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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - re-inforce area of body where wishbone is bolted

Has anyone ever re-inforced the area of the body where the wishbone bolts to the body (where the bushings are installed)? On the left side of my car this area is not in very good shape. I was wondering if anyone ever tried re-inforcing it some way.

If so, please post pictures.

thanks,
Rebecca
R Harvey

You can buy new pivot brackets to weld on.
Dave O'Neill 2

From who?
thanks,
Rebecca
R Harvey

Rebecca -
How bad, and how worn out is the hole?
I have no pics, but I posted detailed descriptions on fixing this a long time ago, maybe 2005/6.
Hate to rewrite it! Would be easier to draw a pic and mail it since I can't seem to get together with a drawing program.
A search for "inner fulcrum" (all years) turned up 87 matches, which I don't have time to read all of just now, but you will see it is a common problem.
<<That's what happens when the bolts are not positioned right, or they are left loose!>>

FRM
FR Millmore

The damage on mine is from prior accident history (other side is perfect).
I tried that search and could not find your post.

I will email you my address if you would be so kind as to send me that drawing. I would really appreciate it.

I am trying to focus on one thing at a time here (body and suspension first, rollcage and seats next, fuel cell after that).

thanks,
Rebecca
R Harvey

Hi Rebecca,

My wishbone mounting area was pock marked with rust and looked like it had a few too many tussles trying to get stubborn wishbone bushes out so was a little battle scarred as well as rusty so I made my own wishbone mounts from 2mm thick steel which I folded into a suitable shape.

This is the mounting as it was originally:




S Deakin

This is after the mount was removed, you can see again the chassis leg is pock marked with rust and no amount of linishing was getting back to clean metal:




S Deakin

So as well as cutting this area out I added some lateral reinforcing 'skins' inside the box section so the wishbone mount wasn't just connected to the box section outer skin and also this connects to the lateral cross member which connects the two chassis legs:




S Deakin

This is the new 2mm thick wishbone mount in place. I have also welded an additional turned 'washer' where the through bolt goes:




S Deakin

And then doing the same to the rearward wishbone mount using a piece of 12mm threaded bar to line the front and the rear mounts:

I am not using the std midget inner 2 piece rubber mounts I have replaced them for some modern metalastic bushes which makes getting the wishbone in and out much easier

Hope the photos help

Cheers

Spencer


S Deakin

Wow Spencer!
That is some tidy work!

I'm impressed with the neatness of your welding. I replaced the N/S brackets and chassis leg on mine last year, and whilst it is definitely strong, it is far more "agricultural" looking than yours. I always seem to build up too much weld thickness and end up grinding half of it off again! And that isn't easy in confined areas like around those brackets.
Guy

Aye, looks smart, are you using a MIG or TIG welder for that then Spencer?

Malcolm
M Le Chevalier

Looks like MIG to me and pulsed quickly to produce a series of overlapping weld pools. Nicely done, I think Spencer mentioned before most of it was done by a motorsport fabricator friend.
David Billington

ah, thats cheating then! :-)

Damn I really need to get myself a welder... feeling so unmotivated and reluctant to spend money at the moment tho! :-(

Malcolm
M Le Chevalier

Thanks for the comments

David is correct it is MIG which has been pulse welded.

I did all the welding on the car myself including the photos shown here, fabricator friends (very patient fabricator friends ;) ) gave me a few lessons in MIG welding with some tips on what to do especially when things go wrong. But prior to the last 18 months I hadn't welded before (except for stick welding back in my apprenticeship days!)

My tubular wishbones and engine mounts were TIG welded by a Motorsport fabricator friend as I don't do any TIG welding and they are pure artists in metal.

I have a Cebora 180A MIG which is a good unit which probably helps my cause as well

Cheers

Spencer
S Deakin

Spencer, in view of my recent questions about wire size - what wire do you use? I am wondering if my excessive build up of weld is just that I don't move the tip fast enough, or would using the thinner 0.6mm wire help?
Guy

Guy,

Sorry I didn't seen your posts regarding wire size

I am using 0.6mm wire

I always have the MIG setup to be on the verge of 'blowing' through, sometimes it does but it is easy enough to use MIG as a hole filler ;)

I am far from a welding authority but it seems to work for me

Cheers

Spencer
S Deakin

Guy,

Also you could try doing something like pulse welding if heat build up is a problem, this helps minimise heat into the work area
S Deakin

Don't think that heat build up is a problem. I do "pulse" when it is thin metal to stop blowing holes in it! As I say, I am not worried about the weld other than I tend to build up too much material. Maybe I have the feed set to high, or just move the tip too slowly. I am going to try 0.6mm wire and see if that helps.
Guy

This thread was discussed between 02/05/2011 and 03/05/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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