This is an interim report on progress on the fix for the TR3 / 4 axle
breakage problem. It may be a little premature, but I'm pretty happy
about progress at this point, and I know that a number of you are pretty
interested.
My axle has been at the machine shop, where they verified the necessary
dimensions, procured the necessary new parts, cut off the housing ends,
welded new ones on, installed new axle shafts and bearings, and
installed new studs in the axles. I brought the axle home today and
later this week we will install it in Joe Alexander's car. Then Joe will
run one race at Texas World Spedway on 22 October to verify that nothing
rubs or leaks.
After our test weekend, we will report to you again, and anyone wanting
to do the same modification can contact me and I will send you an
instruction sheet describing how to go about having this machine shop do
the work. The shop, by the way, is Southwick Machine and Design, in
Colona, Illinois. They have built some very stout tooling for locating
the axle ends and while I was there they removed the alignment bar --
and the bores were perfectly aligned, a very important dimension.
Besides the bore alignment tooling, they have built fixturing for
drilling the backing plates to match the new axle ends.
I am very pleased so far with the design, the capabilities of this shop,
the experience they have with this kind of axle conversion (one person
in the shop working non-stop building axles for all sorts of competition
cars) and their friendliness and helpfulness.
The shop, Southwick, is located just outside Moline in the northwest
corner of Illinois. The midwest guys will be able to help each other out
on transportation, but it will be quite a distance for a number of
folks. However, with some planning,maybe we can combine forces and
reduce shipping costs by ferrying each others' axles back and forth when
we can.
Again, thanks to Ted Schumacher for insisting that we try this approach,
and thanks to everyone encouraging this endeavor. I have no commercial
interest blah blah but having a solution to this problem is probably the
only bright spot in the wreck we experienced.
Stay tuned.
--
TR6 -- 29 and still running
TR4 -- 39 and being rebuilt
uncle jack -- down but not out
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