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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2008 18:29:12 GMT
Started the RV up today, first time in ages. As I was expecting Simon over (good to meet you by the way and I look forward to seeing the progress with your RV) I decided to reverse it out of the garage. It look s like the clutch is stuck, even though it was brand new last year, and when I stuck it in reverse there was a clunk and 'snap'. I knew immediately what had happened - the prop had snapped. It looks like a weak weld though, so it could have gone anytime ..............I'm so much happier that it snapped in my garage, the consequences of it breaking at 70 on the motorway are unthinkable. So, anyone know where I can get another prop? I know a guy locally that will weld it for me, but wonder if it is easier to get a replacement? Anyone know an easy way to realease the clutch without dropping the gearbox? Not so easy now that the prop is broken!
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Post by Gary on Mar 9, 2008 20:46:45 GMT
I used to have a motor on which the clutch stuck fairly regularly, i used to free it by starting it in gear (make sure nothing is in front of you though)
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2008 21:00:41 GMT
hi david i will have a word with the neighbour across the road i mentioned today and see what he can come up with i will give you a ring and let you know
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2008 21:05:31 GMT
Cheers Simon. ;D I'll also see what my welding bloke can come up with.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2008 21:16:47 GMT
Assuming it is not standard as its been welded already Just get it "Properly" rewelded As for the stuck clutch. When the prop is back on! Start it in gear and apply both peddles when it is moving.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2008 22:49:23 GMT
You can fix this with the prop broken. Put 2 bolts in the prop plate opposite eachother and get a jack handle ready. Get someone to sit in the rv and put it into 1st gear with the clutch down. This will remove the pressure plate from one side of the clutch mechanism. Once they have it in gear with clutch down, turn the gearbox with the jack handle as hard as possible untill the clutch frees. Shouldnt take much with the clutch pressed in gear because the pressure plate will be out the way.
Involves a bit of muscle but gets it freed ok, used to have to do this on an old car i had before the rv after the winter period
nathan
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2008 9:53:09 GMT
Trouble is, it is the splined nose that has broken off before the UJ so I haven't got anything to get hold of to twist.
I've dropped the prop into a welding mate (industrial/farm machinery kind of thing) and he reckons it was never welded properly in the first place. He says it looks like it has been mig welded and that would never be hot enough to pentrate the splined nose. He reckons he can weld it properly (using carbon rods?) and it won't break again. ;D
Should be up and running by the end of the week.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2008 19:08:13 GMT
130204792100 try this david
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2008 23:23:27 GMT
Hmmm interesting. Mk1 or 2 cortina then.
I hope mine is weldable for the cost of a drink. I should fin dout by Friday.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2008 14:10:43 GMT
Hihihihi to hear your woes re your propshaft and you probably have it all sorted by now but a word on modded/shortened propshafts. Your welder pal is right, a prop is made of heavy guage steel and needs to be welded by somebody who knows what they are doing. Secondly the prop needs to be dynamically balanced after welding.....a decent machine/engineering shop should be able to do this for you. However the most important thing when shortening/modifying propshafts is that the mod or welded end should always be at the rear of the shaft (The axle end). As you said you were lucky your prop broke in the garage. If it had broke on the road, even at 30 mph the prop could have dug in and vaulted you end over end.........automotive pole-vaulter? At least if the weld was at the rear of the prop and it failed on the move it would merely drop down and bounce about until the splined nose dis-engaged from the g/box. Not pleasant for those following you but at least you dont have a face full of tarmac!! Regards chris
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2008 19:57:07 GMT
Mmmmm cautionary tale indeed, but sorted now by previously mentioned mate. The problem with cortina based cars is that the donor had a two piece prop and most of the kits using the drivetrain have a shorter one piece unit. The normal thing for the makers to do was to chop the nose (after the UJ) and the tail (before the UJ) and weld both ends to a tube before balancing. Mine had all the hallmarks of this type of construction including the balancing weights. Unfortunately with this arrangement, keeping the welds to the rear section of the prop is not possible. Trouble is, my prop broke the nose off the UJ( ) suggesting a fault in the weld from the factory (and that would be the Ford factory). From memory the nose section used was from a Transit prop. Of course my car was built in the mid 80's and used regularly until the mid 90's (by previous owners) so it is some surprise that this fault did not occur before now!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2008 20:23:12 GMT
Okay, I didn't consider the two piece unit.......I've always favoured the one piece Cortina mk11 propshaft for all the conversions I've played with over the years. These include Ford V6 in my mum's Vauxhall Firenza and a x-flow powered Locust. The prop is longer than the Escort and/or similar and ideal for shortening. I guess these will be getting hard to find these days though.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2008 20:59:08 GMT
Okay, I didn't consider the two piece unit.......I've always favoured the one piece Cortina mk11 propshaft for all the conversions I've played with over the years. These include Ford V6 in my mum's Vauxhall Firenza and a x-flow powered Locust. The prop is longer than the Escort and/or similar and ideal for shortening. I guess these will be getting hard to find these days though. I love those old Firenza's. Lived in Oz for a while and my sister had their version with a V8 in it....... cool
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