Aprilia Diary

[DavidLaver]

The Appia also needs to feature on the 2014 labels.

Then it needs to join in with this:

http://www.vintagefestival.co.uk/events/classic-car-boot-sale-12th-october-2013

David

[Richard Fridd]

Looks good! Is it free do you know? And is there still no "congestiion charge " or similar at the weekend?

[DavidLaver]

£3/adult - kids free - we enjoyed it.  Busy enough that I expect they'll be a repeat.

David

[simonandjuliet]

In amongst tractors, pig-prep and winemaking (more Juliet than me !) I got a couple of hours in the garage so I took the central bearing out in order to repair the support. As always you always find something else ..... today it was a couple of collapsed bearings in one driveshaft

I have the Aprilia fairly high off the ground to give me a bit more comfort room underneath, but it means that I am not happy lifting one rear wheel off the ramp to enable the prop shaft to be turned (for undoing the bolts). So I took off one of the drive shafts instead.

I have the Italian drive shafts but one of the outer ends has, now had, metalastic joints instead of the needle roller bearings. With use, these have given up the ghost so will need to be replaced with proper bearings, fortunately I have a few on the shelf ...... but it means that I will have to clean , paint and reassemble it all and will probably do the other side whilst at it !

Once the prop could be rotated, I marked up the alignment with blobs of paint then took off the rear section. The support is completely cream-crackered and definitely needs replacing. I have found a rubber supplier who has sent me a couple of different sheets of reinforced rubber mat. One is "inserton rubber" - a bit like exhaust hanger and the other is conveyor belt matting. Both in 6mm thick. I will make up a template and make the 3 pieces necessary

In order to clean and paint it all I have dismantled the shaft and bearing - the spider was a pig to remove and needed a lot of heat ! You can see the original Lancia alignment marks in the last photo

If I can find time over the weekend I will take the rest of the drivetrain off so it can be cleaned up 

[simonandjuliet]

Prop shaft and bearing cleaned up and painted this morning. The bearing is perfect and just needs re-greasing. It is a sliding bearing, allowing a few mm of backwards and forwards movement. The fibre seals are slightly slack so when I put it back together I will pack them very slightly with some gasket paper around the outside.

The spider is stamped 1945 so appears to have been some manufacture during the war - or they were used for military purposes !

I would quite like to change the grease nipple or find another grease gun nozzle that fits the current one so I can keep the suspension oiler just for the suspension.....if anyone can help ?

Have ordered new HT bolts and nylocks. Not original I know, but I don't have any drilled 14 mm bolts and castle-ated nuts. Still waiting for the rubber matting

[simonandjuliet]

A few more minutes after lunch, so here is a picture of the propshaft bearing back together

Also started cleaning up the driveshaft and finding the spare parts. I had to remove the outer spider in order to remove the bearing holder because it was one without a greaser and since the new bearings need to be greased .....

The spider needed a LOT of heat to get it off, and then the inner cups had to be cut off with a Dremel, all a bit of a faff ! However I have found a set of very good bronze bearings in a box, already attached to spiders , so I will use those instead.

These bronze bearings must be the ones that Mic talked about (bottom left on final picture), but I must admit, I have never seen them before, only the needle roller type. I suspect they will not be as robust and will need more maintainance than the needle roller type, but I can save my roller bearings for the other 3 joints .

[fay66]

Simon,
Pardon my ignorance but is the grease nipple you're looking a normal screw grease nipple or something more exotic, I have a box tobacco tin of various grease nipples some new, that are about 40 + years old, do you have a photo of one as you're quite welcome to some of these if suitable for your needs.
My grease gun that I purchased back in the 1960's, I think it's a Rom Pom, came with a needle type nozzle that you use to push the ball bearing in the centre of the grease nipple down, very good for clearing out old grease!

Brian
8227

[simonandjuliet]

Thanks Brian

Here is a picture of what I have shown alongside an Aprilia-like greaser. Unfortunately it has an imperial thread pitch instead of the metric fine on mine

[ColinMarr]

Simon, I think these are referred to as slide-on grease nipples. In my junk box I have two (as in the photo) that I must have bought at some point a thousand years ago and never used. The threads may not be what you want, but might be bodge-able – about 8.5mm diameter at the outer end and with a small taper – the pitch looks just over 1.0mm. The hexagon is 15mm across flats.

I would be happy to post these to you that would help.

Colin

[fay66]

Simon,
Colin's your best bet on this one, mine are a bit more modern, sorry.
Brian
8227

[simonandjuliet]

Thank you Gents

Colin has sorted me out !

[simonandjuliet]

Both types of matting arrived yesterday and I have had some time this afternoon to make up the bearing supports.

I have gone with the 6mm conveyor belt rubber because it is less stretchy and stiffer. Still flexible enough to allow some movement but will hold the prop in a straight line without sagging. I have made a copy of the supports if anyone is interested

Final photo shows the supports and plates fitted - and I know the bolts are the wrong way round - they kept falling out when I wanted to take the photo !

Rest of the prop removed and painted, next is the diff oil seal .....

As an aside, I placed a Screwfix order (for HT bolts and nylocks amongst other things) on Sunday and it arrived today - amazing when you consider where we live !

[tzf60]

Simon, your diary is an inspiration to me, and no doubt to many others. Keep the pictures and tech tips coming - I'm fascinated by the detail! As someone who's languishing at the back of the field in the Aprilia Restoration Hurdles, your updates encourage me not to give up!
 
Best wishes,
Tim

[simonandjuliet]

Thanks Tim, would love to see some photos of your car, I don't recall having seen any ? If there are any bits you need photographing to assist in your rebuild, please let me know and I will endeavour to post them

Today's problem/challenge is front diff oil seal which has been leaking for years, as you can see from the state of the diff casing and rear spring. At least it won't rust ....

On removing the spider the cause is obvious, a deep groove in the shaft that had previously been braized but has worn again. I will need to sleeve the shaft and replace the seal (43x28x10 mm for reference)

As always, everything needs cleaning up and painting. Bit of bling on the flexi's - I painted the metal bits with furtan(?) to turn the rust black so they look prettier !!!

Finally a shot down the transmission tunnel. Not sure if I can clean this up, maybe best just to spray it with black waxoyl and leave it ......

[fay66]

"Finally a shot down the transmission tunnel. Not sure if I can clean this up, maybe best just to spray it with black waxoyl and leave it ...... "

I know I'm not as much of a perfectionist as you are Simon, but I'd go for Waxoyl
Looking at it I think you'd have a heck of a job painting it.

Brian
8227