MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

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 Midget and Sprite Technical - Halfshaft hitch

Hello. This is my first post on this site (but may well not be my last!)

My halfshaft problem occurred after me and my dad attempted to fix a leaky rear brake drum on our 1966 wire wheeled midget. We're both fairly new at this and set to work removing pieces to get to the leaky cylinder. I gave the halfshaft a pull and seeing it moved freely continued.

What followed was a loud, heavy sounding clunk from within the rear axle. Now the halfshaft is fully removed and unwilling to go all the way in, stopping a few inches shy of where it sits.

Any advice would be very much appreciated .

Thanks a lot

Daniel
D A Grant

As you will have seen the halfhaft has a large spline on the end. This has to "engage" into the diff (Centre of the axle) this is a little tricky and you need to hold the end of the shaft and try to keep it horizontal whilst you push it in. Make sure the flanges seal O ring etc.
Bob Turbo Midget England

It sounds as though you have just pulled it out of engagement with the diff. You just need to 'wiggle' it up and down whilst rotating it slightly to try and get the inner end to mesh with the differential.

If you're not sure what I mean, pull the shaft right out and you will see the splines on the end of the shaft.
Dave O'Neill 2

Daniel,
Fear not. The clunk you heard should have just been the splined end of the half shaft dropping onto the axle casing. Pull the whole shaft right out of the hub to check the splines are OK. Have a few sheets of newspaper ready on the floor as its going to be oily! To get it back in fully I found the easiest way was just to jiggle it round a little. Its surprised me the first time how high it seemed I had to tilt the shaft before it met with the diff gears. You'll want to fit a new O ring and gasket before reinstalling the shaft. It sounds like the screw holding the half shaft to the hub may have been missing. Might explain your leak!
Matt 1275 Bucks

Thank you all very much. Halfshaft is now back where it should be, and the feeling that the car might some day run again has returned.

Thanks
D A Grant

Daniel,
Unfortunately, there is a little more to it ;-)
As Bob and Matt implied above, there is a tendency for diff oil to leak from this flange. There is a paper gasket between the surfaces as well as a large o-ring sitting in a groove. You should probably renew both of these, being very careful not to nick either of the mating surfaces in the cleaning process. Some people use an RTV sealant in place of the paper gasket, but if you choose to do this, you should put the wheel in place and torque down the lugnuts overnight to allow it to set properly.
David "Sadder but wiser" Lieb
David Lieb

To be on the safe side I put gasket sealant on both sides of the paper gasket and then clamped the half shaft to the hub with g clamps before tightening up the single screw as tight as I could get it with threadlock for good measure.
Matt 1275 Bucks

>>the feeling that the car might some day run again has returned<<

... I had that feeling for 30 years. Keep the spirit and it WILL eventually be OK!
David Cox

Along with the above as you have wire wheels also make sure you use locking tabs on the four drum nuts (the equivalant of the wheel nuts on steel wheels) otherwise they WILL work loose.
Its also worth saying that although the countersunk bolt doesnt look much (several people seem to leave them out) and the drum will hold the halfshaft in, they are important as without it you are liable to get an oil leak every time you remove the drum.

Trev
T Mason

This thread was discussed on 19/03/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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