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MG MGA - exhaust pipe installation

I'm having trouble fitting the exhaust pipe....how long is the bracket that is welded to the rear crossmember for the intermediate exhaust pipe support? I think mine is way too short.

Thanks, George
G Goeppner

Huh? The intermediate hanger is not on the rear cross member, it is behind the seat very close to the leaf spring forward mounting bolt.

The bracket welded to the rear cross member (accepting the rear hanger) is shown here: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/frame/fr121.htm
Barney Gaylord

Poor choice of words on my part. The bracket in question is behind the seat, it seems to be too short. With the intermediate hanger installed on the Walker exhaust pipe, the pipe hits the rear axle, I'm about 2" away from attaching the intermediate bracket to the frame bracket. I'm thinking the frame bracket must be too short....?
G Goeppner

Do you have the silentbloc in place?
dominic clancy

Dominic, yes, its fits well to the bracket on the exhaust pipe. I'm thinking the welded bracket is too short because it was virtually gone when I started the restoration. I welded on a new bracket, and maybe I made it too short, not having a reference to an original frame. Its maybe 2-2.5 inch long now...
G Goeppner

I wonder if my problem is the rear springs. I found a picture in the archives posted by Barney of the bracket in question and it looks very much like what is on my car. I installed new leaf springs, after having them "de-arched" per dimensions from Barney's website and discussion here. I think the overall top-to-bottom dimension was 6 3/8". However, the rebound strap is over an inch from fitting, and while the engine/trans is in, the body is not, and I have my doubts that the body weight will compress the frame at the rear over an inch. Am I on the right track here, or is there something else to look at?

Thanks, George
G Goeppner

I would strongly advise you to forget about the exhaust system until your body is on. Make it your last job! Otherwise both the axle and the handbrake cable could get in the way.

The roadster body (don't know about the coupe but it probably won't be much different) plus doors,bonnet,boot and wings front and rear weighs just over 300 lbs and assuming an even split over front and rear axles your straps will only be around a half inch closer to the fixing point with the body on. I reckon your rear end may finish a bit high which is exactly the same position I was in. You should have approximately two inches of slack in the connected straps when the car is finished, with a full tank of petrol (another 80lbs!) and with the rear sitting at the correct height. If it doesn't sit at the correct height and you are worried about it then it's a quick job to remove a road spring and work on it...............Mike
m.j. moore

The rebound straps have to be connected before the exhaust system is installed.
Barney Gaylord

OK then, thanks for all the comments. I'll get the body back on and go from there.

Cheers, George
G Goeppner

This thread was discussed between 08/10/2013 and 10/10/2013

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This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.