by Philip Bayne-Powell
Our 14/40 engine now seems to be sorted out, but only after resorting to Barrs Leaks to stop the water leaks from the head gasket and central studs - on a NEW engine!!I have also had problems with the rear hubs and bearings which I thought might be of interest to others.
At the last MOT the tester advised that the nearside hub was loose, and on checking, I found that the brake drum could be pulled in and out by about 4mm. I therefore took the half shaft and hub out, and despite the bearing being firmly secured with its lock nut and tab washer, the drum was still sliding over the bearing. I then realised that the flange on the hub traps the bearing in position when it is secured to the brake drum with its countersunk setscrews. I therefore measured the depth of the flange on the hub with a vernier depth gauge, and compared it with the depth of the bearing inside the brake drum; I found the hub flange to be 4mm too short, meaning the flange wasn't trapping the bearing, thus allowing the drum to slide in and out on the bearing by that same 4mm. On talking to Terry in the Cooke Group's workshop, I was told that there should be a 4mm spacer ring to take up this gap. He also said that due to the brake drum moving in and out on the bearing the brake shoes would not be lined up properly with the drums, and this would cause pulsing of the brake pedal which I had been experiencing.
I therefore ordered a pair of spacer rings and also new bearings, locking nuts and tab washers from them to do a proper job. These duly arrived, and I fitted the nearside brake drum with the felt oil seal, seal retainer, bearing, tab washer and lock nut in that order, and then the new 4mm spacer ring. Once the half shaft and hub were refitted and screwed up tightly there was no play on the brake drum anymore. We had the car out last month and there was no pulsing of the brake pedal and the steering also felt better.
Having done the nearside, I then proceeded to overhaul the offside, although the MOT had not identified a problem here. So new felt seal, seal retainer plate, bearing tab washer and lock nut were all installed exactly as had been done on the nearside, and the new 4mm spacer inserted outboard of the bearing, BUT when the half shaft and hub were reinserted, the hub would not pull up tight to the brake drum - by about 4mm. I therefore took out the spacer ring, and this allowed the hub to seat properly onto the brake drum. I didn't take it all apart to see why the offside was different to the nearside, but perhaps the hub flanges are different, or maybe the brake drums.
I expect there is someone who has an answer to this, which possibly affects the Mk 1 18/80.