Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Diff issue (crown wheel and pinion)

Hi everyone.
Some background and 3 questions.
Since returning to driving and putting my latest video up on TM, I now find myself needing assistance.
The trip home from Warkworth NZ to Auckland was uneventful and the Plus 4 continued to run beautifully. The next day I checked fluids and found I had to put a cup of oil in my diff ... before realising it was simply flowing out on the garage floor. Investigation revealed a hole punched from the inside out, in the rear of the diff housing.
I removed the back axle assembly ... quite a task for a guy with a weak arm ... and delivered it to Diffs R Us for assessment. The outcome was 2 missing teeth from the crown wheel which were still in there and the comment that it was a wonder the whole thing hadn’t locked up. Evidence indicated old fractures which had now finally let go. My Morgan is a 1962 Plus 4 with a Salisbury diff (with markings on the crown wheel showing 7HA 016 8 11Y41 STL H60 VTZ. My understanding is that it’s 3.73 ratio (41/11).
I’ve emailed JB Sports Engineering twice (no response) and also phoned from NZ (no response to message left). All thoughts gratefully accepted re the following -
Does anyone know if they are open and operating?
Does anyone know where else I could try for a Salisbury HA7 crown wheel and pinion and pinion seal?
Am I correct in assuming it’s an HA7 phase 2 unit?
Many thanks in anticipation.
Regards Brian.

I'll check with Jack and Billy - it couldbe Billy has taken a short holiday

I think 1962 is too early for a phase 2 7HA

Arwyn

Thanks Arwyn.

Billy has since sent me an email and was indeed away on holiday with the family. I guess I was impatient to get things going and to be back on the road.

Thanks very much for your kind offer but no need for you to contact him after all. Billy has the parts I need and that’s very good news.

Nevertheless, good to put this ‘rear assembly problem’ of mine up on the board and I’ll keep everyone posted as to progress in getting my old girl back up and running (from afar).

Thanks, Brian

Good day Brian
Sorry to hear about your crown wheel and pinion problem. Hopefully the JB team can help you. Incidentally the diff pinion seal was leaking in the 1977 +8 and I ordered a new seal from UK. The one that arrived was a leather inner rather than what I expected a rubber lip seal. I elected to look around firms in NZ to find a lip seal. The one I got and sent up to Diffs R us when they were checking the diff. Some of the sintered bronze plates had broken so had to order some from the factory, they are for the LSD in the +8. Hopefully the diff pinion seal will be of a more modern version than the one I received from UK. Please keep us posted.
Doug

Just an update on my Morgan Plus 4 (1962) phase 1 crown wheel failure .... and the necessity to replace the crown wheel, pinion and pinion seal.
Billy Bellinger (JB-Engineering /Drive Line Motor Sports Ltd) had a batch of 3.7 phase 1 cw&p's manufactured and my set has since arrived here in NZ. Will include footage in my next video once I'm back up and running. I've been off the road since early June 2021 so minimal driving this year because of the mechanical fault, Covid 19 restrictions, and weather. Gin and Tonics have helped make expected withdrawal symptoms semi-tolerable

A further update for what it's worth. At reassembly stage it transpired not all carriers are the same and the crown wheel provided was thinner than the faulty one that had been removed. Billy Bellinger quickly to the rescue (again) with a 5mm crown wheel spacer dispatched to New Zealand free of charge and just the 5 Pound postage to pay. This guy's a gem so if any are having face-to-face dealings with Billy, could you please emphasis my appreciation for services rendered from afar. I'm expecting by diff back from the NZ specialist next week.

Mossy

Sounds like progress!

If you think Billy's a gem, you should meet his Dad Jack!

Brilliant blokes the pair of them!

Arwyn

Well we're back on the road again (thank goodness) and I'm about to put a video up with brief reference to the diff issue, with images. All well.