Bongo Fury

Five years and about 85,000 miles ago, our Bongo developed a bad vibration which made it almost undriveable. There was a right clunk going from forward to reverse gears too and it all pointed to the rear prop-shaft. Sure enough, new (recon) prop and it was as good as new.

Because of that, when we were deciding on the spares to take with us on our epic trip of Iberia last year, (details HERE in case you’ve been on another planet) a rear prop was on the list, so we got one from George at Bongo Spares and squirrelled it away in the back of the Bongo along with an alternator and several tins of Spam.

Iberia went like a dream, well we didn’t need the prop anyway. Then on Saturday I noticed a really odd vibration coming through the steering wheel, not side-to-side but vertically, and only between 25 and 30mph so you could drive through it but clearly something was amiss. This pointed to something in the front transmission, maybe the front prop(s) or centre bearing, or the front axle. Or to do with the unevenly-wearing front tyre situation I’ve had since we got the Bongo.

So, over to Ady’s for a look. Swapped front wheels for different ones, that didn’t eliminate it. Checked all the play in the various components of the front drive and none were worse than Ady’s 4WD. Took the rear prop off and, ahem, there be the problem again....





....no idea now whether that one was new or a recon or just a serviceable secondhand one but it’s dead now. The new one for all that is only a serviceable secondhand one so I’ll be getting another from George shortly to stop the Spam rattling round in the back.

Odd for a defect in the rear prop to show up having been transmitted through the front transmission and through the steering column. Very odd.

I know it seems bizarre carrying things like that around but you never know. Be prepared. DYB DYB DYB etc And thanks again to Vanessa

Providing the yoke is not damaged why not fit a Hardy Spicer with a grease nipple .

Could do, although that assumes someone is going to crawl underneath from time to time to do routine maintenance

You should already have a grease nipple on a prop shaft , you could do both at the same time.( Two birds with the same Gun)

Indeed, the spline joint does have a greasing point. But that doesn't mean it gets used from one year to the next

Muzorewa wrote:Indeed, the spline joint does have a greasing point. But that doesn't mean it gets used from one year to the next

Sorry don't really understand that point..


The splines allow the prop shaft to vary in length as the axle / components move they can get severely damaged if not properly look after IE greased.

rita wrote:

Muzorewa wrote:Indeed, the spline joint does have a greasing point. But that doesn't mean it gets used from one year to the next

Sorry don't really understand that point..


The splines allow the prop shaft to vary in length as the axle / components move they can get severely damaged if not properly look after IE greased.

I feel sheepish just reading that. :/

we looked at replacing part of the joint/cup /cross piece but as is the modern way they are crimped in with a machine,not like the good old days with the grove and circlip jobbies .

ps the new one got some grease in it. mind you by next service it may have another 20,000 miles on it.

whats the mileage up to to now muz ??.

some interesting chat on phasing props.

http://www.mgexp.com/phorum/read.php?1,1621395

You used to be able to buy kits for staked in UJ's made by Moprod (?) .. dunno if you still can ..

I have one (some where) that I used on my Ford Cortina's propshaft back in the 1980's !!

There is a specific way of replacing .. so as to keep the integrity of the shaft balanced to eliminate vibrations ..

Yes you can purchase universal joints to replace the Staked Type, they use Snap Rings on the side of the cups.

Northern Bongolow wrote:whats the mileage up to to now muz ??.

Just coming up to 365,000km. Was 83,000 when we got it and the rear prop that was on (maybe the original) took it up to 230,000. Then a replacement was fitted that could have been just a good s/h one or a service-exchange that took it to its present score.

Our Bongo is 4WD but also has the LSD, so it's absolutely cool (almost) on snow & ice and muddy fields but there's something curious going on with the viscous coupling because it castellates the front tyres over time. If the exit for the energy build-up is a new rear prop every few years, I'd rather that than have to replace an axle or autobox.

And to think that I hadn't driven a Bongo until I drove this one away from Imperial's showroom, and I just thought that if it didn't work out I could sell it and buy something sensible. It's been the best vehicle we've ever had by a very long way and has taken us to places we would never have seen any other way.

Wow,and wow again....226800 miles

How many times to the moon is that??

Anyone beat that ?????

Brian

Can't top that with my Bongo, but my 'normal' car is catching up. An impressive mileage you have there Muz

Bongoplod wrote:Wow,and wow again....226800 miles

How many times to the moon is that??

Anyone beat that ?????

Brian

the only 2 original things in the bongo though are the radio aerial and the driver