Thread: Fairly Overdrive Mainsheet Bearing

Gurus...

I've been lucky enough to get hold of an old Fairly OD, Pretty good nick, although the gear lever bush and bold needed about 2000 PSI on the press to pull apart after what looks like 20 years in a box

The bronze bush in the centre of the input shaft is peeling away its lining and its as rough as a badger's bottom, I've read that if this bush is worn it can be the kiss of death for the gearbox mainshaft, so thinking replacement could be a good idea.

The online manuals etc are very detailed on how to strip the unit completely but i can't find anything about how to get this bush out and in again. Anyone got any advice on how to do a change? Was hoping to achieve it wothout pulling the whole thing apart but if needs be I guess i can.

Also is there supposed to be an oil seal in thee too?

Cheers
Ian

IMG_2369.jpg

Originally Posted by 67hardtop

Hi guys, where do you get parts from for these overdrives. I have one that is very noisy and has possibly been run almost dry in its previous life as ive noticed it likes to spit oil out the top cover breather hole, past the split pin that is in it. Ive always checked the oil level before ive driven it and i always top it off slightly over the mark on the dipstick. TIA

Cheers Rod

Hi Rod,

The shims are quite hard to come by, they can be bought from Europe or the US but usually at a price and in a pack, so as usual there arn't enough of what you want and too many of what you don't want. I found these people in Victoria

http://www.precisionshim.com.au

They seem pretty good. They can press any size and thickness for you at $4.80 each i think it was. So if you know exactly what you need you can keep the cost down. $8.40 postage. I have to wait a bit for them to be done but we get used to that in WA!
The O rings and seals I got from Craddocks. I had a n order in with them anyway. They are pretty good for older parts but their postage ca be a bit hefty.
Other parts i have got on ebay. the Main shaft bush i got from these people, and they seem to provide most of everything else that is still being made

shop4autopartsuk on eBay

I got a cover for the gear lever hole from this chap, very good price but the post takes time. He sells a few other parts too at a competitive price

Fairey Overdrive Oil Seal and O Ring Service Kits | eBay

Just search for 'Fairey Overdrive' and you seem to catch most of them.

Ive been getting tired of oil spewing out of the gearbox and transfer case. In a hope to fix it i tapped a 1/4" BSP thread into the cover on the gearbox, transfer case and through the hole on the OD that the split pin goes in. In that i put a brass pipe connector. The gearbox and transfer case i have connected together via a 'T' piece and the pipe vents to a high point in the engine bay. The Overdrive has its own pipe (To prevent it dumping oil in the other 2) and the pipe vents the same way.

I'm hoping that any pressure and associated oil will spill up the pipe but not escape, due to the height of the pipe. Once cool it should drain back down into the casing. Well thats the theory, wont know if it works until i get it all back together!

I'll post some photos.

I haven't driven my OD, just stripped it prior to the first instal. Glad i did, although all the gears, bearings and casing seem to be in excellent condition i recon the damaged shims would have made a fair bit of noise. Stripping it was pretty simple using an online manual and some of the tips on this chaps blog.

Fairey Overdrive Overhaul — Nick's Land Rover - Series III rebuild and restoration

cheers ian