Diff/half-shaft flange bolts

[A TR7 16V]

How do the flange bolts go into the diff flanges? The garage mechanic has put them in from the outboard, through the shaft flange first and the clearance between nuts and capscrew heads is horribly thin. 

He says they don't go in the other way, but pics on line show he's wrong. So what do I tell him to do?

Graham

[Pete Arnold]

Graham,

I'm no mechanic but I reckon your garage mechanic is wrong. 

Look at Canley's exploded parts diagram for the rear axle at https://www.canleyclassics.com/triumph-herald-1200-rear-axle

[herald948]

Pretend you are looking at the inner driveshaft flange straight on from the side of the car. The bolts can be inserted from the inside out at the hole in the 3 o'clock position on the LH (near) side, and from the hole in the 9 o'clock position on the RH (off) side.

See how the boss on the casing is concave (in this case, near the fill plug). That allows you the room to insert the bolt from behind.

[A TR7 16V]

Quoted from herald948-

The bolts can be inserted from the inside out at the hole in the 3 o'clock position on the LH (near) side, and from the hole in the 9 o'clock position on the RH (off) side.

Perfect.

What's the situation with endfloat on that inner axle shaft? There's only about 15-20 thou gap at the mo.

Is this a job I need to do fast, before the nuts and caps touch, or can it wait a couple of thousand miles?

Graham