My next project "La Petite Chanteuse"

3 minute(s) of a 82 minute read

After the remaining hour or so before going in to clean up for our evening meal spent with my angle grinder and drill with various sized bits the four welded-in studs are gone. The fifth wheel is usable, albeit as a spare. Next item on the agenda is the front axle assembly.

Bj.

8-21-2013

Hi Keiser31

Good to hear from you again. They must have been almost universal although I do have two or three variations in my collection of spares. I have some left over from my last restoration of a 1923 Citroen 5CV, only difference is that the French ones are marked G & D, Gauche=left and Droit=right. The UK based Riley Register Spares Ltd have new ones available UK £9.70 each for plated and £7.75 for plain brass, plus vat and p&p makes them a tad expensive if you are replacing a full set. The Singer has only four per wheel, early 1920s Rileys with bolt on wheels had five, later 1930s cars six.

Bj

Today I decided to move my attention to the rear axle. The reason for this change is simple. I had to move it and in order to do this I decided that it had to loose some weight. First by removing the brakes and then as it had eventually had to come apart, why not make a start on it now? The left side brake drum and hub came off nice and easily but the right side has decided to be difficult. The rear wheel/axle bearings are retained in the ends of the axle tubes by a ring nut requiring a 2 inch across the flats ring spanner something that not every tool kit has. In the past unthinking people have over come this by using a hammer and drift. To add to the confusion with the usual British thoroughness (in the 1920s) as with the wheel nuts these have right and left hand threads. Going by the amount of dirt and solidified grease it is a long time since this has been apart. The rear brake drums hold four shoes on each side. Two for the foot brake and two for the hand brake.

My good friend Ben C Benson will be pleased to learn that my trusty Monkey Wrench has come to the rescue. It opens up to the required two inches easily.