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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Dismantling back of Type 9

I'm replacing the gaskets on the type 9. At the rear, adjacent to the tailhousing, there is an aluminium spacer with a gasket either side. To get the spacer off, I need to remove the 5th gear selector fork. However there is a dowel type thing that has to come off, which just won't budge when hit with a punch. Should I just hit it harder?

Also, the bottom gear must come off too. There is a locktab on this. I'm hoping that it will slide straight off when the nut is undone.

Is there anything else I need to do or be aware of?

Thanks
Matt
Tarquin

Matt,
I don't think that dowel either will come out or needs to.
Not if you withdraw the selector shaft.

Remove the socket head allen set screw and detent plunger from the front top left hand corner of the main case. Drift out the roll pin that holds the selector disc alignment thingie, wriggle the bits off as you withdraw the shaft. The selectors can remain loosely in situ. Take a photo or 2 if you think you might forget the replacement sequence.

The 5th gear just pulls off once the lock nut is removed. The shaft has a stepped end which needs to be aligned correctly when you replace the alloy centre piece of the box (5th gear housing)

You have a couple of e-mails.

Guy
Guy Weller

Thats tricky Matt, last time i opent a type nine little metall lumps fel out and i had no idea where/how to put them back.
Good luck!
Arie de Best

Matt

5th gear - I don't recall a locktab on this (could just be failing memory though!) but the nut is effin tight. I had to use an impact wrench to get it off, also used it to retighten the nut - its 120-150Nm torque.
Had to use a hub puller to remove the gear from the shaft.

Do you have a manual? I have one on PDF that I can e-mail to you if its any help.

Les
Les Robinson

Les, that manual would be very useful, thanks. matt at v8midget dot com.
I have an impact wrench so I'll use that.

Arie, 3 little pieces have already fallen out! I remember they did that last time, so I need a good cup of tea and a think to remember where they fit.

Thanks Uncle Guy. If you are bored, come on down and give me a hand!

I nearly poked my eye out the other night, trying to get the roll pins out. Seriously.
Tarquin

Les,
Is the manual you have the German one? I have sent that to Matt already. It is rather better than the English version, except the words are all funny.

I don't recall the 5th gear nut being terribly difficult to undo. Tight, but not impossible. I have done the job several times now and don't recall having to jam the gears but maybe I did and just stuck a screwdriver in between the teeth somewhere.

Not selecting 4th gear before re-fitting the tail housing was the biggest error on one occasion......!
Guy Weller

Guy

I have the German one plus one by Biggles (?) which is excellent. Also have an article from AC Cobra magazine, again good.

To loosen the 5th gear nut I recall there is a a tool to hold the shaft somehow otherwise as you say you would need to jam the teeth - something I didn't fancy doing. Using an impact wrench, £16 from Aldi, was so easy. This is a fantastic tool, I also used it to to remove a crankshaft nut that had been on for over 40 years, absolutely no hassle came off in seconds.

I also forgot to select 4th gear on fitting the tail housing and aligned it by eye - it seems ok though as 5th can be engaged. More good luck than good judgement!

Les
Les Robinson

Sorry to jump in but would it be possible to get a copy of the pdf manual

I am about to pull my type 9 apart to do the 'Guy Mod' to get the gear lever in the right place so it would be really useful

Thanks

Shaun
Shaun

Shaun.
I have two type 9 conversions, one in each of my cars, one with the shortened remote and one without. I dont think it is worth the time, cost, and trouble shortening.
Guy
Can I join the list for acopy PDF. Please.
alan dot anstead at Btopenworld dot com.
Ta!
Alan Anstead

Me Too!!!!
Toby Anscombe

Can I have a copy as well? I'm picking up my new Type 9 on Saturday and also plan to shorten the remote.
Glyn '72 midget

I can send the manual in pdf format to those that have asked. But it is quite large for an e-mail attachment - 9MB. Or is there some way of posting it somewhere it can be downloaded from a web site?
Guy Weller

Me too!
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

I wonder if it could be uploaded into the Wiki, we could open a page to hold it.

then dipped into as needed?

