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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - How to replace rear hubs wire wheel

Hello all. I bought a new set of wire wheels for my midget MK3 1971. (this is an original whire wheel, not one that bolts on) I also bought a new set of front and rear hubs, because the old one's are worn out. I changed the front hubs for new with minor problems (had to replace the bearings)
Can anyone tell me how to replace the back hubs? In the manual there is no detailed information on how to do this. I have the rear axle removed bacause i also want to change the leave spring set.

Any comment is welcome
Niek Lammerts

You remove a "welch" plug from inside the wire hub and then with a hydraulic press you push out the halfshaft from the hub This is fitted into the hub by a heavy spline.
Refitting is the reverse simply press the half shaft back into the new hub and refit the plug. Without the plug oil will leak between the splines of the shaft and hub and leak out of he axle.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Are you replacing wires with wires or steel with wires?
Onno Könemann

I am replacing wire with wire wheels, not steel.

How to remove the welch plug? is it a one time use peace wich has to be replaced with a new one?

Can you change the hubs with the axle stay in place? or has/is it better to take the axle out? Do the bearings have to be replaced in that case?
Niek Lammerts

You don't need to remove the axle, only the halfshaft...unless that is what you mean by axle.
Dave O'Neill 2

How is the hub being hold in place? just by force of clamping on axle(half-shaft)?
Niek Lammerts

yes the splined hub is a press fit onto the halfshaft. I cannot find the reference but I believe a 60-ton press is required to do the job.
David Smith

what David said, and the welch plug is a one-time use thing, like an engine core plug.


Norm
Norm Kerr

Thanks for all the good advise. i will start looking for a press :-) this is no job for at home i think.

Anyone in Holland who can help me with this?
Niek Lammerts

The rear wheel w/w hub extensions are held onto the axle hub with a single posidrive screw.

Once you have the halfshaft out of the axle casing just find a garage that has a bearing press.

I think the last time I did this the reading on the garage's press was something under 50 tons (tonnes?) on one side and 55+ on the other.


Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

So it is best to remove the halfshaft, and go to a machine shop with a hydrolic press?

When removing the halfshaft,do the bearings have to be renewed? or stay they in place and can be re-used?

What does have to renewed (bearings, rings, gasket, plugs, seals)?
Niek Lammerts

Niek,
the rear axle hubs (and bearings) remain on the housing when you pull out the half shafts (as Daniel stated, only a single posi screw holds the half shaft on to a wire wheel car, after the brake drum has been removed)

if the bearing rotates smoothly, with no lateral play, and there is no leaking from the seal behind it, then you can leave it alone, and all you should need to replace is the o-ring, gasket and the welch plug, when renewing the hub on the half shaft.

while the half shaft is out, take a good look at the inboard splines, and if there is more than about 0.010" wear (measure the grooves with a caliper, and compare the worn portion against the unworn portion outboard of where they engage into the differential), then it might be wise to replace the half shafts with new ones, too

Norm
Norm Kerr

Niek, whereabouts in Holland are you?
In Monster the MGworkshop has a press and know how in abundance. Also gaskets and so on are readily available most of the times.
Alex G Matla

I am in Friesland, Somewhere near Drachten
Niek Lammerts

I thought Frisians where a proud people? Why state "HOLLAND" in capitols? Change it to Fryslân! ;)

Bit of a stretch to drive to Monster.
Maybe Spridgetcompany is closer, in Valthermond near Emmen.
Alex G Matla

This thread was discussed between 01/05/2011 and 08/05/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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