Final Drive

[vinniexkr]

Hi
I am thinking of changing the final drive in my s3 etype v12, can anyone tell me how involved this is, is it
possible to do it at home with out to much trouble, thanks.
Regards
Vince

[JerryL770]

Depends on your workshop skills and tools available.

As with any model E, you will have to drop the whole rear axle unit and strip it out. Presumably you have a relevant manual and bench etc. suitable for doing this. I believe preloading of the crownwheel/pinion mating is fairly important!

However, I think there is at least 1 specialist diff rebuild company and reports on the E-type forum are of very good service there.

Jerry

[vinniexkr]

Hi
Can someone please tell, me how long it takes to remove the diff from an IRS unit when it has been removed from the car (1971 v12 manual)
I cannot find anything on the web, please help !
Thanks
Regards
Vince

[3.8etypephil]

Once the whole IRS unit is on the floor, or preferably a bench, less than one hour.

[vinniexkr]

Hi Phil

Thanks for the reply, I am not sure what is going on with E type UK near Tonbridge, they are quoting me £3000 plus to take the IRS out and remove the diff and reinstall after the diff has been sorted, with diff work they have quoted me £4800 - £5500 !!
I have asked several times about the time it takes and they will not answer my questions, I think they are trying to rip me off ??

[3.8etypephil]

Hi Phil

Thanks for the reply, I am not sure what is going on with E type UK near Tonbridge, they are quoting me £3000 plus to take the IRS out and remove the diff and reinstall after the diff has been sorted, with diff work they have quoted me £4800 - £5500 !!
I have asked several times about the time it takes and they will not answer my questions, I think they are trying to rip me off ??

Removal of the differential unit from its cage and replacement, is probably the easiest and quickest part of the operation.
It's a long time since I worked on an E Type, and of course I haven't seen your car, however removal and replacement of the IRS unit from a car in good condition, in a properly equipped workshop is a few hours work. Corroded / seized fixings would add to this, and a corroded structure which requires repair before reassembly would add a lot more time. I have no idea of the current prices of differential components, but accurate assembly is time consuming and critical, thus potentially expensive.

Exeter Engineering Solutions offer a full IRS / differential overhaul service for about £4k, I have no personal experience of them, but worth a phone call perhaps, if only to get a like for like cost comparison.

https://www.exeterengineering.co.uk/

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303058430380 ... 4QQAvD_BwE

[vinniexkr]

Hi Phil

The car is in excellent condition, the diff rebuild and gear change to a 2:88 is £1800, the removal and re installation is between £3000 and £3800, they said the time to remove the unit is around 2 hours, at £85.00 an hours means they are quoting 35 hours work !!
I think I will take the car else where, it is obvious they are overcharging for the work.

[vinniexkr]

Hi

I took my E type to jaguar specialist, E type UK for a few things to be done:
Check diff leaks and quote for repair:
Re-align passenger door:
Check door locks:
Reversing lights switch:
Check carbs for mixture set up:
We talked about checking the car over and report any findings, they told me they done it on a traffic light system, when I dropped the car off I said I would not need the car checked over and reported on as I had found the classic car engineers report from 2019.
I said that if the IRS had to come out then it would be a good idea to get the ratio changed at the same time.
I got a quote of £4800 - £5500 to do the diff work, I am not a E type specialist but I knew that was over the top, I asked for a breakdown of the costs, it took three emails to get an answer but the price was the same, they said 6 hours to remove the IRS and reinstall it, I questioned where the rest of the cost was made up and was told that it the removal of the diff !! at £85 an hour, that's 30 odd hours, I questioned the costs again and was given excuses after excuses as to the costs, none of which made any sense, I asked had they missed quoted me, I got two different replies, when I picked the car up the new floor manager said he had looked at the emails sent and said it was confusing but he said "I will go through the emails and sort it out and then get back to you" I have heard nothing for over a week.
They had done a good job apart from the diff work which was not carried out, they did the car report which I had clearly asked them not to do !!
I will see if I get a reply from them and will post it when and if I do.

Regards
Vince