Folks,
Just putting a diff back together (six bolts that hold clownwheel to diff carrier), and wonder if I should bin the locktabs and go for some 262 loctite only.
I also recall that 55lb/ft is better than the 60lb/ft specified, as the 3/8" bolts aren't quite up for it.
Thoughts?

Thanks.

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'68 Deluxe w/Metro engine

I use 262 only... but do torque to 60

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Thanks Simon.
Interesting that upgraded bolts can be bought for almost any job in the mini engine/gearbox, but seemingly nobody offers an upgrade for the diff bolts - do they just not break in use?

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'68 Deluxe w/Metro engine

dunno... my guess is that it's a big friction surface, so the bolts don't do a great deal, like the bolts in a 2 piece flywheel

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

I bought plated NEW grade 8 bolts once for this, the threads peeled off at 55ft/lb. So I only use 50 now. Swiftune says use 45 for the same bolts in the Quaife diff.
They are only a 3/8 UNF thread.. don't be fooled by the head size.

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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.

Depends on the bolts. Early ones took 60 ft/lbs no worries, later ones only go to 48 ft/lbs. I haven't tested them so I dunno what the grades are.

As Simon has suggested, locktite.

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Thanks guys. Did them up with 262, no locktabs, and to 60lb/ft. No indications of stripping out - a good feel the whole way with the torque wrench. 60 does seem a lot for a 3/8" thread, as Doc suggests.
Cheers
Matt

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'68 Deluxe w/Metro engine

I use the lock tabs, (only very good ones) & i also use the locktite but i use the lockquik primer with it & only torque them to 42lbs

that`s just the way i`ve done it since i was a little fella--> i was thrashing one of our race minis (1071 "S") around Surfers Paradise International Raceway & having a ball fangin around all arvo & into the night,,, the guys waved me in after everyone in the clubrooms had their fair share of drinkahols,,, so i stuck it on the trailer & we went home...

well the next morning i opened up the workshop, let the dogs out into the back yard, cleaned up all the dog poo, emptied all the rubbish bins & etc etc etc before i went to school,,, all normal so far right?

well when i got back from school there was one less mechanic working for us & a big groove dug into the road out the side of our workshop ... & one 1071 race mini with a big hole where the crown-wheel "Used" to be

it smashed through the bottom of the case when they tried to drive it out the front of the shop to park it out the side in Michael St.

Dad hit the roof realising that the diff "could-have" spat out while his 11 year old son (Moi) had just been spinning the thing to 8500rpms around Surfers the day before.

i`ve forgotten who the mechanic was but he didnt locktite or locktab them & i guess that he probably either didnt tighten them up to the right spec, or maybe he over tightened them,,, either way the thing flung itself outa there & buried itself quite deeply into the bitumen.

now i shudder to this day to think what "Could Have" happened

so,,, i fit diffs with a fair bit of attention to detail these days

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

hmmm. I wonder if I followed the instructions that came with the diff, or looked at the torque page in the manual....

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?