Replaced the Propshaft

[prlee]

Thanks all, it has been a game so far with many red herrings like it cant be the tyres because its there with the wheels off the ground, there were problems with the prop and gearbox mount, experts missing things etc. So for the last few weeks I have concentrated on the wheels and tyres.

The rhs nearing was checked today and the new one from Rimmers had too much play, the garage got a new one from the local Triumph dealer (or he was 30 years ago) so I think it is original stock so should be fine.

Tomorrow I will get a new tyre on the new used wheel and try that.

BTW it seems no one can balance the wheels on the car anymore.



Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC - out for the summer.
Polybush, KYB shocks, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition roller bearing struts and anti-dive kit - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - In hibernation - Engine overhaul needed.

[Beans]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by FI Spyder</i>

... I had a violent 55 - 65 mph vibration and all I did was buy new tires ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I always make sure I buy tyres that will wear off within 4 or 5 years [:p]
Also, as both TR7's are no longer daily drivers, it often happens that they won't get much regular use.
And very often when I take one of them for spin I have (sometimes severe) vibrations between 100 and 110 kmh.
This is in my case always caused by slight flat spots caused by being stationary for to long.
And the vibrations always go away after about 25 kilometres, so till than I just don't exceed 100 kmh.

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)</font id="blue">
<b>[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]<u><b><font size="2"><font color="red">My Weblog</font id="red"></font id="size2"></b></u>[/url]</b></i></center>

[prlee]

I have thought my vibration maybe due to the car being off the road for 2 years although I made sure the wheels did not stand for long in one position.

I use the car car as a daily driver, usualy a 90mile round trip to work, it has been a rude awakening for a car that has normally done around 600 miles a year for 20 years, I have covered 14000 miles since 2008 - of which around 9000 since getting the car back on the road last September (there was a 4 month winter break).

Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC - out for the summer.
Polybush, KYB shocks, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition roller bearing struts and anti-dive kit - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - In hibernation - Engine overhaul needed.

[Beans]

That almost certainly rules out flat spots.

Was the propshaft balanced properly, undo one side turn it through 180º and bolt it back in place.
See if that makes any difference.

And did you check the prop shaft's CV joints for wear?

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)</font id="blue">
<b>[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]<u><b><font size="2"><font color="red">My Weblog</font id="red"></font id="size2"></b></u>[/url]</b></i></center>

[prlee]

Hi Beans, prop was replaced with new, assured no rebalance required, it ran true under test and the new propshaft made no difference.

I think there are red herings so I am not always sure where the vibration is or whether a change has solved a problem.

This is particularly frustrating as I pride my self on effective problem solving in my work life. Find out what you know and what you dont know, what is happening and what it is not, the answers I find are misleading [xx(]


Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC - out for the summer.
Polybush, KYB shocks, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition roller bearing struts and anti-dive kit - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - In hibernation - Engine overhaul needed.

[Hasbeen]

Pete, don't trust a CV joint, just because it's new.

My daughter recently sold a car. Although branded Holden, [GM in Oz], it was Suzuki made, with Swift front drive. Our system requires a roadworthy certificate, [MOT] before sale.

I took it to our local inspector for her, & heard the dreaded noise of a CV on the way. He condemned it of course, got a new half shaft, & fitted it. On the 6 Km home I thought I heard it again, & after 20Km it was clonking like mad. I did check, it was new, & felt perfect to hand pressure.

After another was fitted, I could still see nothing wrong with the first replacement. GM gave a full credit, no questions, so it must not be an isolated happening. You COULD have the same problem.

Hasbeen

[prlee]

Thursday the bearing with too much play was replaced, friday a new tyre fitted to the used wheel Robsport sent. No change.

Today I checked the nearside front wheel bearing to make sure it hadn't been neglected like the o/s had, pleased to find it ok and well greased. Checked the new wheel/tyre to make sure it had been located properly, while there I checked the endfloat of the new bearing - virtually nil so all good there, turned the wheel to see how it felt, noticed I could see the propshaft so watched that while I turned the wheel.

As the wheel turned I noticed the shaft moving forwards and backwards on the cv splines, I didn't expect it to do that so perhaps you are right Hasbeen and Beans and I do have a problem with the cv joints, they do not appear to have worn in as I had been told.

