One of the things I’ve enjoyed on the project more than anything else is restoring anything with gears and bearings. Gearboxes, axles, differentials etc…
The last few days I’ve been bringing the original Shelley LJ25C jack back to life. When I bought the vehicle the jack was in the under seat tool tray (where it should be). The tool tray was full of water. The jack as mostly submerged, also full of water and emulsified grease… and didn’t work. At the time, I cleaned it up and degreased it but took it no further.
On searching the net for any info / history on Shelley jacks the other day, I was amazed to find an excellent resource for vintage jacks…
If you own an old British classic car, I bet you’ll find your jack on this site. Check it out.
With a lot of other things it’s been sat on a shelf gathering dust so it’s time to give it new lease of life. Plus, it has gears and bearings 🙂
Shelley LJ25C
Name cast into the body
As some point a socket has been welded onto the input gear. The end of the rod fits neatly in the end so I’m happy to keep it. I doubt finding a replacement input gear is going to be that easy. This model is a two stage jack. The threads are left handed… Which feel weird when you unscrew it.
To ensure it’s not possible to wind the screw out of the jack body (with the obvious results) a robust circlip resides in a groove on the end of the threaded shaft. With the removal of the base plate, this can be seen.
With the circlip removed the unit can be stripped.
I was surpised to find a bearing under the screw gear! Happy days.
All the oily parts into the “parts washer”
After degreasing, all the parts were treated to a tickle from the knott brush to remove rust and old paint
Threads were masked off and everything sprayed matt black. Except the bearing, thrust washers and gear teeth.
Rebuild…
Lower thrust washer dropped in. A smear of grease keeps it in place.
Then the bearing…
Upper thrust washer…
I dropped the upper thrust washer and bearing into the screw gear… Easier to pack it with grease this way…Input gear greased and ready to be installed. It simply pushes into the casting.
Input gear and retainer installed. I also tidied up the rough weld when I has the angle grinder out.
Threads of the tower packed with grease. Excess will we wiped off as the threads turn through the screw gear.
Going in…
Circlip replaced…
… and finally, the tangs on the baseplate peened over.
Not bad 🙂
Proving a point jacking up its Land Rover 🙂
To operate the jack, a long rod is inserted into the “socket” on the input gear. The other end of this rod has a hole through it for a wooden handle. The handle is long gone so a long screw driver had to suffice. I hope to find one online.
The rod (which already has some clips waiting for it behind the front seats) was also stripped of painted.
hello, great job on that Shelley LJ25C! I plan to rebuild a Shelley 6 Inch DL for my dad’s ’54 Healey soon and info such as this is quite useful. take care, Charles
Little Green Landy 
hello, great job on that Shelley LJ25C! I plan to rebuild a Shelley 6 Inch DL for my dad’s ’54 Healey soon and info such as this is quite useful. take care, Charles
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Hi Charles, Thanks for the kind words and good luck with your Shelley. Cheers, Andi.
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