Ferret erratic knocking from left hand side front.

[Richard Farrant]

Hi Malcolm,
I was pretty sure it would be a tracta. The problem is when topping up the oil, people often think that when the oil globs out of the hole as soon as they start filling, that it is up to level, whereas it is air pushing the oil back out of the horizontal level tube. The trick is to use a hand pump of low volume output with a small pipe that can be inserted right up the tube and thus letting air out as you fill, this is useful on other top up points as well. I have a converted grease pump which have been using for 20 years on many type of vehicles without issues.

regards, Richard

[motto]

Having little experience with tracta joints I may be speaking out of turn but in general terms the importance of lubrication cannot be overstated. The joint in question appears to have been operated bone dry and simply filling the housing to the correct level with the correct oil may have solved the problem despite the appearance of the parts. I would have no hesitation in following Richard's earlier suggestion to remove the high spots and put it back to work. (Though he hadn't seen the damage at that point).
After all, any of the other joints in the vehicle could be almost as bad and you wouldn't know until it started talking to you.

David

[Richard Farrant]

Originally Posted by motto

Having little experience with tracta joints I may be speaking out of turn but in general terms the importance of lubrication cannot be overstated. The joint in question appears to have been operated bone dry and simply filling the housing to the correct level with the correct oil may have solved the problem despite the appearance of the parts. I would have no hesitation in following Richard's suggestion to remove the high spots and put it back to work.

David

Hi David,
It is difficult to judge the surface of the tracta parts in the photo, but when metal transference happened, a pit and a pimple, if it was only a small area, the surface could be stoned smooth and clearance checked and re-used. Our inspection standards (REME) stated that a certain percentage of area could be affected but still used as any small pockets/pits retained oil.

regards Richard

[Lynn Eades]

I saw it like David. Clean off the high spots put some lube on the mating components and see how smoothly they move relative to each other When you get it so that it all feels good put it back together.
I would doubt the colouration is serious. You will know when it is a problem,if indeed it becomes a problem. You might get many years out of that Tracta joint. That's why I made the suggestion.
The worlds supply of ferret parts will run out one day.
I may be wrong, but isn't it worth a shot?

[Malcolm Towrie]

I just found these responses. I guess MLU doesn't send an email when people post.

It comes down to a judgement call, doesn't it, and my judgement was the two inner tracta joints and shaft forks in the bevel box were too badly damaged to reuse, and I was lucky enough to have spares so I replaced them.

The bevel box is back together and has been reinstalled in the Ferret.

Malcolm

[Lynn Eades]

Great to hear you have mobile again, Malcolm. As the owner your judgement is tops in my book.
David and I were just offering our advice / opinion, hoping it would help you.

Of course it came with a 100% money back guarantee.

[Malcolm Towrie]

Not quite mobile yet, Lynn, but getting there.

So the inner tracta joint is all new, but just to let you know about the outer tracta joint; the hard chrome plating of the hub shaft fork had some pits (due to fatigue spalling, I think), which had caused some galling on the mating tracta joint "ball" (jeez, the part names are complicated). But this damage had not been causing any running problems prior to the inner tracta joint seizing so I happily stoned off the high spots on the joint "ball" and reused the parts.

Now, knowing I have a money back guarantee makes me feel even more confident.

Malcolm