retainer shim
Turbo Mini Forums

The retainer is designed to hold the bearing in place by clamping the circlip to the gearbox web and at the same time clamping the bearing outer race to the circlip. The nip is to ensure both these things happen at the same time whilst allowing for manufacturing tolerances.
If you assembled and tightened the retainer to it's full torque before fitting any shims, it will have seated the circlip to the gearbox web and distorted the retainer and you would not be able to get the retainer to gearbox web clearance measured accuratly.
If you now undo the retainer and then very gently tighten the bolts to a soft fingertight you should be able to get feeler guages in to measure the true clearance.
The ideal shim size is .001" less than this gap but it can be .001" more without any problem.
You may well be able to use your old shim in there and problem solved.
Shims are/were available in 5,7,9,11, 13 & 15 thou.
If you measure the clearance centrally between the bolt heads you will minimise the effect of any minor distortion you may have caused by torquing up without the shims
Regards
Dave

It's telling me 10thou. but cant seem to get hold of a 11 thou shim...

Shit Happen's

You can also use .009" see if you have one or can get one.
regards
Dave

Just a quick thought if you are trying to buy shims.
You can make the size up by using thinner shims to give you the final size.
Regards
Dave

Shit Happen's

I called minispares, and spoke to a guy called gary, who they said knows about gearboxes.. and i asked him the right way of doing this.. and he did say hand tight then check.. and then add 1 thou, but 2thou would be fine.. :-

Shit Happen's

Ideally you want to go .001" smaller than the gap you measure so .009" is what you want for a .010 measured gap.
Yes just get three of the .003" shims and you are set to go.
Regards
Dave

Yes me again lol im searching for shims and calling around, no joy.. so called minispeed also, and spoke to a guy who said his build loads of gearboxes.. and said, i need less thou if its 10, i need 9 thou shim lol lol..
so million different ways
Oh well.. i give up ..
Cheers

Shit Happen's

Ok im gonna get 9thou..
Still ringing round :)
Cheers for ya help

Shit Happen's

No there is only one way, for a .010" gap you need a .009" shim to give you the .001" preload.
You can use 3x .003"
0r any combination to make .009".
Did Minispares not have the shims you linked earlier?
http://www.minispares.com/Product.aspx?pid=34600
Regards
Dave

i called them, but none in stock.. bugger i know.. ok i got it all wrong.. i thought it meant to add 1 thou more, the first guy told me this.. 2nd didnt.. so now my thick little brain understands..

Shit Happen's

Orderd 2 x 2 thou, as ive already got a 5 thou.. so 9 thou..
Thanks for ya help :)

Shit Happen's

best way is to torque up to seat bearing then udue then finger tight.

retainers can ware especially if the outside of the outer race has chaffed the casing as this can then make the bearing rub onto to the retainer rather than the retainer holding it tight, doesnt happen often but always best to check.

had to scrap several boxes as the main bearing wont sit snuggly in the web.

always looking for them bigger bunches of bannanas

Hmmmm!
Regards
Dave