Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Redline MTL is a GL4 oil specific for the synchros and helical gears in a manual transmission. Use Redline 75W/90 gear oil for the diff, it is a GL5 oil specific for hypoid gears used in the diff.

cheers
Rohan

Given all the work you have done I would replace the output shaft bearings on the diff. They are 6206 bearings which are a very common industrial bearing and cheap at any bearing supplier and very easy to fit once the shafts are out to do the seals

cheers
Rohan

Re drive shafts I would suggest you consider ElanTrik bits - quality workmanship and great service!

http://elantrikbits.com

Peter

A pair of SKF bearings c?10 delivered off eBay

If ordering over the internet make sure you specify the rubber seals both sides of the bearing - i.e. in SKF terms this is 6206-2RZ other suppliers may use similar terms such 6206-2RS

Typically bearings come open, with metal shields ( metal shields in SKF terms is 2Z) or with rubber seals - you want the ones with the rubber seals.

Its a poor design by Lotus to have the diff output bearings exposed like they are with just the bearing rubber seal protecting the bearing from the dirt and water under a car. At least on the wheel hub they put a metal shield over the inner bearing and the hub provides some protection for the outer bearing

cheers
Rohan

Hi Jon,
like you say we all have our budget and personal choice on what is needed.
Just my own choice because you intend to fit CV's i think the uprated "Frustacones" would be wise.
I would also change the Diff Output Bearings (they are the cheap narrow ones same as outside wheel hub).
Because you have some new spare Doughnuts i would fit them to ease the budget.
What ever you do i hope there are not too many problems.
Cheers
Alan

cudabenefast wrote:Re drive shafts I would suggest you consider ElanTrik bits - quality workmanship and great service!

<a class="vglnk" href="http://elantrikbits.com" rel="nofollow"><span>http</span><span>://</span><span>elantrikbits</span><span>.</span><span>com</span></a>

Peter

Hard to justify the considerable extra cost over the MM/Kelsport items, especially on a +2 where CV lock up is not an issue. I have MM shafts on my S4 with no other modifications, they were fitted by the previous owner in about 2004 & have done thousands of miles with no problems. I can't fault the workmanship or quality of these, & Sue is hard to beat for service

Regards, Tim

PS, Jon, given that you have failsafe driveshafts & a spare set of do-nuts, I would agree with Alan & stick with those for now

Yes - spend a lot less on the bearings and maybe consider new shafts when the body off restoration has been saved up for.
Use the savings on running repairs until then would be budget conscious course of action

I should point out that the problem is time rather than money. Space, too - I could not store the body here. Also, I want to drive it!

One more problem is that I have no press. So when I fitted the rear wheel bearing, I damaged the surface of the taper that the hub fits onto, and now I will be filing the burrs and lapping it. I'd hate to do that to the output shafts.

When I remove them I'll take pictures. Hopefully they're the stronger ones, this being a late Plus 2 S130.

I think, candidly, that I don't want to take my new toy off the road for months and months at this time, and I'm really keen to get to the other niggles (mostly noises from doors and other trim). I want to get a refined ride, quiet but with a bit of twink noise in the background. At the moment it's noisy.

So, for now it is "fix on fail", once the safety related work is complete. I've already committed in my head to getting CV joints. Maybe I should fit the spare doughnuts and see how it goes? I suspect, though, that they will show signs of failure after a trip to the shops, because they are old. No visible signs of wear, but I reckon they will break down quickly in use. What do you think?

Jon,
The do-nuts on my +2 were fitted just before I put it back on the road in 92. They were new from Norfolk motor company, Lotus main dealer at the time, & they were doing a special offer, all 4 plus all new nuts & bolts for ?100 all in I still have the receipt, I wish someone would repeat the offer with equivalent quality items . Anyway, they have had a mixed life of hard driving, standing around inactive for extended periods of time, & latterly of more sedate general 'classic car' use. They have been removed& replaced for various reasons over the years. They still look just the same as they did after their first few hundred miles, that is to say a few surface cracks/stress marks, but absolutely no de-laminating of the rubber from the steel plates. I keep an eye on them, but still have confidence in them should I feel the need to let the twink flex it's muscles.
The point being, I really don't think age is anything to go by, in fact, it could be one of those cases where older is better ? If yours show no sign of de-lamination & look in reasonable condition, I'd give them a go & just keep an eye on them, you do at least have the failsafe shafts if they do start to fall apart.

Regards, Tim

+1 Tim i agree 100%. On my 1972 Elan Sprint fhc i fitted new doughnuts about 15 years ago. Yesterday i crawled under the car to chase some oil leaks and at the same time inspected the doughnuts, they are as good as new .
So for me i will be staying with doughnuts( i have a few others in stock).
It's worth checking to see if the doughnuts are the correct Sprint type and not cheap Hillman Imp ones
Maybe if you visit Miles, worship him and polish his shoes he might make an exception and fit the bearings with his press
Alan

-1

If you are going to keep the car for any length of time , "the problem is time rather than money" , fit and forget some CV or U/J driveshafts , keep the originals on the shelf , for when you sell on to a "purist".

Can you guarantee the quality/integrity of the doughnuts ?

Have you seen the damage that can be done by a flailing driveshaft ?

I think this came near the top of "Most satisfying long term upgrade"

free-parking-f45/most-satisfying-long-term-upgrade-t39904.html

John

john.p.clegg wrote:Can you guarantee the quality/integrity of the doughnuts ?

No, they are used items, but look good (none of those tiny cracks or other surface artefacts). I suspect the PO bought them from someone who had upgraded to CVs.

Have you seen the damage that can be done by a flailing driveshaft ?

No, but I have a good imagination. On the other hand, my shafts (apart from the one I just replaced) are the safety variety, so they won't flail about even if a doughnut fails completely.

alan.barker wrote:It's worth checking to see if the doughnuts are the correct Sprint type and not cheap Hillman Imp ones

How? I assume the Imp nuts have no interleaved plates. These are not like that at all, they have the plates.

Maybe if you visit Miles, worship him and polish his shoes he might make an exception and fit the bearings with his press
Alan

I would have visited him sooner, but he never answers his phone. I wanted to show him the car last time it was on the road. On the other hand.. with a wobbly rear bearing I was probably better off not blasting it down the A27 (dual carriageway) for 20 miles or so.

He's got a big box full of doughnuts in his Aladdin's Cave..

Anyway, back to the diff. Now it is painted and I have had it inside over the weekend to help the Hammerite dry out, I've had a closer look. There is some slight play in the pinion to shaft splines (I'm not worried), and this is indicating to me that the pinion nut is not so tight as to lock the pinion on its shaft. I can imagine it was torqued up enough to set the crush tube to bearing fit, and since then it has bedded in a little. I'm wondering if I should give it a fraction of a turn more when I refit it.