Rear Wheel bearings ?

[jdouglas300]

Hi on an Elan +2.
I managed to get hold of a second hand pair of struts both type 18 . for rebuilding .
I have rebuilt 1 strut fitting the wider inner bearing ok ,
on the second one I have a problem
Has anyone came across the rear bearings on an issue 18 hub with both bearings the same size eg the thinner one the hub has not been welded ??
I've checked with a vernier caliper the dimension to the bottom of the bearing recess on this strut both have the same dimension to the top face eg 20.3 mm (obviously ignoring the minus dim to the circlip groove approximately 4mm) the thinner bearing is 15.94 mm .this size will fit both sides
the 2nd strut has this number 26.D 005 ISSUE 18 LM.22.WJS the first 26.D 004 ISSUE 18 LM.22.WJS
JD

[gjz30075]

Quite possible someone had fitted the narrow bearing because the wider one was
not available at the time. Possibly a 'make it work, get it on the road' issue at the time.

[jdouglas300]

Hi thanks for the reply
No the issue is the wider one wont fit as there is not enough depth ? the shaft is the same, thinner bearing or I cant fit the circlip ?
its not a show stopper as I can fit the thinner bearing or just rebuild my own strut .
I just wondered has anyone else come across this problem?
Best rgds JP

[512BB]

To be honest, I did not understand what you were describing or asking, and a lack of answers, I don't think anyone else did.

So what you are saying is you have an Issue 18 hub / strut carrier and you cannot fit the wider inner bearing because there is not enough depth for it to fit. I take it that the carrier has Issue 18 cast into it, and if it has, I have never come across that before. You have a rarity, but I don't think you have the Penny Red of the Elan world. Sorry to disappoint.

Hmm, just thinking about it further, it sounds as though the carrier has just not been machined deep enough to take the wider bearing.

Leslie

[andyelan]

Hi JD

The bearing housings and bearings were changed.

Up to chassis no 249 the part numbers were:-
026 D 0004 for the RH
026 D 0005 for the LH

From chassis no 250 they were:-
A026 D 0004 for the RH
A026 D 0005 for the LH

I'd suggest that the one you've got which take the taking the narrow bearing is the earlier type. This I think will also need an appropriately longer spacer

Regards
Andy
Andy

[512BB]

'I'd suggest that the one you've got which take the taking the narrow bearing is the earlier type. This I think will also need an appropriately longer spacer'

I think you are taking the piss here

L

[andyelan]

Hi there L

Sorry you think that.

The info comes from page DA 1 of the Elan Plus 2 Service Parts List where it also references service note 1968/11. Unfortunately I haven't got time to look for that.

Andy

[512BB]

And I am sorry you are having a bit of a sense of humour fade there Andy. I tried to put a smiley after my comment but it wouldn't work. Oh well............

Leslie

[rgh0]

My guess is someone previously ordered a replacement Issue 18 strut machined to take the narrower inner bearing of the issue 16 strut to match the other components they had on an earlier car ?

cheers
Rohan

[jdouglas300]

All
Thanks for your input I thought I was having a senior moment .
JD

[andyelan]

Hi there

I'd agree Rohan, there's a comment a comment in the Parts List as follows:-

"036 D 0166 Spacer (Use with earlier type bearings - later type housing)"

That suggests to me that there was a possibility to have an a late type housing machined to suit early bearings. Type 16 and Type 18, as far a I know, are only casting numbers and not finished part numbers so I can see no reason a Type 18 casting couldn't be machined to the earlier standard as spares for earlier cars

Andy

[alan.barker]

I thought it was only the Shaft different for the position of the Circlip Groove.
Alan

[Craven]

It is quite possible, Lotus being Lotus, that in the change-over to wide bearing a situation arose where oversupply of narrow bearing hub shafts needed using up

.

[jdouglas300]

Hi all the shaft takes the thinner bearing as well and the circlip fits,
Looks like I'm rebuilding the strut from the car, rather than just swopping it out.
Ah well it will be worth it in the end (just not sure when that will be ) :
Thanks for your thoughts Guys
as a post note this forum (and its history) is brilliant