Is that feasible or even legal?

Me?
I dunno...
Bill sdgpm

I was sitting in the car std + 4 spd box and tried to imagine the gearox being 3" further back and felt my elbow would have to be between the seats and that's why I was looking and doing the mod or is this not the case?

Shaun
Shaun

Shaun,
I do like the shortened version of the Type 9, which brings the gear stick almost - but not quite - back to the standard Ribcase position. But I am also quite sure that one would very quickly get used to a gear lever further back, so it is just a matter of personal choice. It does also invole quite some work - which for me was part of the appeal I like DOING things!

Did my notes come through?

Guy
Guy Weller

Shaun my stick feels just OK where it is, and I havent been skillful or brave enough to attempt Guy's mod.

When I'm driving the stick feels natural

As you can see with this picture of my co-driver aboard it doesn't look so very bad does it?


Bill sdgpm

Guy / Les
thankyou for the PDF etc
Alan.
Alan Anstead

Guy

Just picked up my email got the docs.

Now going to digest and perhaps have another look at the positioning in the car before modding.

Thanks

Shaun
Shaun

Les,

Thanks for the manual, shall add it to the collection and now gives me the confidence that I can get it back together again.

Shaun

Guy if you want to send me the PDF I can put it on my site for people to download it from.
Ed Brown

and there's me thinking I had loads of useful responses.

ah well.

After further inspection tonight, I've got the selector shaft removed, and the big nut removed. Also, a circlip has been removed from the upper gear (not sure of the names of the shafts). However, the gears will not come off the shaft rearwards, they seem to only want to come off forwards. That means removing everything from the box!

Too much for me, so unless I'm missing something, I'm going to cut the gasket at the top to fit it. I've got a 10mm gap between the spacer so have just enough room to remove the old gasket and clean the faces up.
Tarquin

Matt, the whole gear cluster should come off as a unit, to the rear.
Guy Weller

Matt,

IIRC you have to remove the rear most bearing on the laygear assembly in the intermediate plate, the laygear shaft can then be tapped backwards towards the back of the box enough to allow the laygear assembly to drop down , the input shaft can then be removed and the mainshaft and intermediate plate can then be pulled for further disassembling if required.
David Billington

Shaun, i also have a type 9 5 speed with a K series.
I didnt(lack of skill and patience) do what Guy did but made a bent in the (quickshift)gearstick.
Its in an ideal position to me now and i never touche the seats with my elbow.

Image: (armrest/box is easy removable)


Arie de Best

Arie

What's the gear-lever gaitor from?

A
Anthony Cutler

Frontline.
Arie de Best

Aquestion for those of you who have done the type 9 / 1500midget conversion. When the bellhousing is on type9 how far below is the flange face is the tip of the input shaft. I am trying to verify which type 9 i have and figure out how thick the adapter should be. By the way very helpful information here.
VinceG

I did a similar gearstick mod to Arie, but i used an old TVR one, as they had the same problem with the gearstick ending up in the wrong pace when using a T9.
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

VinceG.

I seem to recall that when James did the measuring to have his castings made (one that he used himself) and then sold a few on, the thickness was 1".

I have lost all of my links from way back then, does anyone still have the "Wizardsden" site on their bookmarks, it would be ideal for queries like Vince's
Bill sdgpm

But that one inch assumes I have a specific type-9, If I knew what the distance was between the tip of the old triumph 1500 transmission input shaft and a bar that was placed on the bell housing flange then I could work backwords and make sure the new transmission input shaft was correct in the bellhousingg
VinceG

Sorry Vince, I can give you an idea of the size that works on an A series, but the 1500 is a different kettle of bu****it

but if it can even slightly give you some idea this is it


Bill sdgpm

This thread was discussed between 10/02/2009 and 26/02/2009

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