[DeTomaso] ZF ring-gear safety wire

[Dan Mixon]

A couple years ago I boroscoped some of the Space City Pantera ZF's through
the bottom cover drain hole. The boroscope couldn't get around the ring gear
to look at the head of the bolts. All we could see was where the bolts
protruding through the differential housing. We theorized that if each bolt
had the same amount of thread showing, the bolts were probably tight.

About 500 miles later with 40,600 miles on my ZF, I pulled the ZF for
rebuild. The head of the first bolt I removed from the ring gear snapped
off. Just a sliver of metal was holding the head to the shank. The remaining
9 bolts were not much more than finger tight.

The differential housing bolt holes were elongated so I bought a used
housing from one of the vendors. It was worn as much as mine. At the
recommendation of a machinist friend, I used shim stock to make sleeves for
the differential housing bolt holes.

We've since safety wired three more ZF's. All of them had tight ring gear
bolts. 


----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of pantdino at aol.com
Sent: Monday, February 09, 2009 00:25
To: JDeRyke at aol.com; davel at emspace.com; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] ZF ring-gear safety wire


 My recollection is that at one chapter meet they inspected all the cars and
none had loose bolts.
My understanding is that if you look at the side of the ring gear where the
bolt ends come thru you can easily tell if one is beginning to back out.? If
none are, none are loose.

Seems to me it's easier just to check at each transaxle lube change than to
go thru a lot of work for a problem that will probably never develop

Jim? Oddie


 


 

-----Original Message-----
From: JDeRyke at aol.com
To: davel at emspace.com; detomaso at realbig.com
Sent: Sun, 8 Feb 2009 8:37 pm
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] ZF ring-gear safety wire










In a message dated 2/8/09 1:33:43 PM, davel at emspace.com writes:
snip......
> My great plan to inspect 6143 for safety wire using a borescope though the

> drainhole didn't work out. I just can't flex the fibre sharply enough to
get 
> to the backside of the ring-gear.
> 
Maybe not if you have a small enough borescope, or are really limber.... I 
tried this on the bench and it worked so its worth a try since you seem 
reluctant to pull the ZF on speculation. What you do is double-nut one of
the 
upper 
sidecover studs and remove it. Then stick your borescope thru the
not-quite-3/8" 

dia hole and inspect the ring gear. I used a peanut light bulb to illuminate

the inside of the case and by getting my eyeball close to the hole, I was
able 
to see the backside of the ring gear. Remember, the preferred wire size is 
0.032" stainless, but I had a '69 Mangusta ZF that was wired with 0.060"
wire- 
good for bridges and locomotives. Good luck- J Deryke


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