Failed Prop
The cars > Developments and changes
A failed Prop
Or more precisely a failed Prop shaft Centre bearing mounting.
As anyone reading these pages will know as part of the changes to the Transmission the front prop shaft design incorporated a centre bearing to enable the move of the transmission etc. backward in the car and to allow the prop to "break over" a cross member.
When we constructed the bracket for the centre bearing we thought we had made it sufficiently strong to cope with the forces being applied, however this turned out not to be the case, resulting in some quite significant damage as the bearing broke free and started flailing around under the car during a scrabbly and rocky climb.
So what we originally built can be seen above.
What was left after the bracket failed is below.
The torque being applied through the centre bearing has resulted in stress fractures and eventual failure.
N.B. the forces that do the damage are not in the direction you might imagine I.E. not in the rotational or twisting movement around the prop and bearing assembly but more of a rocking motion forward and backwards along the length of the props.
Some of the consequential damage.
The bell housing was removed and the hole welded.
The exhaust was straightened and repaired as best as possible and the large dents in the floor hammered out.
And finally a new bracket is made up and welded into place to re-secure the centre bearing.
This final option may only be a temporary fix until stronger prop-shaft solution can be obtained.
