In a message dated 7/6/2005 12:03:27 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
owner-fot-digest@autox.team.net writes:
> Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 11:22:56 -0500
> From: "Barr, Scott" <sbarr@mccarty-law.com>
> Subject: Spitfire Axles
>
> Sorry to bomb the whole list with this, but for those of you who were in on
> the Summers Bros. Spitfire axles as arranged by Ed Barnard...
>
> What have the rest of you done to make sure your yokes stay put on the inner
> end of your axles? How often do you check them?
>
> When I originally assemble mine, I used a 1/16h" thick grade 8 washer (edges
> ground straight to fit inside the yoke), backed by a smaller lock washer for
> the 5/16ths bolt into the end of the axle. Loctited the bolt in place.
>
> While swapping my diff this weekend, I checked the bolt/washer at the inner
> ends of the axles which holds the inner yoke to the axles and discovered that
> the side forces had pulled the passenger-side washer into a nice cup shape.
> There was perhaps .100" of play between the inner collar and the outside of
> the yoke. The driver's-side washer was also cupped, but not as badly. Use
> of Loctite on the bolt apparently kept the bolt from backing out and allowing
> the yoke to part from the axle. The marking paint on the bolt's head showed
> there had been no movement there.
>
> As you may recall, Tom Strange had his come apart in Canada Corner at Road
> America a couple of years ago. From what we could tell, his washer got
>pulled
> cup-shaped (possibly in a spin in the Kink the previous day). The bolt came
> out of his axle and the yoke pulled off of the axle, ending his race at the
> track-out of Canada Corner.
>
> In reassembling my axles-yokes, I've backed up the full-width washer (edges
> ground down to slide into the slot at the inside of the outer part of the
> yoke) with a heavier hardened washer of the same diameter as the axles. More
> Loctite and bolt heads drilled for safety wire -- will do that as soon as I
> come up with something to safety wire to... This is the same as what Tom did
>to
> reassemble his after it came apart the first time -- no problems since then.
> I expect mine will be fine now, too.
>
> Scott
>
>
Scott,
I never had a problem with my original set-up using all new original grade
nuts, bolts & washers but nonetheless, I replaced them all with upgraded (AN)
items from Coastal Fabrications.
They don't mind selling in small quantities either.
Best of Luck
Leon
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