Rear axle problems - advice needed

[tyasman]

It's a long story, but I've just limped back from the Le Mans Classic in my '70 Elan S4 with a growling and slowly disintegrating rear diff. It leaked itself dry and we managed roadside repairs with a piece of tube, a lot of bad language, and a litre of 20/50 engine oil. Question - Does it need specialist Lotus knowledge to take out the diff, inspect for the relevant damage and repair - or can it be done by a (very competent) mechanic? If it's the crown and pinion are "service" replacements available? If so where? At this stage the general concensus seems to be that it's a bearing that's going.
Thanks for any answers

[elanman999]

Hi,
I hope you enjoyed LMC as much as I did, what a great event.

Taking the diff out is not too bad, I think the book gives a good discription.
You could take the diff apart yourself but rebuilding might be best left to someone who knows how if you want a quiet diff. If it's been run dry for a time I would have thought that the bearings and gears will need renewing but only inspection will tell.
TTR can do it, I would think Paul Matty can. You could also try some of the Escort rally boys as it's a Ford English diff with a special rear cover on. It depends what part of the UK you live in.
Best of luck,
John

[Old English White]

John is right ,
The Lotus Elan diff is only an "English diff" for a rear independant suspension.
Only the rear casing is different .
The others will correct me if wrong , but "Escort's mkI small flange english diff" are direct fit , only the ratio could(will) be different , but it give you at least a full range to experiment ...
Christian.

[kstrutt11]

Any ford english diff assembly fits, the one in mine came out of a mK2 Escort, You may need to change the drive flange over though.
They are not to dfficult to re-build, the main difficulties being setting the preload on the pinion shaft bearings (you are supposed to use a low range torque wrench but I find doing it by feel works better) and getting the meshing correct (use engineers blue and adjust the crownwheel engagement until the pattern is correct). You will also need a press to remove / fit the bearings.
If you are lucky it may only be the bearings which have failed as these run dry first.
Almost any reputable transmission specilist should be able to re-build them but if you need a new CWP expect a big bill. (or source a good secondhand one).

Kevin

[john.p.clegg]

You may want to look at this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LOTUS-ELAN-ELAN-P ... dZViewItem

John