1947 Rigid Rear Spindle

[Happyhenry]

Hello all,

My A7 Long Stroke bitza build is coming along and I'm now onto the rolling chassis.

As far as the rear wheel is concerned I have a complete crinkle hub wheel, a 46-tooth NOS drum with the detachable bearing carrier , the correct brake plate (with the stop slot in line with the spindle and not offset as with the plunger).

The issue I have at present is that the plunger stub axle and the wheel spacers are all 7/8" diameter but the spindle slots in the frame are 9/16".

I have read on here (Rusty Nuts?) that the swinging arm spindle 67-6161 can be used and spacers adapted etc.

Does anyone know what diameter the swinging arm spindle 67-6161 is?

Thanks
H

[Swarfcut]

 Plunger and early S/A wheels use the same wheel bearings, so that makes the spindle diameters the same. Retaining nut for this S/A stub is 9/16 CEI (67-6031) according to Musky's nut and bolt chart in the Literature section of the Forum.  The  stub locating flats  match the frame lug and it carries a 9/16" thread for the retaining nut. A handy plunger wheel spindle measures 7/8" so I would expect the right side lug to be 7/8", drum side to be 9/16" assuming that was the spindle size used. But without an original  early hub  it's hard to tell what size the original spindle was. 7/8" is just a reasonable punt.

  The early parts catalogues are also listed in the Literature section, very different in layout from the later versions. Maybe worth a look to identify the wheel bearings  for the Longstoke and from that the basic spindle diameter original to the frame.
 

 Swarfy.

[Happyhenry]

Thanks Swarfy,

I'm gradually getting to the bottom of this. I think.

The frame slots for the spindle are in fact 11/16" (my previous typo) and that means that the swinging arm spindle will fit as it's also 11/16". So rigid and swinging arm are the same.

I imagine that the plunger spindle was beefed up to 7/8" to handle the additional bending forces introduced by what is effectively independent suspension, which must only be exaggerated if a sidecar is attached.

The swinging arm spindle, off-side spacer, stub axle and nut should all fit...

I will need to kit out my crinkle hub with swinging arm bearings (and centre spacer?) and the QD hub with the same. I now understand what Rusty Nuts was talking about and I'll play with the off-side spacer, as he suggests, when I get it all assembled.

Will keep you posted as it may be useful for others.
H

[spanersc]

Hi Henry.
I've attached (hopefully) a photo showing an original Rigid spindle (top) along with a later swinging arm spindle for a QD hub (bottom). The parallel section on the S/A spindle is around 1/8" longer and the thread 1/8" shorter than the rigid spindle, so overall length from the inside of the flange is about the same, if it was an issue then perhaps a spacer washer could be used under the head.

[Happyhenry]

Thanks spanersc, much appreciated.

I've got hold of a later swinging arm spindle, spacer, stub axle spindle and nut and offered them up.

As you say, I'm about 1/4" to 3/8" short of being able to tighten it up, so I'm either going to ask for the spindle thread to be machined longer or put a fat spacer under the head of the spindle - or a bit of both.

I've also had to buy an 11/16" internal dia. swinging arm bearing spacer for my crinkle hub because the existing plunger one (and the bearings) are 7/8" internal dia.

Once the wheel is rebuilt I've just got to get it all to fit together...how hard can it be? 

Will keep you posted.