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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Jacking a Sprite

I don't have the correct jack which would fit inside the tube built into the cills. When working on the car (prior to slipping axle stands into position) I put the hydraulic jack under the cill at the same point. I have noticed the vertical lip is getting a bit rough but have confidence that because the lip drops between serrations in the jack head it is secure. I would worry about slipping a timber packer between the two (security) and anyway there isn't much headroon to do that.

My question is: is the chassis strong enough at that point to take the weight of the car in the ribbed edge of the cill? I emphasise is is directly below the conventional jacking point.
G Williams (Graeme)

I prefer to jack either front or rear.

Front: with a trolley jack under the frontbox section, with a piece of wood to spread the load.

Rear: under the centre of the axle casing.
Dave O'Neill2

Rear under the axle casing won't let you get the wheels off as there isn't clearnace under the arches. I jack there if Im working underneath having put an axle stand under the ends of the axle. But first I need to jack the body to remove wheels.
G Williams (Graeme)

I think where you are suggesting is ok. The other place I have used is the front of the rear spring where it attaches to the body.
Bob Beaumont

The sill is the chassis! It's plenty strong enough unless there are serious rust issues - in which case something ought to be done about it anyway as without a roof there's not much else holding the front of the car to the back! Though thankfully midgets do have a subtantial closed tunnel to add torsional stiffness.
Paul Walbran

I need to think of a way of getting under the cill but not damaging the turned edge. My jay has a dish arrangement on the top with castellations around it. Not removable unfortunately.
Nice to know it is considered to be strong enough, and I don't have rust as it is a 4yr old Heritage shell.
G Williams (Graeme)

the correct jack is horrible to use, it works but gives you little confidence even on flat solid ground

as Bob put if for rear wheels (seems another PITA aspect of wire wheels) otherwise as Dave has put or of course as Paul has put but I'd protect the turned edge with some thick rubber sheeting or wrapped cloth

I also use the spreader piece of wood for the rear as it has a large hole drilled and chamfered to avoid jacking the drain plug and so the axle sits on the wood
Nigel Atkins

<<Rear under the axle casing won't let you get the wheels off as there isn't clearnace under the arches>>

That's the problem with those Mk4 Sprites.

A RWA Midget doesn't have that issue ;o)

The other alternative is to jack it under the axle, then place axle stands under the front (rear)-spring hanger plate, before lowering the axle again.

Also, some trolley jacks will go a lot lower than others.

On the race car, I always had to roll it up on a block of wood before jacking, as the ground clearance was so low.

My latest purchase is a 3-ton trolley jack from Machine Mart. It has a huge lift, but also goes remarkably low.
Dave O'Neill2

I can't remember any problem when I had a Mk4 Sprite but then again I had sensible steel wheels :)

I used to have to drive on wood when I had the lowered front springs but not anymore now I have standard ride height and I don't have to drive at a crawl on rougher country roads, if I could only remember what l*ing b*stard persuaded me to have those lower springs by telling me they'd only drop the ride height by half an inch . . .
Nigel Atkins

Steel wheels and wire wheels are the same diameter Nigel (according to the handbook). So in either case a straight lift under the axle casing does not change the position of the wheel arch in relation to the wheel and as Dave points out, only a RWA has clearance in that situation. So a second lift, on the body, is also required. Dave's suggestion works well.

G Williams (Graeme)

Graeme,
my mk4 was a SWA and I can't remember having any problem getting the Rostyles or hub cap wheels off the back

I thought perhaps the centre spline might stick out that the wheel studs, don't you just angle the top of the tyre back, how low is your car sitting, bigger tyres(?)
Nigel Atkins

If I jack my square wheel arch car up on the centre of the diff I can just get my 5.5J rims with 165/70R13 off by tilting the top in first. But it needs a bit of jiggling and is close! But if I jack it on one side only, under the spring pan, then with he uneven weight distribution the spring being jacked up more and the wheel won't clear.

If I was going to use a trolley jack under the sill I would use a hardwood block with a wide saw cut part way into the upper surface that I could locate the sill flange into. It would avoid any possibility of slippage and protect the flange from being bent or damaged.
Guy Weller

Nigel: I thought of your earlier comment when I read Guy's post. Because of the long hub that the wire needs to slide over, it removes the tilting option. so my comment that wires and steel wheels are the same size may be correct but you can add "..... but you can't tilt wires".
G Williams (Graeme)

thanks for that, that's what I meant

I was going to put all Mk4s are SWA but then thought I might be wrong
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 04/03/2013 and 05/03/2013

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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