Woh! You need to replace the banjo and half shafts, not the diff! You can
unbolt
your diff from the current housing and bolt it stright onto the steel wheel
housing.
Of course, if you wanted to swap over froma 4.2 to a 3.9 or 3.7 diff for
highway use
then it is a convenient time to do so, but *not* necessary...
The standard half shafts do fail, even on standard, non-comp cars. They are
not
over-engineered - remember that the mechanicals were originally out of a
baby Austin
and they didn't change over the years but the engines and (especially) tyres
have
changed a great deal... However, that doesn't that they fail all the time.
I'd be happy
using a second-hand pair of half shafts.
NOTE: try and get the replacement housing with the half shafts still in
place. mark them
LEFT and RIGHT and ensure that they are installed on the same side of the
car. If you
swap them over they will fail prematurely!!!!! (Ask me if you want me to
explain with my
Engineer's hat on). If you find a pair of half shafts out of the car, you
can probably figure
which is left/right by looking at the wear marks on the splines (the part
that slides into the
differential).
Mike
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------
Mike Gigante mikeg@vicnet.net.au
Watsons Creek Vineyard http://www.vicnet.net.au/~mikeg
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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-----Original Message-----
From: Patton Dickson <kpatton@worldnet.att.net>
To: John Nelson <psychodad@cybersnet.com>; Spridget List
<spridgets@autox.team.net>
Date: Saturday, December 20, 1997 7:19 AM
Subject: Re: Converting to Steel Wheels
>Ack!!! Not good news!!!
>
>I'll measure the half shafts as soon as I get back from vacation. I
>Think I know where I can get a new differential, but am not sure. Will
>I run into clearance trouble with this also?
>
>About the axles shearing, how much more likely are we talking about
>here. Is this a real fear in a non comp car, aren't they pretty
>overbuilt anyhow?
>
>If I do have to change axles, which ratio is the best for road use, I
>can't remember. This could be BAD!!!
>
>Thanks
>
>Patton
>
>John Nelson wrote:
>>
>> Patton Dickson wrote:
>>
>> > Gosh I hope not. I got the directions out of a book(which I don't have
>> > in front of me, maybe it was Porter's). If this is true, I'm in a
bunch
>> > or trouble.
>> >
>> > Any verifications out there?
>> >
>> > Patton
>> >
>> > --
>> > Patton Dickson Dallas, TX
>> >
>> > 1967 Austin-Healey Sprite H AN9 L 69437
>> > See My Austin-Healey Sprite Page
>> > http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/1256/page2.html
>>
>> Hi Patton,
>>
>> I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the wire wheel rear axle housing
IS
>> narrower than the steel wheel rear end. The stub axles are also shorter
(1/2
>> inch, I think) but will fit the wider steel wheel housing. The downside
is that
>> the shorter axles don't engage the differential completely, and will be
much more
>> likely to shear under load.
>> If you are unsure what to do because of all the different opinions, I
would
>> suggest that before you start the conversion that you pull out one rear
axle, and
>> compare it's length with your wire wheel axle. I wish we would have
checked
>> before we started our conversion, we ended up with the car on jack stands
for six
>> weeks while we found a wire wheel rear housing.
>>
>> I just measured a steel wheel axle I have in my garage, and it is 22 3/4
inches
>> from the flange to the end of the axle. If you would measure your wire
wheel axle
>> and let me know its measurement I would appreciate it, I would like to
write down
>> the axle sizes so next time someone ask about a conversion (and they
will) I can
>> give them the facts.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> John
>>
>> --
>> John Nelson
>> 1965 A-H Sprite MK III
>> http://www.cybersnet.com/psycho
>> "You don't have to be crazy to restore
>> a British car.....but it sure does help!!"
>
>--
>Patton Dickson Dallas, TX
>
>1967 Austin-Healey Sprite H AN9 L 69437
>See My Austin-Healey Sprite Page
>http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/1256/page2.html
>
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