Wow, that's a lot of money for a tool with very limited uses.

Okay, I'll have a look at that.

Minispares just replied and said that their ones aren't hardened either.

Postage isn't much of an issue - currently the quote for an upper arm repair kit (including shipping from Minispares) is under $50, which makes it cheaper than buying locally.

The shafts are cheap, and if there's no sure (and relatively cheap) way to get hardened shafts then I might end up using the soft ones and replacing them frequently.

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1977 Mini LS

Originals were hardened- I think it's pathetic that people are selling substandard shafts which WILL fail real quick with rollers running direct on them.
I might look into getting some made, any toolroom can do this.

Or maybe GT mowog would like to become the supplier of 1st resort.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

How about re-using the original shafts?

One of them looks to be in fine condition, so I can definitely use that again. The other has some surface marks from one of the bearings. Is that still going to be better to use than the new (soft) shaft?

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1977 Mini LS

That's some serious money! I bought a Sykes Pickervant collet style puller adaptor for $65 (new) and then made up a threaded rod and tube for my puller. It's actually better than the Chuchill one as it grips all round the bearing rather than in two places.




Doc, see what pricing you can get. I have mine hardened to 64 Rc at 0.040", they are the last ones that I'll ever need to buy (a set for front and rear cost me around $600 and I doubt too many would want to pay that much).




It is quite OK to use the original shafts if the are not marked (and that usually only happens when the servicing and grease hasn't been kept up). Turn the 180 deg. to how they were fitted so you're using the other side.

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I collect Churchill Tools / Mini special tools (don't ask its just part of the illness)

Also they where brand new

I will say they make the job super easy.

If you consider I have had Mini for 25 Years and plan to have them for another 25 years it cheap, thats less than $20.00 per year

And I actually use it as well..

I had another look at the old shafts today. Both are actually marked, although one is much worse than the other.

If it's practical to get a set made, I'd be very interested in that.

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1977 Mini LS

I can actually relate to that, all good stuff

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Okay, I've found out that I can get the shafts hardened easily (I'm a uni student, and the uni has the facilities to do this). However, first I need to find out what sort of steel the shafts are. Does anyone happen to know this?

If not I'll try a spark test on the spare shaft (after ordering the Minispares kit I've now got three shafts) but that's not a particularly exact method.

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1977 Mini LS

I won't say that it won't work but it is fraught with great difficulty, the least of which is determining the material. The shafts will tend to bend a little and also usually grow a little in diameter. You don't want to harden the whole shaft and especially DON'T harden the threaded ends, only the area under the bearing. Induction hardening is the usual process for this and make sure that the hardening is more than 0.015" deep but not more than about 0.050".

The shaft I have made are in EN36A. Silversteel is also good. I wouldn't be surprised if the 'new' ones that are available these days are mild steel.

If your Uni has facilities for hardening, what about machining and grinding? Couldn't you make shafts from scratch? You'd machine them just over-size, harden them and then grind them to the finished size.

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We do have machining and grinding facilities; I'll see if it'll be practical to get access to those.

I might as well try hardening the existing shafts; the worst that can happen is I make a mess of it and have to get new shafts.

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1977 Mini LS

just been thinking, could you not just turn the ends down and press fit a hardened sleeve on the ends like the good doc does with the first motion shafts.

Given they are now made of mild steel we may not be be able to get them in 20 odd years or so. this way they are rebuildable

just a thought

Kiwiinwgtn

I think this is a very good idea- recycle is better than making new ones.
I'll go see my bearing supplier during the week- he has an INA inner ring catalog, I don't...

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Thanks Kev

I would be interested in your research..

Also what about the rear raduis arms shaft while you are at it..

As for the rear raduis arms the bush needs to be replaced with a bearing.

I understand that the factory did this on the metro, but thats getting off track

Cheers

Kiwiinwgtn

I like that idea. That'd be relatively easy compared to building a whole new shaft from scratch or hardening the existing one, and probably not too expensive.

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1977 Mini LS

I see no reason why not to fit 2 needle bearings to a Mini rear arm, IF the shaft hardness is RC62 or better, or is fitted with bearing inner rings.
I'll check availability of rings for the arms (13/16" OD) this week.
No reason why stock shafts cannot be hard turned to suit them.

Cronology...
Early UK Mini rear arms had 2 bushes.
From 1961?? on they all had 1 bush and 1 needle bearing. Why? people in UK didn't grease the arms enough and the inner bush used to seize on the shaft.

Big wheel Oz Mokes 1968> have 2 needle bearings. Why? More load due to the big wheels and terrain.

It would be pretty easy to fit 2 needle bearings to a Mini arm by boring the outer end to 27.0mm, if you have a decent sized mill or lathe with suitable tooling. Sorry I don't but will look into it.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.