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MG MGB Technical - Differential thrust washers of brass instead of fi

My 1966 MGB-GT long has had a clunk in its tubed-type rear axle. Components were found to be tight, so I dissembled the differential to replace the thrust washers. I found that the differential gears did not have the fiber thrust washers behind them. Instead, they have brass washers that are exactly the same size, shape, and thickness as the fiber replacement ones that I had ready. These brass thrust washers don’t appear to be badly worn. Note that I am not confusing these with the cupped brass washers found behind the pinion gears.
None of the literature that I’ve read says anything about differential gear thrust washers that aren’t fiber. My first question is whether this is a stock MGB thing. My second question is how to proceed. Should I reassemble the differential with the brass thrust washers, add the fiber thrust washers to the brass ones, or replace the brass thrust washers with the fiber ones?
Thanks in advance for your advice,
Mike
M.E. Whalen

I found the same in my '67 Roadster a few years ago. It had been rebuilt around 1980 by someone who evidently knew their stuff, so I put them back in, after a bit of measuring against new fibre washers.

I assumed that brass (or were they copper?) is still going to be sacrificial so they should be fine and 10K hard driven miles later all is well.

It might help to know that that the smaller washers had been doubled up to take up a large gap. The inner of each pair was worn almost to nothing. I replaced in the same way (two on each side) as it was obvious that using one each side would leave too much play.
SteveP

Hi Folks:

Had the same issue with my 66B & 67B banjo pumpkins, the 67B had copper washers & the 66B fiber. The 66B fiber washers were almost worn away, so I had John Esposito install new fibers & copper cone washers. I have this pumpkin in the 67B for 10 years and no clunk. Searching around, I can't find the car effectivity point that BMC moved to fiber.
I plan on rebuilding the 67B pumpkin, but I can't find replace copper washers, so I guess they will have to be fabricated out of 0.040 copper sheet. If anyone has a source, please let forum know about it.

Thanks:
Rich Boris
Rich Boris

Two threads for the same subject - most confusing.

Here's what I posted on the other one, earlier...

With the Sprite/midget/Minor/A35 type differentials, some have brass/copper(?) washers and some have fibre. I'm not sure when they changed, or why, but I think I would prefer the metal ones. I have seen some very badly worn fibre washers.
Dave O'Neill 2

This thread was discussed on 26/09/2010

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