Section : Rear Axle

Rear axle, brakes, wheels and tyres.

Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts

Posted By : Chris Povey, 26-Sep-2005, 02:52pm

I am in the process of rebuilding the rotoflex rear end of my GT6 (as well as the rest of the car) and have a question regarding the threads in the drive shaft spiders.
I have a collection of driveshafts and decided on a decent looking pair to use on the car. As with a lot of other parts I decided to clean the threads (0.5 inch 20 tpi UNF) for the rotoflex bolts. On the selected shafts this has proved impossible as the tap binds up in the thread and will eventually lock completely.
I am using a top quality HSS tap that should be able to cut a new thread if one doesn't already exist.
Trying the same process on a different pair of drive shafts is fine and I threads cleaned up perfectly.
Does anyone know if some shafts have hardened threads rotoflex bolt threds?

Followups :

Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts

Posted By : Jonathan Binnington, 26-Sep-2005, 08:46pm

I'm doing exactly the same at the moment, but I am unable to disassemble one of the hubs

anyone got a spare right hand side?

Jonathan
- Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
  
  Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 26-Sep-2005, 09:57pm
  
  Bin,
  I 'may' have exactly what you're looking for... I have a dissasembled set of rotoflex rear (complete) from a Vitesse. This was intended for the racer this year , but quite lazily I never got around to sorting it out. When I finally did, I noticed the long bolt (that holds the shocker) had completely knackered threads on one side and I couldn't get it out
  
  Anyway, as I was sulking and not getting my gear together I managed to half talk myself into buying a full set of alloy hubs and uprights (front and rear). If I manage to convince myself the other 50% then I'll have a spare set ... hmm
  
  I need to do some sums, I'll let you know...
  - Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
    
    Posted By : Jonathan Binnington, 26-Sep-2005, 10:05pm
    
    nig, thall be helpful, i'm neither here nor there at the moment with a set on the car which may need new roto joints and a wobbly bearing and half a set in the garage rebuilt but the other hub refusing to let go of the flange
    
    let me know as soon as you dun your sums...
    
    j
    - Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
      
      Posted By : Colin Wake, 27-Sep-2005, 11:24am
      
      Jonathan
      
      I have some rotoflex corner looking for a good home, if you get stuck. Not touched so I don't know if they would come apart.......
      
      let me know whenever...
      
      Cheers
      
      Colin
      - Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
        
        Posted By : Vin Poonwassie, 27-Sep-2005, 12:28pm
        
        Bin, Colin,
        
        I might be going from Colins neck of the woods to Bin's neck of the woods this Friday night and can deliver if you wish.....
        
        Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
        
        Posted By : Colin Wake, 27-Sep-2005, 12:45pm
        
        Vin, Bin
        
        Don't forget my 'neck of the woods' is a bit further afield than it at first appears, I am in Colchester....
        
        Cheers
        
        Colin
        
        Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
        
        Posted By : Vin Poonwassie, 27-Sep-2005, 01:54pm
        
        Doh! - I thought you were in Cuffley Colin......
        
        Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
        
        Posted By : Colin Wake, 27-Sep-2005, 04:30pm
        
        I am a North London Regular but have always been a boy from 'the sticks'!!
        
        I took pity on them 15-odd years ago when their numbers were down and decided to keep them company.
        
        All my family comes from Cuffley / Goffs Oak, that is where the connection comes in..
        
        If the need is longer term, I can easily stick them in the car and get them to that area for transportation on at a later date.
        
        Cheers
        
        Colin
        
        Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
        
        Posted By : Jonathan Binnington, 27-Sep-2005, 10:17pm
        
        colin, Vin NiG et al
        
        the kind triumph elves at TR Fitchetts were able to sell me a good stub axle today which has meant I have been able to knock seven bells out of the siezed one and get the bugger apart.
        
        I have sufficient parts now to be able to make two good halfshafts to swap out the weary ones on the supersix after the 10CR
        
        I will then be able to refresh the weary ones, either for use with the speedsix or as spares for the supersix
        
        Colin I do covet these bits, but if you will be ok keeping them, in the pool of spares as it were then hang on to them for someones future use
        
        if you are going to bin them then I will give them a home and keep them for the future
        
        I suggest you give thenm a good dousing with penetrating oil, they rust solid with ages, ask me how i know!
        
        j
        
        Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
        
        Posted By : Colin Wake, 28-Sep-2005, 10:45am
        
        Bin
        
        They are in the shed and in no-ones way, so in storage they will stay.
        
        Give me a shout if your need increases and I am sure a way can be found for them to end up in the midlands......
        
        Cheers
        
        Colin
        
        Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
        
        Posted By : Chris Povey, 28-Sep-2005, 01:44pm
        
        Anyway back to the threads in my drive shafts - were some of them made with hardened threads or has someone used some incredibly strong bearing or screw lock?
        
        Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
        
        Posted By : Jonathan Binnington, 28-Sep-2005, 09:45pm
        
        sorry Chris hijacked your thread, it may be that they were reassembled at some point with thread lock cement but the metalwork is tough bolts with tough (not hardened) steel spiders
        
        I have needed to use long levers and well fitting ring spanners to remove my bolts
        
        nearly got two rebult halfshafts now with new brake parts
        
        will it be dry at the weekend to fit them??
        
        Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
        
        Posted By : Chris Povey, 29-Sep-2005, 12:19pm
        
        No problem Jonathan,
        
        Just wondered really. Both sets of driveshafts are OK I would just like to have cleaned out the threads.
        
        Glad you got your set up sorted- it seems that it is quite difficult to find decent rotoflex stuff. Mine had already been rebuilt but I dismantled to check it out and found both hibs had been damaged by someone grinding the outer bearings off (damaged the surface where the grease seal runs) and one side had no spacer or shims fitted. In total I had 5 Sides of rotoflex to get enough bits to build 2 decent ones. I have also managed to get a pair of original rotoflex couplings with the correct bolts (these do have some kind of locking coating but nothing like whatever was used on my driveshafts) off ebay .
        
        So all I need to do now is set up the end float and reassemble and restore the rest of the car!!
        
        All the best
        
        Chris
        
        Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
        
        Posted By : Jonathan Binnington, 29-Sep-2005, 01:00pm
        
        end float: the book says a couple of thou end float, my cooper s with aper roller wheel bearings said a couple of thou preload
        
        why? same bearings, same design
        
        I have had to use parts from about six halfshafts to get 4 good ones
        
        makes me suspicious of why peole try to sell rusty assemblies for stupid amounts of cash when they know they probably won't come apart easily without buggering up some of the components
        
        oh well...
        
        Rotoflex Drive shaft bolts
        
        Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 29-Sep-2005, 01:28pm
        
        >>> "makes me suspicious of why peole try to sell rusty assemblies for stupid amounts of cash when they know they probably won't come apart easily without buggering up some of the components"
        
        yep, don't I know it...
        
        Anyway, I have decided to take the plung and buy the alloy stuff I talked about...
        So I'll have some spares...