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MG TD TF 1500 - A-arm nuts - how tight?

Hi All,

I was wondering how "tight" to make the inner A-arm nuts (the ones with the rubber or urethane bushings) and also the outer A-arm nut. My book doesn't list any torque values for these, just says to tighten them up & install the cotter pins.

Do you just tighten up until they won't go further, then back off until you line up the hole with the castellated nuts? Or, do you tighten up until the top of the nut is aligned with the bolt, etc.

By the way, a number of people said that I needed to wrap a chain around my jack to work on the front suspension. I didn't need to do that at all, I just followed (somewhat) the shop manual instructions to put a jack under the suspension, remove some bolts, then relax the jack. I do have the engine in the car, however other people said that they still used the chain method with an engine in. I didn't find that necessary at all.

Thanks,
Scott
Scott Linn

Scott. I tightened mine until they were tight, then I grunted them to the next available slot for the cotter. I had the V-8 bushings in mine. Remember, very few of the components were assembled at the factory with torque wrenches.

Your experience with the engine in the car and not needing the chain is typical. It's during a restoration where the tub is already removed that other measures need to be taken. Of course, except for needing a chain or a spring compressor, having the wings and tub out of the way does make for easier work on the suspension.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Thanks Dave, that is what I ended up doing.

It sure was a lot quicker installing the front urethane bushings than the rears! I think the rears took 7 hours total, and the fronts something less than 3 hours (wasn't paying much attention to the clock).

I don't believe my father ever had the front bushings replaced in the car because he almost never drove it (maybe 50 miles in the 26 years he owned it?), and it had the original tires on it that were on it when purchased.

The rear bushings were in really bad shape, very misshapen and a couple almost worn through. The fronts, however, were in pretty good shape, with only one being in somewhat bad shape, and another a bit misshapen.

Tomorrow should be interesting to see how different it drives. The new rear bushings actually made quite a difference in ride quality when I did those a few weeks ago.

Scott
Scott Linn

This thread was discussed on 19/07/2010

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