AH 3000 tri-carb throttle shafts

[davidb]

Evening gents,

Trying to track down listings for oversize throttle shafts for the HS4 carbs. Having some difficulty. I have rebuild kits, from a few years ago, but no oversize shafts were included. From what I can see the new rebuild kits supply standard shafts. Quite a bit of slop in my current standard shafts, and I have a reamer for the oversize shafts.

Any suggestions on suppliers would be welcome. That's one of the problems with keeping these old British mutts on the road. Tracking down the small bits from across the globe.

With thanks
Dave.

 

[Keith_M]

Dave,
I got mine from Healey Surgeons.
Keith

 

[steveg]

Evening gents,

Trying to track down listings for oversize throttle shafts for the HS4 carbs. Having some difficulty. I have rebuild kits, from a few years ago, but no oversize shafts were included. From what I can see the new rebuild kits supply standard shafts. Quite a bit of slop in my current standard shafts, and I have a reamer for the oversize shafts.

Any suggestions on suppliers would be welcome. That's one of the problems with keeping these old British mutts on the road. Tracking down the small bits from across the globe.

With thanks
Dave.

Bushing the carbs and using standard shafts is a better idea because it's less work. Apple Hydraulics or White Post or Joe Curto can advise.

 

[Keith_M]

Bushing the carbs and using standard shafts is a better idea because it's less work. Apple Hydraulics or White Post or Joe Curto can advise.

I used the oversized shafts because I assumed that simply reaming the hole and fitting an oversize shaft would be less work than adding a bushing. Why is it less work to add a bushing?

 

[davidb]

Thanks to Keith for your suggestion on Healey Surgeons. Nice to hear from a BT7 owner. I'll check out. As to Steve's comment on using a bushing rather than a reamer, it appears that the later BJ series carbs did use bushings which are available, whereas the earlier Healeys did not. To me, a bushing is a better idea to begin with. So Keith, if you see this post, did you ream your carb body to accept a bushing? BTW Keith, I saved your photogallery to my favourites - lots of good info there, and some good ideas as well.

Thanks again guys,

Dave

 

[Keith_M]

Hi Dave,
Good point about the later carbs having bushings. The HS4 carbs on our tricarbs did not, and mine were significantly worn. My rationale for using the oversize shafts was simply that it's easier to just ream the hole and insert a new shaft. If you (or the next owner 50 years from now) ever needs to do it again, they can still enlarge the hole even more and add a bushing. But, I agree that in principle, a bushing is a better idea.

I did not ream the carb body myself because I don't own the correct size reamer; I took it to a local machine shop (don't remember what it cost, but it wasn't much). If you call Healey Surgeons, the woman who answers the phone (Inan Philips) is very knowledgeable. She can get you the right part.

Glad the photo gallery was of some help. I have a lot more photos besides those, so feel free to ask if you need other pictures.

Keith

 

[steveg]

I used the oversized shafts because I assumed that simply reaming the hole and fitting an oversize shaft would be less work than adding a bushing. Why is it less work to add a bushing?

I've heard it's less work because you don't have to drill out all your operating levers. Haven't personally been through this process - but I'd go with the rebuilder's recommendation.

 

[Healey Nut]

Evening gents,

Trying to track down listings for oversize throttle shafts for the HS4 carbs. Having some difficulty. I have rebuild kits, from a few years ago, but no oversize shafts were included. From what I can see the new rebuild kits supply standard shafts. Quite a bit of slop in my current standard shafts, and I have a reamer for the oversize shafts.

Any suggestions on suppliers would be welcome. That's one of the problems with keeping these old British mutts on the road. Tracking down the small bits from across the globe.

With thanks
Dave.

Put them in a box and ship them to apple hydraulics and get them all back bushed repaired flow balanced set n ready to go . I like to do stuff myself but rebuilding carbs is where I draw the line . To much fiddle and farting around and ending up with frustrations . And for what they charge to do them its now worth my time in my opinion .

 

[davidb]

Hey Healey Nut

Thanks for the advice, but I'm retired and enjoy the tinkering. And if you've been overhauling overdrives (one of my earlier posts) for fun, I guess "drawing the line" is open to interpretation. Besides if we all didn't enjoy a bit of frustration, we'd be driving Mazda Miatas.

Stay warm.

D.

"If you need me, I'll be in the garage"

 

[Healey Nut]

Being retired would make a difference on the tinker time but I would much rather do overdrives than carbs . I will be sending my Tri-Carb set up and shocks to Apple when I get to that point on my 62 Tri-Carb project .

 

[Keith_M]

Dave,
Reaming the throttle shaft holes for oversized throttle shafts is very straightforward. You don't have to drill out any operating levers, just the carb body. I'm just a backyard mechanic who likes to tinker, and I rebuilt my carbs successfully. Go slow, take lots of pictures, and practice reassembling one before taking apart all three so you have a guide.

Shocks are another matter. You pretty much have to send them to Apple or WorldWide Auto.

 

[davidb]

Thanks Keith for your brief words of wisdom. "Go slow" is the only way I work, except I'd like to add "Go slow and don't screw up". Ordered new insulating blocks (mine were sucking a bit of air) and all the gaskets yesterday from AH Spares. And hey, if things don't work out, I'll just wait for you and pick you up at the airport. Bring a toque.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Keith_M]

Thanks Keith for your brief words of wisdom. "Go slow" is the only way I work, except I'd like to add "Go slow and don't screw up". Ordered new insulating blocks (mine were sucking a bit of air) and all the gaskets yesterday from AH Spares. And hey, if things don't work out, I'll just wait for you and pick you up at the airport. Bring a toque.

Cheers
Dave

A toque? Ha! More like:

 

[davidb]

Keith

Well at least earmuffs then...
.