Lets play the split the half shaft game.

Thurs.12.10.06. Today we have been on a spending spree at Totally Triumph the home of Big Max. I have carried around the half shafts in the Discovery for the past few weeks taking them first of all to Slicks but worse still, to Nutty Steve both promising faithfully to split them. This exercise was to ensure that the old bearings and bushes could be removed without damage to the outer hubs enabling new ones to be carefully fitted later.

True to form both had failed to deliver so we were hoping that Max would volunteer. Max, to cover his back, attempted to explain the difficulties of splitting them without ruining the thread at the end of the drive shaft. “You see, the problem is, most people apply heat which immediately corrupts the temper of the steel buggering up the thread. If that’s fucked you’re fucked, excuse my French. But I’ll have a go if you want me to”. Max placed one of the axles in a vice, he then, after attaching the ‘Churchill’ hub extractor began to turn….and turn….and turn. There must have been about 300lbs of torque (well, a lot anyway) at the end of the wrench but the shaft wouldn’t split; Max reverted to plan ‘B’, a sledgehammer. “Just hold that block of wood while I give it a bash”. Chris looked at Max and replied “I’ll tell you what, you hold the wood and I’ll use the hammer”. Max decided to use a lighter leather hammer, fortunately the shaft popped out, but as predicted the thread was damaged beyond repair. The second half shaft proved to be less contentious, comfortably splitting quite easily leaving the thread and the shaft perfectly intact. “That’s unusual, the needle bearing and the ‘Woodruff  key’ have not scared the shaft; fuck me, this is a good shaft, I’ve not seen as good a shaft in a long time”. It’s a pity that Max battered the life out of its brother I thought to myself, but I wasn’t prepared to point out that fact to Big Max. Max proposed an exchange from the racks of half shafts on display at a cost of £50.00 to £95.00 dependent upon how many old bearings had actually been replaced. We needed a little time to consider the options so we made a tactful retreat to work out the sums. 

We can purchase all the necessary replacement parts from Paddocks to complete the reconstruction ourselves, but if Max is prepared to rebuild our surviving shaft or offer an exchange part it is a viable alternative.

Max then proposed a pair of twin one and a half SU’s that had been recently removed from a running vehicle; but with the recommendation of installing new jets and a ‘bloody good’ clean they should be OK for the car. “Don’t clean the ports too much because you’ll spoil the swirl: most people polish them to buggery and spoil the swirl, there’s no need, you’ll spoil the swirl”. I thought, what’s the fuckin’ swirl? But again I kept it to myself. “Right, you can have a brand new 38inch prop with a ‘bean can’ end for £79.00, but if you want to buy that from Paddocks you can, because I did, it doesn’t bother me see, it’s your choice!” Chris was fading fast with this ever-increasing list of choices opting instead to evaporate into the calm of the countryside.