Fitting Sue Miller/Kelvedon CV joints

[TonyA]

Now my car is back from body repairs, I am fitting the Sue Miller/Kelvedon CV joints. I have already removed the original donuts & half shafts and loosened the front suspension arm joint from the hub carrier. Now I'm ready to fit the 'dumbells'. My question is should I first engage the longer studs thru the discs and then pull back the upright to engage the shorter studs at the diff, or the other way round. ? Any tips welcome; I am on my own, on my back and these buggers are heavy to manage ..! Cheers. Tony.

[lotusposition]

Sorry to see nobody can be bothered to help you here!
I seem to remember I found it easiest to fit diff end first.

[andyelan]

Hi there.

The easiest way I found to fit the shafts was to take the aluminium adaptors off the drive shaft assemblies (the 6 cap head screws at each end) and fit these separately to the diff and hub. It should then be a straightforward job to fit the drive shafts into the recess in the adaptors and screw in the cap screws. Just be aware that with the adaptors removes the CV joints will be exposed, so take care not get any dirt into them during the fitting

Regards
Andy

[mjbeanie]

Hi Tony,

I recently fitted the Elantrikbits CV assemblies to my Elan Plus 2.
Here is what I did and it worked quite well. First confirm which side will utilize the long or short studs.

I removed the aluminum adapter of the side of the CV joint going to the diff only. After marking the orientation of the adapter plate and CV assembly with a marker. There was no reason to remove the other side, and I kept it clean from contamination.

Then I fitted the DISC side first as it is the most "stubborn side" to get the bolts thru. Needed the wiggle room.
I fitted the aluminum adapter cap to the diff and snugged up the attachment bolts.
I rotated the disc and cv joint assembly, until it aligned with my mark on the adapter plate, and attached it to the plate, tightening the cap screws.

This worked well and there were no issues.
Cheers
Mike

[david.g.chapman]

I re-assembled my Mick Millar CV drive shafts to my +2 recently without dismantling them:

1. Locate the brake disc end in the brake disc holes (disc loosely fitted around the hub and with the calliper off), but do not add the nuts at this stage.(Sue wrote DIFF END on the other end to make it easier to identify each end) You want the assembly floppy and moveable.
2. Lift the other end up above the diff output shaft ears, then try and insert one of the studs into any one of the ear holes.
3. Grab the output shaft ears and rotate them to line up with another of the studs. You are trying to wind on the studs through the ear holes using the ears as gentle leverage. The cv joints need to bend to the max to achieve this, including play at the disc end. The diff also has some compliance on its mounts.
4. Once two ears are at the hole entrances the third stud will not be far away from its hole. A bit if jiggling and all of the studs should start to pop into the holes.
5. Continue to jiggle and rotate and work the studs though the holes. Now you can use the nuts to draw the studs all of the way in.
6. Complete the assembly of the disc end.

Works for me!

Dave Chapman.

[alan.barker]

Hi Tony,
Be sure to Torque load Sockethead screws and Loctite threads.
Alan

[TonyA]

Thank you all..I was reluctant to undo the socket bolts partly because of the risk of dirt ingress and partly not to disturb the manufacturer's tightening process. I found putting the long studs through the wheel hub drive and brake disc first worked quite well : as soon as the threads started poking through, I put on the nyloc nuts and tightened evenly to pull the studs home followed by freeing the suspension arm from the hub to allow the strut to be pulled out enough to allow the short studs to locate in the diff drive, again using the nuts to pull the studs evenly home before torqueing.

There is no room to engage the nyloc nuts with a socket or ring I used an open crow foot on the torque wrench.to tighten accurately while brakes applied by a helper.

I have jusr posted my method of supporting the back of the car to get this job done.. have a look.

Cheers..Tony

[alan.barker]

Tony,
Manufacturers tightening technique is tight then a 1/4 turn so no technique.
On my Elantrikbits CVDS the Torque is 20Nm for Caphead screws. Fitting instructions supplied with.
Don't forget Loctite on Caphead screw threads.
Alan