Axle Wedges - which way round

[holdink]

In my original Roadster build manual it said that the wedges between the axle spring pad and the spring should be fitted with the “wide end to the front of the vehicle”. Therefore lifting up the nose ( flange end ) of the differential. However looking at the Marina Owners club web site it seems to suggest that the wedges should be fitted the other way round so that the nose of the diff is tilted down. What is the correct way of fitting the Wedges ? Or can I dispense with the wedges altogether ?

I assume that the wedges are there to correct an original design cock-up on the Marina, either to align the prop-shaft better or to lower the nose of the diff to improve the pinion bearing lubrication. Does anybody know the real reason ?

[b_caswell]

Re: Axle Wedges - which way round

The donor for my hybrid was a 73 automatic and didnt have the wedges. But when I installed the axle in the Marlin the U/J was running at too acute an angle pointing down and actually clunking as it rotated so I installed the wedges thick end to the front as per build manual and also autobook workshop manual.

But I believe the wedges were supplied to some cars when the axles were supplied with the spring plate welded to the wrong spec.(thats what a BL stores man told me any way)

[lil_red_roadster]

Re: Axle Wedges - which way round

The wedges I have are clearly marked. Thick-end to the front...

[stevejgreen]

Re: Axle Wedges - which way round

I have no factual data. But it does appear that some axles were produced with leaf plates angled by about 5 Deg and some flat. Most that I have measured were flat.
I think this is less relevant in a Roadster, when the lowering blocks put the axle relatively a lot higher than a Marina, even though the prop is shorter, remembering that the Marina has a fixed centre prop bearing.
In normal service, when I am sitting in my Roadster the prop shaft line gets very near to the horizontal, and sometimes over bumps the diff nose is higher than the gearbox output, something that does not happen on a Marina! So on my Dolomite axle when I fitted the spring pads, they went horizontal, in line with the diff nose.

Look at how high a Marlin axle can get relative to the gearbox when it finally reaches the end of its possible travel on its bump stops!