Needle roller bearings toward rear of car...?

[simch1]

A big mystery chez moi.......or more to the point "chez s2 cab!" I returned form a few days basking in the sun at Lulworth cove, and last night put the porker away in its little corner of the garage. As I was clearing a fe things out of the way, I notice what look like some rollers from a needle roller bearing on the floor, toward the rear of where the car parks and toward the passenger side? .......I searched and found 9 or 10 in all, they are about 8mil long by about 1.5mil diameter, they dont appear to have grease on and have some minor surface rust on them.....!?

Car has sat in the garage for about 6 months til being brought out for a clean in Feb, only to pretty much be put back in until about 3 weeks ago. its been on the drive since.
I have no idea where these needles come from, can only assume form the car as its the only thing in that side of the garage. Car seems to have driven faultlessly for 400 miles, although I did notice a little bit of "backlash" noise, 9very moinor maybe imagining it) cruising through the new foreset at about 30 mph in 3rd and 4th as the car shunts a bit at low rpm. No noises under load, no whine, just a little bit of gbox noise, but at 100k miles its maybe normal. All shifts ok no probs.

Does any one have any idea if these have somehow come form the car, and if so where from ? are there any bearings in the rear of the car that use needle rollers of about this size, particularly gbox/hub? I have no discernable leaks formt he diff, no oil stains but the diff has a bit of oilly crud on it, but neve rleaked so it leaves any sort of mark on the floor, depsite being sat for years at times!

I am racking my brains to think if they are porker related or not. any ideas would be a help guys!

cheers

 

[Andy Duncan]

sounds like the clutch fork pivot shaft, this runs on 2 needle rollers. How does the clutch actuation sound or feel when it is depressed!

andy

 

[simch1]

HI andy how's it goin?

Clutch feels and sounds fine light, no noises, just as its always been as far as I recall. Does the pivot shaft run vertically in the gearbox then, so there is a pivot shaft bearing lying at the base of the gearbox maybe? Does it happen to be passenger side of the gbox if so? (Cannot look I am in Dusseldorf this week!)

Is the bearing inside or pressed in from the outside of the gearbox, can the needle rollers just drop out if the brearing fails or do they work their way out from inside the gbox.
Is it common, are they a pig to do?

Cheers for the help, I sort of had an idea you may have come across such a thing in your time!!

PS how was Cadwell have you been yet? Fun or scary or both!?

 

[Andy Duncan]

Ah Simon,

you'd gone quiet.

The clutch fork is the only component I am aware of that is supported by needle bearings around the dimensions you indictate.

The fork operates laterally and the pivot shaft sits vertically. There is a 10mm bolt with a 10mm locknut in the casing that should be visible which holds the shaft in place. Usually you need a pull hammer to withdraw the shaft. In your case if the needles have gone the shaft will probably fall out if the lock nut is removed.

The clutch bell housing will need to be removed to replace the needle rollers, I'm afraid......

Give me a call if need be.

andy

 

[simch1]

Sorry fella, I got sent away again short notice to Germany! Always seem to be somewhere short notice nowadays!!

I never made it to the F1 test, did you get chance to pop up?

I saw on the manual the fork you describe, it looks like its in the bell housing as you say? Thing it if they are from there, how did they deposite themselves on the garage floor.? I could understand them rattleing about the bell housing, but is there an opening anywhere you know of.

I do intend to give you a call when I have 5 mins, I need to tweak my rear suspension a bit, not enough camber on the ns rear, and too much toe there as well. Book is a bit confusing wiht poor photos about what bolt adjusts what exactly!

Also is that your GT3 in the avtar in Dubai...?! I am going there on way to HK next week and stopping over on return for a day or so! Any tips of where to stay or go!!!

Hahaha, maybe you could set up as an online mechanic and travel agent in one!

I'll call you sometime for a catch up if that's ok?

Simon