2024-03-19 Machine New Cover Plate for Gripper LSD
The Gripper LSD had a broken cover plate 5yrs ago
https://micra.org.uk/threads/pollymobiles-rebuild.35251/post-778518
But since Gripper no longer cover my diff under any warranty and quoted me over £270 to replace a simple cracked cover 2yrs ago 😅
https://micra.org.uk/threads/pollymobiles-rebuild.35251/post-800218
I decided to machine a new cover from scratch on my mini-lathe
Removed the old bearing to measure & model up the old plate
The old plate had these two holes which had no purpose and was the source of the fractures, which I won't include in the new part
Modelled a new cover plate to be machined on the lathe
Verified the new plate geometry will work with the LSD layout
Since this large part will be close to the lathes limit, I modelled the machine in detail to simulate & plan each cutting process
After planning, the 1st step is to cut this huge 110 x 80mm billet down to size.
It wasn't long enough to safely clamp on the bandsaw
So I welded it onto a large pipe enough for the vice to clamp onto
Jeez, it took upto 2 whole long days & 2 cutting blades for the poor struggling bandsaw to chop through 110mm of steel 👀
Took another day to very slowly neaten up this rough billet.
Machine can only make 0.05mm cuts at a time or else it simply chatter badly, seize up or wear the tip quickly 🫣
Got the overall dimension down from 110 to 104.95mm 🤏
Ooh it fits like a glove 😎
That's the 1st hurdle.
The rest of the machining will be a very long process 😴