1974 Lightweight half-shafts

**davros** · 11th March 2010, 10:30 PM

Well, if any of you read my last post about my TD5, the following is what happened when I returned to my trusty lightweight. It is a sorry tail

Being that I had not driven it for a while, I checked her all out then drove to Perth. Next morning she was a bit cold and stuttered going up a steep hill. Changed down and... BANG! Long half-shaft gone.

Now mine is the early Series III type with the flat end caps on the driving flanges, and a FEMALE thread in the end of the shafts. Also, lightweight half-shafts are 3" shorter than standard SIII axles (all was done to fit two cars side by side in a transport aircraft).

Any got/know of an axle supply in Australia?

Cheers,

Dave

**Brute** · 13th March 2010, 11:22 AM

Standard ser 3 shafts should fit they just look a bit ugly with the dome cap on the outside.

I used to run a V8 lightweight in UK 15 years ago and the proper shafts were scarce and expensive then. So just put up with the ugly ones

Ian

**Mick-Kelly** · 13th March 2010, 03:30 PM

Standard fit, mine has half and half. Still works fine you just loose the flat end plate.

**LandyAndy** · 14th March 2010, 07:16 PM

Hi Dave
The only place in Perth that I can think of that MAY be able to help is West Coast Rover in Kenwick.
Did you ever live in Narrogin??? Ages ago know but I have seen a lightweight over there once or twice.
GOODLUCK
Andrew

**Brute** · 14th March 2010, 07:45 PM

Theres been a guy selling series 2 and 3 parts in the quokka, he might be able to help, pretty sure ser 2 and 3 shafts are same
Ian

**davros** · 15th March 2010, 07:17 PM

Thanks guys,

I have had to get one from UK; I'm one of these crazies that's sticking to the original. Mine have the female thread in the end, not male as per the "sticky-out" hub cap. All up cost me $200 including a new seal for my fuel tank selector tap and rubber boot for it.
LandyAndy, that was me in Narrogin, I'm now in Katanning (what did I do wrong in a past life??)

Just out of interest, I thought the axle casing on the original Lightweight was shorter; From what you guys are saying, it's just the hub cap that saves the 3" in width?

Cheers,

Dave

**Brute** · 15th March 2010, 07:23 PM

The axle casings are same other that the reinforcing along the bottom to stop them bending when chucked out of a hercules

**JDNSW** · 15th March 2010, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by davros

Thanks guys,
......

Just out of interest, I thought the axle casing on the original Lightweight was shorter; From what you guys are saying, it's just the hub cap that saves the 3" in width?

Cheers,

Dave

That's right - if you look at the standard axle/drive flange/hubcap it is easy to see the space saved by just having a cap on the axle only about the same depth as the drive flange itself less the bit that sticks out. The hubcap itself is two inches deep - I just went and measured one!

John

**davros** · 17th March 2010, 06:09 PM

Got my new shaft (the old sort) from UK today after a 4 day wait, including the weekend. Sad the postage was quicker than from Sydney

!!

Thanks for the help and comments guys!

Dave

**LandyAndy** · 19th March 2010, 09:30 PM

Narrogin to Kattaning

Like falling out of the frying pan and into the fire

Andrew

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