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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Rear Axle Front Suspension and Tires

14,200 miles into the resurrection of Tommy, the rear axles were getting a bit noisy (I could hear them when next to a concrete barrier on the highway), the front suspension rubber (installed in 2005 and put into service late 2008) is rapidly disintegrating, and the cowl had developed the typical shimmy at 60 mph. I've religiously rotated all five tires on several occasions, although I managed to get careless for a bit with the toe setting and wore an inside edge of one tire.

In preparation for the GOF Central in Kalamazoo I decided to have the tires balanced and have the shop advise which corner each should go, knowing full well that the spare will be the one with the wear which will prove to be a cosmetic defect on the car. The shop is good with experience with both lug centric and hub centric balance. I'm reasonably certain our wheels can be balanced either way, but I went with the lug centric to be sure. That's OK as long as you are willing to wait a few days for the morning guy to get to it.

While I had the tires off, I pulled the rear axles and inspected the bearings. I had a small surface fit leak on the Right Hand side of the bearing carrier, and that bearing proved to be somewhat worn. The LH side which I always have suspected of being very worn sounded like it had cornflakes in it when I removed it. I checked my restoration records and discovered I only had replaced the oil seals, and not the bearings, which at the time I thought were OK, but obviously were not. My local bearing supply didn't have the correct bearings, but Moss sells the same bearing for both the B and the TD/TF. The old were R&M 34C50, the new are marked KOR RMS10 FHBC, and are much lighter, and you can see the races better as the keepers are contoured.

The brake shoes and drums are in fantastic shape.

The rubber bits in front will require a total teardown and assembly of the front suspension. I don't mind too much, as it isn't that hard, and I don't expect to find any problems. I just want to replace this stuff before moisture and dirt gets in there and makes it a problem. Has anyone had any luck with the Moss suspension rubber in the current time frame, or will I be doomed to repeat this project in three years? Is there a favorite grease out there that seems to be kinder to rubber?

I figure while I'm in there I'll grease the front bearings. So in a couple of days I should have the axle back together, the front suspension renewed and the balanced tires on. I'll let you know how it works.

warmly,
dave

Dave Braun

I would avoid rubber products from Moss. I would, however, use the black urathane A arm bushings from Moss. They look just like rubber, but work better and last forever. I would use swivel seals and trunion seals from Abingdon. Their rubber is made for them, and holds up well.
I have had rubber from Moss crack and fall apart before I even had time to install them.
D. Sander

Thanks. I'll try the Abingdon Spares parts. They cost almost three times as much but are still quite reasonable, especially if they are more suitable. They are dropping them in the mail to me today. Funny, I built the whole car without ever ordering from them.

I'm going to give the V-8 bushings one more chance. This time I'm going to install them Fletcher's way, with the a-arm level.

Finished the rear axle bearings and seals last night with Diane's help. She assembled one side while I fitted up the other. I was literally too dirty to refill the differential and axle tubes with Hypoid Gear oil... as I have the three panel rear deck and find it easier than pumping the oil up into the diff from below. It is amazing how much dirt collects on you when you are working on 'clean-restored' but road used parts! For some reason, Diane stayed cleaner, but I think she is just naturally neater (read that "Hey Dave, could you put the clevis pin in the brake lever for me?") We smeared Hylomar on the bearing housing flanges, last time I installed them dry and one side did end up leaking.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

I think you will be happy with the rubber from Abingdon. I would not recomend the MGB V8 A arm bushings, but would use the black urathane A arm bushings from Moss instead. I have used both, and find the urathane to be far superior. They are much easier to install, look factory, last forever and work better.
D. Sander

Dave I just changed to the Moss urethane. It's a tougher stiffer material. The standard neoprene from Moss just simply takes a "set" from vibration input elongating the holes and sofenting the material. I suspect that there is a natural frequency at 50 to 55 mph (depending on tire size)with these bushings. There is a transmissibility of 5 or 6 (estimated). Meaning the driving forces (wheel side) are amplified by a factor of 5 or 6 to the chassis side. This did cause pretty serious vibration at speed in the front end of my TF. You might recall you gave me a lot of advice a year or 2 ago. I did the same balancing again and again, rotating again and again. Various tire pressures etc.

After all that I found the right front shock needed to be rebuilt. There was a very slight looseness where the shaft exited the forward hole in the shock body. That coupled with the bushing vibration caused pretty uncomfortable driving at 55 mph. Now all is fine.

Moss might want to think twice about those standard bushings. Almost like attaching your wheels to the car with rubber bands. And I only had maybe 2,000 miles. I think a visual inspection every few months is a good idea.

Peter Dahlquist

Sure, Peter, I remember out conversations. I'm glad you sorted out your vibration. What tire pressures did you finally end up with once you got your urethane busings?

Thanks to both of you for the information on the urethane bushings. It's just that I've been using the V8 bushings for so long, I've kind of gotten used to them. I'll look into the urethanes before the Abingdon pieces arrive. I still have some decision time built into my schedule.

I got the tires back from the balancing shop and slapped them on the car in the corners recommended. Between the new bearings in the rear and the balanced tires, the car feels much smoother in the front and is much quieter in the rear. So far so good...

warmly,
dave

Dave Braun

Dave

28 psi

Peter
Peter Dahlquist

Dave, I agree that the Moss V8 bushings work very well. I've had success with them in 3 different cars over the last 25 years, although my newest set is from '94. I hope that they haven't declined in quality as most of the other Moss rubber. My swivel pin seals cracked within months. I am glad to hear the Abingdon stuff is getting better reviews. When I get up the ambition, I will switch out my seals.
Steven Tobias

Thanks Peter, I tend to run 32 psi, and about 38 when heavily loaded for long trips.

Thanks for the update, Steve. Bring the car to me and I'll swap out your seals for you ;)

My seals from Abingdon arrived. Pretty speedy service.

I just found this write up from 2004 on the Barney Gaylord's MGA site: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/faulty/ft018.htm

Evidently, the Moss trunion seals are marked on the outside surface 'ACG4030 LIFETIME' and are made from DuPont Neoprene rubber and don't suffer problems. The link pin seals in July of 2004 were supplied by Moss England, and were either plain, or marked 'RN-0994' on the outside surface. The reporter said the marked ones were bad, and so Moss put them and the plain ones in jars of oil, grease, anti-freeze and gas. "The plain unmarked ones seem inert, while the ones with the numbers on them are swelling tremendously."

I'm looking forward to seeing what condition my trunion seals are in, and if there is a marking on my link seals as I took delivery of them from a Moss supplier in June of 2005.

Boy, if you don't visit Barney's site once in a while you are really missing out. So much of the TD-TF is in the MGA.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

Dave
Excellent research. Thank you. I bought a seal set 4 years ago and have slowly been going around the front replacing them. I have not had the problems some of you gents describe. Tonight I went out to my spares bin and, sure enough, my left over trunion seals are marked 'acg4030 lifetime' and my link seals are unmarked.
Seems true enough.

Tom
'54 TF
Tom Norby

I just finished the second job. Interestingly I had six of the seals with the number on them and they looked like melted cheese. Two of the seals had no number, and looked about the same as when I installed them. I remember when I put them in that I felt the fit could be better, the Abingdon Spares parts were much more secure and easier to install. I'm glad I got them. The V8 bushings I installed Fletcher's way and that went well too. I did have some trouble crawling around to tighten all the fasteners, and grease the suspension when I was done, but I chalk that up to age!

You can see all of it in the on-going maintenance section of the my website in the MGTD15470 restoration portion. http://www.dbraun99.com

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

This thread was discussed between 05/07/2011 and 10/07/2011

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