Next weekend I am off to Somerset to sort out a missfire thats developed on the Spitfire while in storage, I will take the TR and will take advantage of the pit again and give the rear axle and propshaft a good check over, may refit the original propshaft again.

Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC - out for the summer.
Polybush, KYB shocks, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition roller bearing struts and anti-dive kit - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - In hibernation - Engine overhaul needed.

[Beans]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by prlee</i>

... I noticed the shaft moving forwards and backwards on the cv splines ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
In that case also check the rear axles input flange and the gearbox' rear flange.
One of these might well be bent a little.

<center>
<font color="blue"><i>1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, now restored and back on the road)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)</font id="blue">
<b>[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]<u><b><font size="2"><font color="red">My Weblog</font id="red"></font id="size2"></b></u>[/url]</b></i></center>

[prlee]

Got the wheels sorted out better today, fronts move to the back as they seem good on the fornt - no vibration and on very slight shimmy.

New used wheel and new tyre moved to the front and the better of the original rear alloys had the other new tyre fitted and fitted to the front, its old tyre fitted the the problematic alloy as a spare, the steel wheel now redundant.

While at the tyre fitters I had the car raised on the ramp, diff and gearbox joints seem ok but will check better next weekend. I had the guy move the prop forward and back. Needs a more thourough check but nothing obvious.

My initial impression is that the vibration is less, on friday it was very bad at the back and was worse at the back of the centre arm rest, now a lot smoother, less vibration on through the gear stick, now some vibration on the steering wheel, still some coming throught the seat.

Tomorrow I will drive it to work, this will give me more chance to test it out as the M5 was very busy north of Bristol today.

Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC - out for the summer.
Polybush, KYB shocks, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition roller bearing struts and anti-dive kit - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - In hibernation - Engine overhaul needed.

[prlee]

Looks like I have made some progress today.

Got to use the pit down in Somerset and I think I have reduced the vibration some, altough with the roof down it is never as bad so the real test will be tomorrow when I take the 7 to work.

I found 3 things

The "new" propshaft had not settled in and the cv joints, particularly the rear one are stiff and don't revolve evenly.

I also noticed that the rear of the gearstick remote is almost touching the propshaft, there is a bracket there and the bushes have disintegrated. There are no signs of contact with the prop but something to be fixed.

I found some play on the flange on the diff, the nut holding the flange was slightly loose so this was tightened, with this done I could chech the diff and pinion properly and every thing seems fine as does the n/s bearing.

I put the old prop back and cannot really see a problem with it.


I think I now have something to work on.

I am pretty sure it is not the wheels, tyres or bearings, so this just leaves the prop and as this does not seem to have play perhaps its needs rebalancing on the car.

Next question is do I try this myself - would need the pit or find someone who knows how to do this.

Had some success with the Spitfire while I was down there, solved the misfire the has occured since the car was laid up in March - I fitted the leads anti clockwise instead of clockwise [xx(], I was then able to get it to the barns where I work on the cars. I quickly stripped the engine down to remove the head but is stuck fast at the moment, try again next visit. It must be the lowest mileage Spitfire with just 1 mile on the clock (the other 200000 doesn't show)[;)]

Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC - out for the summer.
Polybush, KYB shocks, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition roller bearing struts and anti-dive kit - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - In hibernation - Engine overhaul needed.

[prlee]

Sunday I went down to Somerset again, some simple servicing and replacing the gear stick extension bushes.

While under the car I torqued up the diff flange nut (oh err missus) and also rotated the prop 90 degrees onat the diff end.

The car seemed good on the journey home but it is always better with the roof down.

I didn't use the car on monday or tuesday as the fuel pipe sprang a leak, but today with the roof up this morning there was little sign of the vibration that has plagued me for the last year, I don't know what has done it but the vibration is down to being almost unoticable from unbearable.

The car has changed from being a really nasty drive 12 months ago to becomeing a pleasure.

Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC - out for the summer.
Polybush, KYB shocks, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition roller bearing struts and anti-dive kit - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - In hibernation - Engine overhaul needed.