TC Differential housing

[timandgerda]

Good evening all,
I have just started to strip down the back axle on my TC and have found the differential housing is broken. This is probably the reason the car was taken off the road before becoming an abandoned project. Two questions: does anyone in the UK have a differential housing they would be willing to sell (cheap!), does anyone have experience of fitting alternative diffs – I have seen on TTT2 that a Morris Minor one can be made to fit with some minor modification.
Cheers
Tim

[frenchblatter]

Tim, are you sure it cannot be repaired.

[Tim Jackson]

TC differentials occasionally come up on eBay here.
Alternatively, the Ford English differential fits into the TC's back axle. However, some mods are needed, including new half shafts with Ford splines.

[timandgerda]

Hi Norman, unfortunately the bearing shaft has completely broken off so I don't see how it could be repaired with any confidence.

Thanks Tim - I would rather keep any modifications to a minimum if for nothing else but cost. The Morris Minor ration of 4.55 :1 seems feasible but I am holding out for a genuine part for now.

[Steve Simmons]

Looks like you just need a new carrier. I saw one on eBay not too long ago. I think it was under $100 but I could be remembering wrong.

[timandgerda]

Hi Steve - correct, it is just the carrier I need. if anyone sees one anywhere please let me know. Thanks. Tim.

[Norman Tuck]

Hi Tim,
If you expect to cruise above 60 MPH, I suggest that you take this as an opportunity to improve the drivability of your TC by changing the differential ratio. I am very pleased with having converted to a Morris 4.55.
Information about the change can be found in Terry Sander's article, "Pumpkin Time" ( http://www.mg-tabc.org/library/diff.htm ) on this websites Technical Articles / Gearbox and Axles section.
An article on repairing your existing diff is in the same section at http://www.mg-tabc.org/library/diffrep.htm

Good luck, Norman

[timandgerda]

Thanks Norman,
I had seen the article about the Morris 4.55 swap but missed the repair one. The break on the repair one is identical to how mine has failed so may look into this if I cant find a replacement housing - Norman (frenchblatter) did suggest if I could repair it. How easy was it to find a good Morris 4.55 diff?

[searunner]

Thanks Norman,
How easy was it to find a good Morris 4.55 diff?

very easy if you are in UK or UE - on ebayUK are easy to find one good 4.55 MorrisMinor diff
price from GBP 40-100 ... or more if you want a rebuild granted one
I have find a good one at GBP80 and put on reserve- as my overhaul of the original
dif. are nearest to finish at te time

you need a machinist to reduce the contour of 2mm and new holes to fit the oldest case
and fit the TC spider gears on it

[timandgerda]

Thanks Searunner. When you say reduce the contour by 2mm do you mean where the half shafts have to pass through into the gears?

[Norman Tuck]

The entire flange with the ring of holes for bolt that attach the entire pumpkin to the housing needs to be made thinner because the half shaft centers fall a little behind the centers of the spiders.
Unfortunately, because the alloy flange becomes thin, it is necessary to have a steel ring made that surrounds the diff to reinforce the flange. Also, new holes drilled in the ring and flange to align with the TC housing.
Also, the Morris spiders will have a different number of teeth than the splines in the TC half-shaft.
Now that I think about it, I guess it is all a big deal. Fortunately, I was able to obtain a diff and ring that had already been correctly machined.
I believe that all this information can be found in "Pumpkin Time."
Note, I had a Morris Differential destroy itself because it had excessive backlash. So, whatever you do, take the opportunity to make sure that your differential is correctly assembled. Info can be found on the web.
Note #2, Oil tends to leak through the threads on the ring of bolts that hold the pumpkin to the housing. Thus, be sure to remove the bolts from the carrier and coat them with sealer, and then replace them. Another tedious job.
Again, Good luck. Norman T.

[Tim Jackson]

A couple of Morris Minor diffs (9/41) on eBay UK today £85 start here and £30 start here

[timandgerda]

Thanks Tim - I bought the best one he has last night! I will post some pictures of my progress (or lack off) as I go along but it will be a few weeks now due to work commitments.

[frenchblatter]

I forgot to come back and look for updates. A good welder will repair that, But it needs to be a specialist who knows what he's doing.

(could be a she, of course )

[timandgerda]

Hi Norman. Current plan is to go down both routes. I will get the original housing repaired more long term if the Morris Minor modification works out. I will keep everyone posted. Cheers. Tim.

[searunner]

Hi Norman. Current plan is .................if the Morris Minor modification works out. I will keep everyone posted. Cheers. Tim.

If you acquire the ebay Diff. a experienced mechanic can test it in less than 20 minutes with simple micrometer
in correct position-
the 85 GBP dif seeming in very good conditions- but a control must be necessary
before the dismantle, essential before the reduction of circumference thickness

[ian theobald]

On my car someone has fitted TD /TF or very similar and cut the outer housing at ends and re welded the original TC ends so mounts to the springs as per original.
I,m not sure how difficult that was but diff runs silent .
My car has a slight leak out through splines and not sure if uses same halfshafts now but was told a rubber bath plug easily fixes.
The oil never gets to brake linings so I have never bothered with it and a quick wipe over after use is good enough but is interesting what some people did to alter or improve.

[stephen stierman]

Ian, keeping the oil from running out through the splines is quite easy but unfortunately you need to pull the axles out. Clean off all the gear lube from the inside of the splined hub where the axle enters it, degrease very well and fill this area with a couple of good thick coats of silicone sealer, let dry for a day or two and re assemble. No more gear oil will seep through.

[ian theobald]

Will do this one day.
Trouble is Im a lazy guy and i suppose would not be a TC if it did not leak
Stops rusty spokes as has happened to front wheels as previous owner lived very close to the ocean

[stephen stierman]

As long as nothing is leaking on the rear brakes, this is just cosmetic and an annoyance.