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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - 76 midget wheels won't spin

Hello to all. We have a 76 mg midget set up on jacks that we just got to start. Now one of the problems is the wheels aren't spinning when the car is in gear. Besides checking the clutch master cylinder, are there any other suggestion? Thank you for any and all help! Craig and Stephanie
SMG Gallavan

is the propshaft turning? if so its the diff or halfshafts - if not start with the clutch!
Mick - trying to sort the wiring

Even if the clutch hydraulics fail the clutch is left engaged so there should be some movement from the transmission and rear axles. If the transmission is in gear then at least one of the rear wheels should be turning. If not make sure you have a prop shaft installed in the car then check for a broken half shaft. The differential sections are quite strong, very few failures there.
Bill Young

I have seen the centre ripped out of the clutch plate before, then there is no drive past the engine.
Unusual but not impossible!
Paul Walbran

Firstly I would be very careful putting a car in gear and running it whilst suspended on jacks! Not sure I would want to be under it checking things with the transmission in gear and the engine running.

However Secondly it is extremely unlikely to be the master cylinder or for that matter any of the hydraulics.

It could be

Is the transmission correctly selected in gear?

Has the car been fitted with a propshaft?

Jack up one side of the car so that one rear wheel is on the floor and one jacked off the floor. Looking at the propshaft have an assistant turn the wheel that is off the floor. Does the shaft turn as the wheel is turned (Note this must be done with the other wheel on the ground and prevented rom spinning)

Now do the same with the transmission selected in gear if you now can not turn the rear wheel then there is nothing wrong, however if the prop shaft turns but not the engine then it sounds like there is an issue with the clutch.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

I think that I would start by shutting off the engine. With the transmission in gear, turning one rear wheel should FORCE the other rear wheel to rotate in the opposite direction. If this does not happen, check to see what the propshaft is doing at this time. Since nothing is running, it is relatively safe (assuming that by "jacks" you really mean "jack stands"). The usual problem is the the RH axle half-shaft has sheared at the diff end.
David "knock on wood" Lieb
David Lieb

If an axel is broken you should be able to notice it by doing what leib suggests as well.
S.A. Jones

Seth,
I cannot make up my mind as to whether you read what I wrote or not. If you did, you would have noticed that I DID address the possibility of a broken halfshaft. If you didn't, then you wouldn't have recommended someone else to read it...
David "puzzled" Lieb
David Lieb

Seth and David, what part of Illinois are you from?
SB Brecklin

I do mean jack stands :-)
SMG Gallavan

SB,
I am in Palatine. Seth is somewhere in the Chicagoland area...

SMG,
I was sure you did, but you never KNOW until you ask. Even some Spridget owners have qualified for the Darwin Awards ;-)
David "Where are you?" Lieb
David Lieb

If the drive shaft is turning, I would suspect half shaft also.

Let us know what you find.

Dave
Dave Rhine

David, I am in Chicago proper.
around the Edens-Kennedy junction.
SB Brecklin

SB,
I am so sorry for you ;-)
I work in Niles, so I do get fairly close to you.
How is your RWA doing?
David "max thread drift" Lieb
David Lieb

Not sure what happened because I wasn't there, but once the wheels were on and put on the ground it all worked fine. Next project are the brakes. Thanks everybody for the advice!
SMG Gallavan

My guess is that whoever was watching, only checked one side when it was running in gear. A diff running under no load will often just spin one wheel whilst the other remains stationary - especially if there is a little drag on the brakes on one side.
Guy Weller

SMG,
Perhaps they looked at one drum and it wasn't turning? That is normal.

Let me see, brakes...
The shoes have a "leading edge", make sure it is in the right orientation for all the shoes or you lose efficiency. The picture in the Haynes manual I believe to be accurate, but take your time figuring out which side is pictured ;-).

Also take your time getting the adjuster to move. Heat can be helpful as can good penetrating oil. AC wrenches exist with a lovely square hole to maximize grip.

Most of the shoes these days have minimal adjustment available. If the shoes are not adjusted to the point of just starting to drag, you can get the condition in which it takes two pumps of the pedal to get brakes. Not fun...
David "my brakes work" Lieb
David Lieb

David, do you know what part of chicago seth is in?
SB Brecklin

You've got mail.
David Lieb

This thread was discussed between 17/12/2009 and 21/12/2009

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