Steering Rod Joints - Part Number 52668

[Mike Allfrey]

G'dday,

I have placed this topic in the Natter section because it applies to both Javelins and Jupiters.

I refer to the Item in Journeys By Jupiter by Mike Stout, and the response by Keith Patchett (Hon. Editor).

Here in Australia, where due to dust and lack of maintenance in the cars' youth, steering ball (52668) and socket (54013) suffered from severe wear to the extent that some worn balls I have seen have been positively egg shaped. The Jowett Car Club, in the early 1960s, being very much on its own with respect to spares, developed a fix for this concern.

We chose to use the Morris/Wolseley Thompson style ball joint because they feature the 9/16" BSF thread for the steering rod, and have the same ball to steering rod relationship. A reputable machine shop manufactured a quantity of sleeves to match, exactly, the thread (11/16" BSF) in the steering arm. The thread pieces were then bored to exactly match the taper on the ball shank of the Morris/Wolseley joint.

The sequence of assembly was to thread the adaptor sleeve into the steering arm, insert the ball joint into the sleeve and gently tighten the securing slotted nut. With the male taper now firm, the steering ball height was set and the steering arm clamp bolt was fully tightened, followed by further tightening of the joint nut and installatioin of the split ball height.

A 9/16" jam (thin) nut was threaded on to the steering rod and then the steering rod was threaded into the ball joint. Once the steering track had been adjusted, the jam nut was tightened against the joint. Steering ball height can be adjusted by loosening off the steering arm clamp bolt.

Many cars have been repaired in this maner over the forty year period and in that time there has been no failure. It has to be appreciated that our roads were significantly rougher in the 1960s than they are now!

My Javelin is equipped with such a conversion and it has been absolutely sound in this area. Its first owner, I am the second, was a fire inspector and the car was used by him for inspecting the fire tracks in all Victorian forests - no bitumen there.

There are several advantages that should be considered;

1. New Morris/Wolseley steering joints are still available new from specialists.

2. The rubber boot effectively seals the moving parts and keeps the grease in and water and dirt out.

3. This is the good one - the Morris/Wolseley joint permits more angular movement than did the original Jowett made joints. A read through the Javelin and Jupiter Service Bulletins illustrates how important it was to get the Jowett joint in the correct position.

4. The jam nut tightened against the joint holds it securely.

Keith is absolutely correct in that the thread should be a correct fit in the steering arm, He is, most importantly absolutely correct about the need for correct taper matching.

Our club has just about depleted its stock of conversion sleeves and will be looking into manufacturing mor in the not too far distant future.

I hope I have clarified a couple of points.

Greetings to all,

Mike Allfrey, - E0 SA 42R.

[Drummond Black]

Mike Are there any drawings available, especially of the ball joint assembly, Thanks Drummond

[pat lockyer]

Having just looked in the journeys by Jupiter of the details and pictures of Mikes getting over the problem with the warn ball joints on the Jup and Jav.
As far as i am concerned the method is brillant and the only change i would make would be the use of mild steel in place of the water pipe.

Regarding the mag i would like to see the old practice of contents "in this issue"!

[Guest]

Dear Drummond,

I don't think we have a drawing for the taper/threaded adaptor sleeve. We will soon be getting some more made, perhaps we can develop a drawing from that activity.

Hoots mon!

Mike A.