwarded by Richard B Gosling/1M/Caterpillar on
> 24/03/2000 02:59 PM ---------------------------
>
>
> Richard B Gosling
> 24Mar2000 03:01 PM
>
> To: spitfires@autox.team.net
> cc:
> Subject: Re: Spitfire-related topic
> Retain Until: 23/04/2000 Retention Category: G90 - Information and
> Reports
> Caterpillar Confidential: Green
>
> Well, Susan, you asked for it...
>
> Around last November, I noticed a bit of free play in the drive-line -
> clunky
> noises when I went to pull away, or when switching between accelerating
> and
> engine braking. I diagnosed two most likely causes as free play in the
> diff,
> or worn UJ. A quick check underneath confirmed that the UJ on the
> off-side
> driveshaft from the diff had free play, and seemed to have lost all the
> roller
> bearings in one cup.
>
> So, I purchased a new UJ (7 quid or so, bargain!), and set aside a
> Saturday
> morning. Remove the wheel, disconnect the damper (from the top, bottom
> nut
> wouldn't budge), disconnect the radius arm, disconnect the brake hose,
> disconnect the spring, remove the bolts holding the UJ to the diff, and
> sure
> enough the whole assembly comes off as it should. Press out the old UJ
> using
> a vice (vise to you Yanks), press in the new one, retain the cups with
> their
> circlips... Re-assemble the whole thing, should have bled the brakes but
> I'll
> leave that to another time, drive off and everything is wonderful.
>
> For about 2 days, when the free play is suddenly back again. A check
> underneath reveals that one of the cups has fallen out - what was that
> about
> retaining the cups with the circlip. The circlip must not have been
> fully
> home in it's groove. It is now Tuesday. As I believe I have mentioned
> before, Daffy is the only car I own, so I rely on her to take me on my
> daily
> 60 mile round trip to work and back. The spider from the UJ is still
> there,
> but without the cup it is acting directly on the flange. Still, it looks
> like
> it can't fall out, and it is still pushing the wheels round, so I guess I
> can
> take it carefully for a few days, and I order another UJ to fit at the
> weekend.
>
> Works fine for a day and a half. Then, Wednesday evening, I am going
> home,
> doing about 70 mph around a gentle bend on the Parkway (Peterborough's
> fast,
> dual carriageway ring road system), and I suddenly find the car flying
> around
> all over the place. The UJ has given up, and since the driveshaft gives
> the
> wheel most of its location, the offside rear wheel is flapping about like
> a
> hanky in the breeze. I consider myself very lucky to make it to the
> verge
> without flying off the road or hitting anyone else (remember, I'm on my
> way
> home from work, so roads are busy).
>
> Subsequent repair work shows the flange on the driveshaft is all bent out
> of
> shape, and the madly thrashing driveshaft end has taken out the handbrake
> cable guide that lives close-by. Fortunately, that's all the damage
> there is
> - 25 quid for a used hub assembly (thanks TRGB!) and a tenner for a cable
> guide ground off a scrap chassis (thanks Manvers!). I got off lucky.
>
> Two morals to the tale:
> 1. When putting things back together, check that they are properly
> assembled -
> one circlip only half-seated can cause SO much trouble
>
> 2. More importantly, if you spot something wrong with a critical
> component,
> fix it NOW (or take the car off the road if you can), DO NOT reckon you
> can
> limp the car around while you delay fixing it.
>
> Richard Gosling and Daffy (only outstanding fault today - one broken
> number
> plate light)
>
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