Differential Swap Out | 1969 Triumph Spitfire Mk3 | Part 10

There's been a bit of a clunking noise at the back of the Spitfire. On investigation we find there's a lot of play in the diff. Time to pull out the spare from under the bench and get it fitted to the car!
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[@TheLostWrenchGarage]

I will keep this in mind with the seal direction when I get around to doing my Diff!

[@redfoxclassics]

Yeah don’t do what I did! I’m told I got lucky with the bearings though, apparently they’re often so difficult to move that cutting them off is the only way, so probably worth getting some spares in before you start.

[@paulmuff9883]

Thanks for the video very informative 😀👍

[@redfoxclassics]

Thanks Paul, glad it was useful and appreciate you saying so!

[@Rich13-60]

I was only just checking the backlash on mine today, and thankfully there is none ( well no more than is specified anyway) , nice to see the "old double nut" method being employed to remove the studs ( never had that method fail yet !) , a job I did last week. Darn shame about the nose seal, oh well can't be helped. Your way of blanking the two ( now) un-used holes off in the diff top was the same as I did, although despite my earlier logged way of blanking them off, this time I used PTFE tape on the plugs, just 4 turns was enough to seal them off nicely and then screwed in tightly to one thread below the surface of the diff. Oh and nice way of creating a drain point on the diff too, I am planning the same but instead of a normal plug, I will use a magnetic one ( similar to what you would use in the engine sump) . The clonking you think you can still hear, it isn't play in any of the UJ's is it ?, so half shafts or prop ?. Great vid anyway. 👍

[@redfoxclassics]

I went with a non magnetic plug as the general recommendation of the internet was for a smaller one than that used on the engine and gearbox of the small chassis Triumphs, and I didn’t manage to find a magnetic one (attempted to buy drill, tap and plug from one supplier but failed at that too!). On top of that the generally available Bastuck magnetic drain plugs are copper washer seal style, and so won’t seal on the diff or gearbox cases unless they’re machined (realised that the hard way on the Spitfire gearbox…) The remaining noises I think are rear suspension related. Quite intermittent and I can’t find any cause. They’re not consistent with UJ failure though. Will be keeping an eye and an ear out.

[@bobspeller2225]

That's always a difficult job, right. you achieved a great job. I had to change the differential on my Stag, which is no easier than that of the Herald, spitfire or any of this range, Unfortunately it still has a little clunky noise but worse is I have a whine around 2500 - 3000 rev's. More checking when I have time. Cheers Bob

[@redfoxclassics]

Thanks Bob. Oh dear, hope it’ll keep going till winter at least! This was a job that had me seriously researching two post lifts for low ceiling garages…

[@jonjoyce3188]

Been there, done that on my 12/50 last winter, not a whole lot of fun putting it back, especially as mine has two short bolts at the back rather than the later long one. Getting at the inner nuts it a right pain, but I count myself lucky my rear bushes did fit. I note that diff had a dab of white paint on the castle nut and underneath whereas mine had green, I thought the colour codes were to identify ratios, but since they’re both 4.11:1, it may mean something else? Afraid I can’t identify the make of your shocks this time 😊

[@redfoxclassics]

Well yeah that sounds worse… I assumed the white paint on mine was an artefact of it sitting around in a workshop for years, so interesting that it may not be. I couldn’t spot anything similar on the one I took off the car, even after scraping off most of the filth. Maybe it’s nothing more than an indicator that ‘this is fully assembled and ready to fit’? Shame there wasn’t enough of the label to ID the shock manufacturer, there’s not enough text to even guess at a name to search on. I found it interesting that they were metallic blue though, seems to have been a popular colour for aftermarket shocks at one point.

[@jonjoyce3188]

@@redfoxclassics possibly, would be interesting to know from someone who worked at Canley. I was thinking along the lines of the front springs where they put a stripe of coloured paint on them to indicate which car they were for (Heralds had a white stripe). Your right I’ve had Motorcraft, Monroe and even SPAX used to be metallic blue. The original Woodhead or Girling shocks were a mid dark grey colour.