Stu 1986 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 Hello Chaps,I took my Herald 13/60 for a "naughty drive" to the top of the road and back, a distance in total of 1/2 mile today. The car is more or less finished after 8 years of restoration. It quickly became apparent I'm getting a fair amount of tyre rubbing on the rear arches, which isn't good. The wheels are a set of Cobra Super slots which were previously on a GT6, and the tyres are a brand new set of Firestone 175/70 R13's I've had some thoughts of my own, but I'd like some other peoples thoughts. The other issue I'm having is I'm unable to get her to shift to 2nd gear when moving, it slots straight in when stationary. I've driven about 5 "naughty miles" in the car and this is a constant issue. 1st, 3rd and 4th are fine and the O/D operates correctly too. I'm hoping this isn't some awful issue that'll cause me a huge amount of heartbreak and tears, but rather something that needs adjusting. Any thoughts on both issues would be very much appreciated. Ta, 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt306 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 I have a private lane for my "not quite as naughty as yours drives" and y rear wheels sounded like they are rubbing occasionally but i could see no marks on the tyres and the gap is quite is large so cant see that it is rubbing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu 1986 Posted October 1, 2014 Author Share Posted October 1, 2014 I meant to say when she is stationary, I'm unable to get my fingers between the tyre and the arch. I wish I had my own private lane, along with a 30x20 garage. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt306 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 I have a large double garage i guess i am lucky in that!Is it one side or the other or both? it one side i guess its a case of tub not central if it is then I guess its a flat spring pushing it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu 1986 Posted October 1, 2014 Author Share Posted October 1, 2014 It sounds like it's both sides, I was wondering if it's the rear shockers that have given up before the game has begun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkuser Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 If the clearance problem with the tyres is only on the one side of each tyre, check that the off-set of the wheels correct for the Herald.Faulty shock absorbers will not cause tyre clearance problems Stu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt306 Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 I do have standard Herald Wheels which have 155/80 R 13 you have a considerably wider tyre, 30mm so which may be your issue? Perhaps some sort of block under the spring will pull the wheels more upright? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scimher Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 ...I have 175/70x13 tyres on 5" Dolomite or Spitfire 'steels' & have no issues at all - car is late '64 Herald 1200 convertible....with some 'tub-spread'!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piman Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Hello Stu, you'll need to dress the arches to try and get some more clearance, else change the wheels to ones with less offset. Your second gear sounds like weak synchromesh, so it's either replace the synchromesh cones or learn to double declutch.Alec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferny Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Measure the length of your half-shafts and report back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkuser Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 The gear problem could be that the tips of the synchromesh cone teeth may be rounded off which causes the cones not to be pushed in line with the hub teeth when the gearbox is spinning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu 1986 Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 OK, I've just been looking through my photos on my PC and I've managed to get this snap from one of the pictures of my wheels (before I paid a lot of money to have them refurbished! :-/ ) It has the offset etc imprinted on there. Any thoughts? As for my gearbox, I just looked on Canleys for a 2nd gear syncro cog, no longer available. I looked on eBay and a NOS one is £115!! I'm wondering whether to look for another box or calling a specialist. But in the immediate future I need to focus on my Daily car as it's MOT is tomorrow and I forsee I'm going to have to spend a lorra lorra money on various front and rear suspension components thanks to the third world roads we have to drive on these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piman Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Hello Stu, it's not that difficult to live with weak synchromesh or even no synchromesh at all. Alec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkuser Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Maybe I misinterpreted what was happening.As there was no mention of grating, I assumed that the gear could not be moved into the engaged position which can be due to the synchro teeth losing their points and so they just sit on the mating teeth in the hub, rather that pushing the teeth into alignment so they can engage with the gear.Maybe Stu could clarify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu 1986 Posted October 3, 2014 Author Share Posted October 3, 2014 What happens is: I can select 2nd when stationary without issue, and drive away in that gear. I can go from 2nd to 3rd no problems. But if I go from 1st to 2nd or down from 3rd, the gear doesn't engage instead choosing to make grinding, grating growling noises. Hope this clarifies things. Ta, S. P.S. The daily passed its MOT no issues. