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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Front Suspension

Hello, all.

Whilst crawling around on the floor the other day I noticed a crack in the driver's side front wishbone, at the hole for the outer fulcrum pin. I assume that this is a BAD THING and will require the replacement of the wishbone, correct?

From quick trawl of the archives, it sounds like rebuilding the front suspension is like hell on earth, is this also correct?

Final question, am I right in assuming that if I do one side, I will need to do both?

Incidentally, crack notwithstanding, the front end handles absolutely fine.

It is a toss up between doing it myself (with all sorts of capacity to do fail/take a month+) or take it to the garage and pay for the privilege.

Given that the nice weather is (finally) here, if the job is going to be a nightmare, I may have to bite the bullet with option 2.

Any thoughts/opinions gratefully received.
K Williams

hi
yes it is a BAD THING. The wishbone will need replacing, but the midget is one of those cars where the whole front suspension can be taken off the car easily, and given attention on the bench. How old are the rest of the parts: swivel axle etc etc? It may be prudent just to rebuild the whole lot. Much easier with all new shiny parts! And it's going to rain today !
David Cox

certainly would not go near a garage if you have tools and a bit of common sense and want to learn. Yes it can get expensive (i.e. more needs replacing than first thought) so do one side, then keep an eye on the other side from time to time.
Buy exchange swivel hub + kingpin ready to fit (shop around), buy A-pan + lower pin from Barry King. Lots info in the archive.
David Smith

In principle I am keen to do it myself, but reading the horror stories in the archives of seized pins, impossible to insert bushes, murderous springs etc has given me the willies!

I shall just have to approach it methodically, with camera in hand.

Expect to see me back begging for advice when it all starts to go t:ts up!
K Williams

If you're replacing the wishbone and the kingpin/stub-axle, you don't need to worry about getting the lower fulcrum pin out. You can undo the top trunnion and pull the old stub-axle off the kingpin, then the wishbone and kingpin can be thrown away...with spring removed, of course.

You obviously need to retain the stub-axle for exchange.

Dave O'Neill 2

Right, have hit first potential problem.

Per the Haynes Manual I need a specific tool to remove the hub. Do I really, because if so, I have fallen at the first fence!

Is there a workaround?

Thanks
K Williams

The only thing holding the hub onto the stub axle is a big nut. I'm not sure why you'd need a special tool to remove that unless they're talking about a hub puller in the event of the hub bearings having jammed onto the stub axle. if this is the case, just tap the hub off gently with a plastic hammer.

Graeme
graeme jackson

Do you have steel wheels or wire wheels?
Dave O'Neill 2

Excellent, the old 'hit it with a hammer' approach! Traditionally my tool of choice.
I am currently working through the theory part using the Haynes manual and the owners' handbook. Once I have ironed out all of the theoretical points standing in my way, I will start the job for real.

Thanks, all, for the continuing advice.
K Williams

The good old hammer always the tool of choice. In all honesty it is always good reading up on things first before actually doing them however in this case I think you should bite the bullet and get the spanners out. It all depends on what needs replacing? If you just need to replace the wishbone then it all depends on how seized the fulcrum pin is? only one way to find out......
C Carter

This thread was discussed between 27/06/2011 and 29/06/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.