ModelWorks Foden
Builder's Diary

Friday 24th November: The back axle was delivered today.  This is the 8th Foden kit delivered and  hopefully marks the resumption of monthly kit deliveries.  While the instructions are headed kit 6 I am sure this is kit 4 as we had kit 6 last month and the packing list is headed kit 4.

Loctiting bearings into diff housing using axle as a guide Using axle a diff housing as guides to Loctite bearings into axle box.  The effect of the small twist in the springs can also be seen.

Saturday: I made a start by Loctiting the pair of Oilite bushes into the right differential housing.  I did not repeat the mistake I made  when I assembled the Burrell's 2nd shaft of neglecting to temporally fit the shaft to ensure axial alignment of the bushes. 

I like to clean the contact area between bush and housing to ensure oil does not prevent a good bond however I take the precaution of applying a small drop of light oil to the running bearing.

When I came to thread the differential housing through the axle box I realised that I had not fitted the bearing bushes.  I decided that this would be a good time to Loctite them in place but a trial assembly revealed a small misalignment.  After using the chain tension adjusters  to correct fore/aft alignment the remaining misalignment was caused by the spring stacks not standing truly vertical.  I was able to use the spring inherent in the assembly and fit the axle.  

When it came to Loctite the bushes into the axle boxes I used the diff housing and axle as guides but I did not thread the axle into the diff housing as I was concerned that the twisting forces would detract from the alignment of the pair of bushes within there respective housings.  The way I see it is that it is the axle's job the pull the spring stacks vertical and I wanted to ensure that each pair of bushes was true within their own axle box. 

The uneven surface of the brake wheel distorted the bolts making them more difficult to remove

Monday: I started with what I expected to be the simple job of unbolting the two halves of the brake wheel but was frustrated to find them difficult to remove.  One side was taped and a set screw bolted through from the other side.  Lock nuts were fitted but unfortunately when they were tighten down the uneven surface of the web tipped the nut imparting a twist onto the bolt.  Once out, I decided to replace the bolts and as a precaution I also milled flats around the holes.

The pin's mounting hole needed to be recessed to allow the pin to be screwed fully home The completed axle assembly

Until I came to fit the brake band pins I could not make sense of the instruction to "file a chamfer on the leading edge of the hole".  When I started to screw the pin into it support I could immediately see what was required.  The pin's mounding hole was tapped and the thread on the pin did not go all the way to the shoulder prevent  the pin being screwed fully home.  Rafter that use a file I used a 8mm drill to drill out the first 2mm of the mounting hole so as to provide clearance for the unthreaded portion of the pin.

Assembly of the remaining brake components was straight forward.  At the last minute ModelWorks found that the cork intended for the brake lining was too thick and pulled it from the kit.  I will have to wait until the next kit to fit the brake's lining.

When I offered up the differential guards I could see it was going to be a struggle to get in the securing bolts. I removed the guards and rebent them to a smaller diameter.  When I refitted them I was pleased to find that all the holes lined up perfectly.

There does not seem to be that much to paint and so I shall delay painting until I have more parts.