Lagonda Rapiers

4 minute(s) of a 484 minute read

Anything is possible, I think that maybe the first step is to have some tests done on a sample of the oil from the gearbox; I would sooner not have to take my gearbox apart and put it back together again before the car would be due to be shipped to the UK. I have done it before but not in recent yearsThere is no problem having the brakes relined & to obtain a certified statement that they are asbestos free. Time has a nasty habit of slipping away when you least expect it. The car would need to be ready to be shipped by late March next year. I need to think about it (perhaps an age thing) I could take the gearbox out while I am waiting for the brake shoes to be relined. I will probably have to fit new (roller) bearings in the planetary gears too and you never know "what else" until the box is fully dismantled. Probably the worst part is "thinking about it".
At least with the Fiat sold and gone to the UK I should not have any other distractions.
 
All this sounds to me as though the decision to take "KG" away to Europe with us again next year has been made.
How did that happen?

10-13-2018

It would appear that it is 99% decided that we will take the Lagonda away to the UK and France again early next year. Part of my preparation will be to remove all the friction material containing Asbestos. i.e.. Brake linings and the  four "Bands and the Top Gear Cone" buried deep within the gear box. Not having a huge amount of time to complete these preparations I started yesterday to dismantle the spare gearbox. hopefully the attached photographs will give you some indication of the complex nature of the gearbox, This view is lookingat the rear (reverse) band closest the the camera. The second photograph shows the reverse band on the right hand side.
Top gear is actuated via a cone clutch which is already removed. In effect there is absolutely nothing wrong with these bands except that the friction material contains asbestos. Rather than wait until the friendly litle men of the Australian "Border Force" (Customs) to impound and dismantle (destroy) the gearbox when the car returns from our holidays I am now about to have the bands relined with "Certified Asbestos Free" material. This involves sending the bands and the cone to England to have them relined, then rebuilding the gearbox when they return. It appears that there is no one locally (in Australia) that stocks the linings or is capable of fitting them correctly. You can just see in the right hand background the four "gear sets"
In the third photograph shows the "workings" of the gearbox with the actuating spring and "bus bar" . In order to dismantle the box the spring must be held in a compressed position. The long bolt at the bottom right hand screws in, through the hole normally holding a brass plug, to compress the spring. This spring normally applies the pressure to contract the selected band to activate that gear.
I am sure that you all understand exactly how it all works. Unfortunately I do not have the space here to include a full description of the workings of a "Preselector " gearbox. The final photograph is of the four bands removed from the gearbox.. You will have to "look in" later to see the top gear "cone".