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piman Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Hello Stu, I take it you haven't heard of double declutching, during the change the clutch is engaged when the gear lever goes to neutral adjust the engine speed to road speed for the gear you want to select, depress the clutch again and put it into gear, it takes more to write a description of it than actually doing it.In the fifties and sixtiesm cars with three speed gearboxes without synchromesh on first gear were common; to pass your driving test, as I did, in one of those you had to demonstrate that you could change into first on the move.Alec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 synchro relies on good clutch operation. ber in mind every change the mainshaft has to spin up or down the upstream gear sets and the clutch disc to synchronise the revs of the gear sets. all in the blink of an eyeif it Baulks and blocks engagement its clutchif it crashes violently at the start of a change its clutch if it grates and clashes part way into a change its baulk ring or tooth chamfering degraded.as the sync ring has no 'rockover' then it lets goes before any sychronising has had the chance to work then its check the there is a well defined chamfer on the gear dog teeth the ball ans springs in the hub/sleeve are correct the baulkring is not bottomed out or lost its 'wring' grip on the coneextract ataached (if it comes out) of a good Rootes description of how Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 sorry thats a bit 'big. and upsidedown Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkuser Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Ah, clashing or grinding into second is common in these boxes as they age.Can be overcome by increasing the loading of the balls in the synchomesh hub to compensate for the wear on the gripping surface of the cone and the slight rounding of the edges the balls climb over during engagement.Best to replace the balls as they can develop flats (they skid rather than roll) and check that the springs are in good condition.The specifications for the force required to cause the hub to move are in the workshop manual but these are not easy to check.In practice, 8 Thou of shim under each spring will improve or even solve the synchromeshing problem without noticeable increased effort required to change gears.The shims are 1/4" Dia. and a paper punch will handle 4 Thou steel shim, so this mod is able to be done at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu 1986 Posted October 4, 2014 Author Share Posted October 4, 2014 I'd like the box to function correctly really as it'd make life easier for me. I'm not sure I could do the work on the box myself, I might have to either get it looked at by my friend who's a pro mechanic or find a replacement box. I'll replace the clutch when I take the box off seeing as I'll have access to it. Anyone have any thoughts about my wheels offset? I'll be very sad if they are unsuitable for my car as I've put so much effort into bringing them back to glory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu 1986 Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 I've just been speaking to a friend of mine, and he reckons my tyres might be too big, any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmetalhead82 Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Hi Stu, i have 175/70/13's on 5j /13 replica Minilites on my 1200, no issues with the rear but the front just rubs lightly on full lock, the wheels you have are i think 5.5/13 so this and the wrong offset could be the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyf Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 I have Firestone 175/70 Tyres on 5.5J Rims on my Vitesse with no issues on the rear, the Offset ET of the rim is important, I believe the Alloys on my Vitesse are ET16.I have a similar problem on the front with catching on the Bulkhead when reversing on full lock.Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsbody47uk Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 I have 165/80 tyres on 5J x 13 Minilite replicas on my 13/60. Had to adjust the bonnet height slightly on one side to avoid fouling in reverse on full lock. No further problems. Cheers , Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Jones Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 175/70 tyres on 5.5" or 6" wide rims are possible without rubbing. The offset or ET is the key. I have 6" wide wheels with 13mm ET on my Vitesse with only minor rubbing under duress at the front. Also had a very similar combination on my Herald years ago.What strikes me is that on my cars, the clearance problems have always been more severe at the front. You seem to have the opposite problem. Do you have the original length driveshafts on the rear of have you got the longer ones from a late Spit IV/1500 fitted?Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.jpeg.b15b81ef10abeea1c3039ae03c4a9f3a.jpeg)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.