[Spridgets] Wire wheel conversion and the rear axles.

[HealeyRick]

When I converted my bugeye to wire wheels I air chiseled the welch plug out
from inside the wire wheel hub and pressed the axle out to match the length of
the disc wheel axle (about 3/4-5/8")  This allows the splines to fully engage
in the diff.  Haven't noticed any problems.  BTW, you need to replace the
welch plug with a new one or an appropriately sized rubber ball or you'll leak
gear oil all over your brake shoes.

Rick


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--- On Wed, 6/16/10, fastvee <fastvee at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: fastvee <fastvee at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Spridgets] Wire wheel conversion and the rear axles.
To: "Spridgets" <spridgets at autox.team.net>, "Dean Hedin"
<dlh2001 at comcast.net>
Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 9:32 AM

Dean,
I had the same concerns about the axles on my wire wheel Midget because it
was
a conversion using a disk wheel axle housing. Recently I rebuilt the rear
suspension and converted back to disk wheels. The wire wheel axle was engaged
1/2" and was showing a notch worn into the splines, a textbook stress raiser.
I've been driving this car for 5 years and  try to take care of the clutch
and
axles, but suspect these axles were going to meet the same fate. You can see
the notches on this pic;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fastvee/4550504969/
John

--- On Wed, 6/16/10, Dean Hedin <dlh2001 at comcast.net> wrote:

At the Westtown affair, I met a gentleman who converted a 71 Midget and who
had done so by simply swapping the wire axles in.
He said he and his brother took the car out for a test spin and as soon as
they went up a steep hill the limited engaged splines striped off the
axle.   In this case they were unaware of the different lengths of the axles.
He indicated that the axle did not break clean, but actually shaved just the
splines off.
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