[Spits] Spitfires Digest, Vol 2, Issue 203

[Doug Braun]

This is where the "dummy shaft trick" will help out:

First get a wood or plastic shaft the same diameter as the
real countershaft, and a wee bit shorter then the cluster gear.

Then fit the needles to each end of the cluster gear, using vaseline or grease to hold them in place.

Then put the dummy shaft in the cluster, to firmly hold the needles in place.

Then drop the cluster gear into the case.

Finally, when it is time to slide in the layshaft, it will push the dummy shaft out the other end, and the needles will stay where they belong.

I still have my dummy shaft (a piece of dowel) that I made up about 16 years ago.

Doug




--- On Thu, 12/18/08, Glenn Franco <gaf3 at charter.net> wrote:


> I rebuilt a 3 rail for my race car about a year ago. The
> most difficult 
> job is getting the cluster back in position without loosing
> the needle bearings.