LSB2468 - even numbers for an odd car

[Darcy]

25 minutes ago, pethier said:

Brand Lotus wheels?

No, they are JBW wheels and balance was easy for the tire shop. 

[pethier]

4 minutes ago, Darcy said:

No, they are JBW wheels and balance was easy for the tire shop. 

Excellent.  I assume the wheels have steel inserts with conical seats.  Much-better design than original Brand Lotus wheels.

[EdWills]

1 hour ago, pethier said:

I think I recently referred to this as a "stub axle" because I just could not remember the word "spindle".  Thanks for reminding me.

Hi @pethier.  According to the Standard Triumph Manual, and the Lotus Seven Owners Manual, both use the term 'stub axle' or 'stub axle shaft' to describe the one piece part that the wheel bearings are located on.  Spindle is also correct to describe the part, but ordering a 'spindle' from a U.K. Triumph/Lotus parts source may lead to some head scratching possibly (but AI will help)? Cheers W.

[pethier]

10 hours ago, EdWills said:

Hi @pethier.  According to the Standard Triumph Manual, and the Lotus Seven Owners Manual, both use the term 'stub axle' or 'stub axle shaft' to describe the one piece part that the wheel bearings are located on.  Spindle is also correct to describe the part, but ordering a 'spindle' from a U.K. Triumph/Lotus parts source may lead to some head scratching possibly (but AI will help)? Cheers W.

Thanks!

[IamScotticus]

USA / UK

shocks / dampers

trunk / boot

muffler / silencer 

speedometer  / speedo 

wrench / spanner

hood / bonnet

drive shaft / prop shaft

windshield / windscreen 

parts  / fiddley bits

 

 

 

[SENC]

jury-rig/bodge

[Darcy]

Ok kids, time to get serious.  Unfortunately, as I bring the car back to life, more "issues" are appearing.  I might have just found the real reason the car was parked in 1974. 

As I fix and improve, my driving speed is increasing.  Two days ago I noticed a tiny leak in the differential.  Maybe a drop a day coming out. I thought that was weird.  I cleaned up the surface, roughed it up a bit.  Put a few drops of JB weld on it. Seemed to fix the problem. Investigate later I said. 

So, I went for another drive yesterday. A little faster.  Goes around traffic circles at speeds that don't seem natural, but I was expecting that. 

Now I see a bigger leak and with some cleaning and close examination I see there is a larger crack on the back plate of the differential above the centre.  I posted this question on a Facebook group, so some may have seen it.  I got some good advice there, but I'm hoping for more suggestions here.  I am a decent welder, so I am thinking of adding the flat horizontal plate that crosses the back side of the axle and differential.  

What I am wondering about is distortion.  For those who have done this or had it done, how much will the axle distort with the welding?  I'm assuming that it needs to be done in sections after tacking the plate on at a few spots. This the picture I took of the leak below the centre before adding the JB weld to the leak.  It was practically invisible to the eye. 

[EdWills]

Hi Darcy.

 

My Escort rear axle from Caterham many years ago, has the 1/4 inch heavy flat plate going right across to where the radius arms attach, so a number of welds.  The plate is not continuously welded, just 2 inch welds spread across the brace say 6/7 inches apart or so.  DSK under Messrs. Kaplan, Seitz, and their team came up with some good modifications for Lotus parts that were sometimes on the limit of breaking.  I have attached a method designed by a Mr. J. Woolnough of DSK cars that looks strong, would be lighter than the plate, and helps to control the axle distortion (twisting).  Some seamless 1/8 inch wall mild steel tubing may fit the bill?  I believe that John D. of Simple Sevens has an alternative page from DSK that is similar to the one attached.  Either would work.  W