AK1113 (was about to) bite the dust !

[French Frie]

hello,
   
   I participated last week-end to the french "Cobra Days" with AK1113, in the Limousin (center of France)... Apart from the very bad weather (excepted on Monday), I experimented what could have been a serious problem...
   
   since the departure, the handling was not "as usual", with a bit of shimmy ... arrived in the Limousin, the situation was getting worse, and I thought at first that the steering was concerned. but, after having carefully checked that the front axle wasn't the culprit, I found that my rear right wheel was about to leave me [B)] !
   it was just maintained by the disc within the caliper, and by the hub which was just lying in the upright! in fact the bolt that keep the hub pressed into the upright was totally loosen and was lying in the flange... it was not retained in any manner (no locking washer, no locking wire or locking plate ) ! how can it be done that way ?
   I assume I read something like that in the Peter's restoration story, where he built a special system, but his bolt was drilled, IIRC, but mine isn't !
   
   
   
   anyway, I used thread locking  and put all the things together, but wasn't able to set the   pressure load accurately... it allowed me at least  to come back (still under heavy rain) and finish this 900 miles trip !
   
   BTW, what are the bearing references, as I plan to renew them on both sides, and check this bolt problem on left side as well ...

[jbottini]

FF, Sorry to hear of problem. I had Salsbury disassembled and regasketed 2 years ago..had some noise a year ago that turned out to be loose bolt in Salisbury mount. Hope all is well now!
   Jim

[French Frie]

Hi Jim,
   
   you don't have to feel sorry [:)] ! if I'd want to be (a bit) less annoyed, I should have bought a '12 sedan car [:o)] ! but I must admit I'm surprised that this nut is not locked ... I retrieve Peter's picture :
   
   
   
   mine hasn't that hole ... pics to come this evening!

[wenzeh]

AK1005 has the same configuration like Peter shows on his picture with a hole and a spline locking them together.  You are lucky as you can now drill the hole and set the spline to keep it from disassembly again.  If you need details for the part numbers for the bearings or drawing for some parts internally I can provide. Heinz

[jbottini]

Way out of my league to fix.. Good luck ff....why I bough wife an EOS and am looking at a BMW or Audi 3/4 class sedan or avant.

[dkp_cobra]

Since AK1005 and my (AK 1029) have the splines I'am starting to ask myself whether later MK IV don't have this security feature but just use thread locking.
   
   I think thread locking should be ok, but the risk is that if somebody repairs the hubs he can forget this. Jim, has somebody overhaul your hub? At least for greasing?

[wenzeh]

The distance between the two bearings is kept originally at distance with very flimsy shims.  As soon as one of these shims get damaged (they get eaten by the friction) the entire system gets loose and you receive axial movements (could have happened but just a theory) and the torque applied by the bolt is then gone.  All the original parts are made from very mild steel and the parts can get "eaten" very easily.  I personally replaced the pack of shims with one custom made part to exact dimension and fixed the system as was original with the spline.
   
   I bought some new parts from Gerry Hawkridge as old parts had no longer proper tight fit of bearings (tolerance).  Some parts I had to remanufacture and used better quality steel.
   
   No problems since 2 years - but only drove 800 km since :-) !  As I understand all started as the former owner of AK 1005 had the rear break discs changed by a shop - they created with that repair another 2000€ damage with the assembly...this is where the problem on my car started as you need to disassembly the entire system to change break discs.

[dkp_cobra]

quote:Originally posted by wenzeh
   
The distance between the two bearings is kept originally at distance with very flimsy shims.  As soon as one of these shims get damaged (they get eaten by the friction) the entire system gets loose and you receive axial movements (could have happened but just a theory) and the torque applied by the bolt is then gone.  All the original parts are made from very mild steel and the parts can get "eaten" very easily.  I personally replaced the pack of shims with one custom made part to exact dimension and fixed the system as was original with the spline.
   

   
   I made exact the same oberservation. Some of my shimes were eaten. I also replaced the shims together with the distance ring by one distance ring of correct width and much higher steel quality. No problem since 3500km.

[Mark IV]

Information on how the Kirkhams do it here:
   http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/kirkham-motorsports/81957-original-427-street-cobra-suspension-rebuild.html

[dkp_cobra]

I think they just used thread locking for assembling. Original they had a simliar solution I have chosen.

[wenzeh]

According to the original 427 manual from Shelby on the drawing you can see part# 17 which is called a lock washer - looks like that it has a bend into a hole on one site and a bend over flange to the site of the screw on the other hand which you bend over after applying the torque.

[French Frie]

thanks Rick, for this very informative link ! so my first aid solution (ie thread locking) was not that bad ... now I 've to check the bearings are not shot, and that the shims are still in place ... and maybe apply the correct torque on the bolt ! but I assume that with the red Loctite I  put on it, it won't move and even won't be easy to unlock !

[dkp_cobra]

quote:Originally posted by French Frie
   
thanks Rick, for this very informative link ! so my first aid solution (ie thread locking) was not that bad ... now I 've to check the bearings are not shot, and that the shims are still in place ... and maybe apply the correct torque on the bolt ! but I assume that with the red Loctite I  put on it, it won't move and even won't be easy to unlock !
   

   
   The solution is heat! Just take a blow-dryer for the garage and make the bolt hot. The thread locking will loose it's friction.

[jbottini]

Hi guys..don't believe passenger rear hub was worked on. Passenger side front had bearing and spacers replaced though. jim

[ak1234]

Gents,
   
   I had the same problem with ak1234 and back in 2003 with only 8000 miles on her ... I emailed John Owens @ AC Cars in Malta and he sent me 12 step instructions on how the factory recommended the rear axle gets assembled.  At that time I had also purchased parts and he sent me a pack of shims in various increments to properly shim the tapered bearing.  If any of you would like I can email you the 12 pages.
   
   But now you have me thinking about the bolt AGAIN and I might just take her apart and check that again.  One thing I did find is there is a grease fitting on top of the carrier assembly to grease these bearings.  My problem originated from the rear bearings having NO GREASE ... so the bearing failed wore the shim and I was feeling a shimmy like as if the car had a Detroit Locker in the rear.  The NO GREASE thing got me thinking so I put it up on the lift and found this was the case on most of the car.
   
   Email me if you would like the 12 page STEP by STEP Factory assembly.
   
   Ron