1970s Merc axle boot replacement.....

[RaceDiagnostics]

These are my 46 year old axles, boots cracked but not yet leaking.

To get new boots on it will either need stretch boots and tool or the cans to be cut off and replaced, and crimped together.

The tool used to crimp on the axle cans to allow boot renewal on our axles is NLA, and was thousands of £ when it was available. There are videos on you tube showing how to chisel the edge of the can over to crimp the o ring in place but they look hit and miss. I also plan to fill my can with oil rather than grease so it needs to be a perfect seal. I'm not sure a chisel can achieve that.

There is very little to no information on the internet about the tool so a fair bit of guess work was required to design a replacement.

These are the only pictures I had to go on.

The lower part needs to come apart once the crimp is made so it can be removed from the axle, the upper parts forms the crimp when compressed down on the two sides of the can.

I measured up my existing axle and ordered some laser cut steel. One ring for the top die and four semicircles for the lower.

I tac welded the semicircles together to hold steady for drilling.

Then the same for the top part. Then dilled it through.

The bead measures 7mm on the old axles so I recessed the lower die by 3mm and the upper by 4mm and sized the width to the new can parts.

Similar for the top tie, 3.5mm concave radius on each side.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Time for a try out, I had to sacrifice a can as a test piece, so I could check the result of the crimp on the o ring.

Ready to be compressed.

Screwed down a quarter turn at time, half way through I thought about greasing the parts before starting, it was too late, next time.

The reveal!

I don't think it could have worked any better.

 

[bricol]

Looks to have worked well.

However, if the greased version has lasted for 40 years, why do you want to use oil?

I'd be sticking with grease.

Regarding the cans - not quite as bad, but the ones on my Caterham are from a Sierra. You can get the boots but not the cans. Have to be real careful getting the can unpeeled so you can repeen

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Looks to have worked well.

However, if the greased version has lasted for 40 years, why do you want to use oil?

I'd be sticking with grease.

Regarding the cans - not quite as bad, but the ones on my Caterham are from a Sierra. You can get the boots but not the cans. Have to be real careful getting the can unpeeled so you can repeen

The originals are oil filled, not grease, I think that's the reason for their longevity, but its also a risk if the boot splits you lose all the oil at once.

Here is the manual info, I think I'll use 75w 90.

 

[mr haynes]

Given me food for thought for when i get round to trying this job