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MG TD TF 1500 - Shock Links 52 TD

On the past few drives the rear end felt a bit odd - jumpy.

Looking underneath today I found that the left rear shock link has popped loose. Photo atached. The right rear looks as if it might want to be doing the same.

Can this be put back in place with the shock and the link on the car or must they be taken down and done on the bench? How do they need to be secured to keep from popping out again? I don't see anything on the exposed end of the link to indicate that a nut or cotter pin should be used.

hmmm - I wanted to upload 2 pics but I don't see how. Any help on that, too, please?

Thanks,

BobbyG



Bobby Galvez

And here's the right side.

BobbyG



Bobby Galvez

And one more of the right side.

BobbyG



Bobby Galvez

Bobby,

Look down a few threads to the topic "Rear Girling Shock Absorber Renewal."

Also see:
http://www.ttalk.info/Shoer-Girling.pdf

Larry
Larry Shoer

Bobby,

I just noticed a couple of other things you should review on your TD:

- The rear brake lines run inside the rear axle check strap. This is not correct and is a serious safety issue. The rear brake line can be squashed between the axle tube and the rebound rubber. At worst, this could cause catastrophic failure of your brakes. (Remember, our T cars have single circuit brake systems, so there is no backup circuit.) (See the attached picture of the brake line routing on my TD.)

You may have sufficient slack in your brake lines to rebend the lines so that they will run outside the check straps. It is a bit tedious to do, but can be done without opening the brake lines.

- The axle shaft U-bolts do not have the MGA buffer plates that prevent chaffing of the axle shaft against the U-bolts. The buffer plates are easy to install. Make sure you really snug up the U-bolts when you reinstall them.

Larry



Larry Shoer

I also note that on the side that is out, the bar goes from the wheel side in. On the other side, it goes from the car side out?

Is that correct?
Bruce Cunha

Larry, thanks for the help with the links issue, and especially for your catching the routing of the brake line. I will see to that ASAP!

It looks like it can be run outside the rebound stirrups without having to get new lines. I probably will have to disconnect them to do it.

Bruce, the pics probably have you disoriented - on both sides the link attaches from inboard of the damper arm. Thanks for the input.

The pain is that the Texas Spring GoF is this week, it doesn't look like I'll have parts in hand to do the repair in time. Major disappointment! I've got hotel and all already reserved.

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

Bobby, I have the same problem you have with the link out of the bushing. Going to have it done next week.
Tom Maine (TD8105)

Bobby,

You should be able to get the TD in serviceable condition, even if you are waiting for some parts.

Before I did an extensive brake system rebuild a few years ago, I relocated the brake lines several years before that, as you anticipate doing. You can raise the rear of the car, support the chassis (e.g. on blocks) and also support the rear axle (e.g. jack stands). Remove the check straps. Use a pipe bender (automotive supply store) or just use steel cans (or other cylindrical objects you have around your house) of appropriate diameter to bend the brake lines without breaking any pipe connections. Reinstall the check straps and you're done with this part.

The recent discussions about rebuilding the shock absorbers give you some good options for either a short-term or a long-term fix. I would be tempted to find a heavy washer that is a little larger in diameter than the rubber bushing, drill the washer center hole so that it fits over the steel arm, drill the arm for a cotter pin, and assemble washer and cotter pin.

The rubber bushings should be renewed if they are not relatively new, but this can be done later.

Feel free to ask questions, if any of this isn't clear.

Good luck.

Larry
Larry Shoer

Sorry Bobby, you are correct. Should be able to loosen the shock and reinsert the rod fairly easily.
Bruce Cunha

Larry & Bruce, thanks again for the added guidance.

I'm going to try the short term fix with the links - today is the first chance I've had to do anything and they're about to come off. I'll see what it takes to get them back in place and secured.

As for the brake line, thanks for the pointer on taking off the rebound straps and getting the line out that way - it will make things much easier. I'll head to the local Home Depot and get a small tubing bender to work with.

Thanks!

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

Well gentlemen, I succeeded at getting the shock assembly out and back together. I took it for a short drive and it felt great - a different car, really. I realize that I had been going without damping for quite some time!

Back in the garage I took a look and the link arm had popped out again - must have been at the last big bump before coming in, there's a drainage grate across the street about a block away.

I've gone ahead and ordered the Moss bushings and the Moss installation kit. From what I can see it is intended to be just a pressure fit and my bushings must be shot.

I see from Larry's reference information that working with the Moss kit is a pain, and Moss in fact says in their literature that it's a challenge, so let's see how it goes.

I don't have a drill press so I'll probably end up getting one as well - there is a cheap arbor press at Harbor Freight but it doesn't make sense to spend 40 bucks on a machine with only one use. Thoughts?

I spent a bunch extra fro second day air so I have Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning to get it ready to drive off the the GoF on Thursday early afternoon.

Thanks again,

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

Bobby,

I originally bought the Moss rubber bushings, but I did not install them. I purchased bushings from Apple Hydraulics (http://www.applehydraulics.com) and installed them. Take a look at my notes and the photographic comparison of the original bushings, Moss bushings, and Apple bushings. My cursory attempts to install the Moss bushings were futile because of how different in size the Moss bushings were compared to the original or Apple bushings.

A drill press is easiest to use, but if you have a bench vise, that should work, too. Perhaps even a "C" clamp or similar tool could be used.

If you want to bounce some ideas off me on the phone, send me an email and I'll send you my number.

Good luck.

Larry
Larry Shoer

Hello Bobby, Hi Larry,
I made a simple tool to fit the link into the bushes. It's a 5 mm screw and the tip of a grease gun. I hope you know how to use it.

Greeting from Germany
Klaus


Klaus Harthof

Tool in use!


Klaus Harthof

Further information: I drilled a 5 mm thead into the link. After fitting the link with the tool I fit a shimwith a srew into the link. It looks the same like Larry's.
Klaus Harthof

Hi Klaus - that's a very clever solution! I like it.

Best,

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

Just a few observations from our experience.
We use a version of Moss's tool as we wore theirs out in a hurry, and we made a few tweaks that makes it a lot simpler.
The Moss bushing is correct for the car, the other one is not, for several reasons. The link rod and lower pin should be a very tight fit, and the rubber should add to the suspension rather than simply occupy the space. The hose style bushing allows the rods to pivot quite easily, whereas the correct bushing offers rotational resistance.
There should be no lateral force on the shafts so using the washer and split pin is unnecessary. Using the Moss bushing locates the shafts sufficiently.
If you find that the link wants to pull out of the shock arm bushing, I would suggest investigating mis-alignment issues, or loose axle U-bolts, or perished spring-eye bushings..... something that is enabling side to side play. The link should be exactly vertical.

Peter
Peter Caldwell

Thanks for the additional information, Peter.

I phoned Moss Tech Support first thing this morning and what they said there agrees with your input: the fit should be tight and it is just a pressure fit, no fasteners or retainers needed.

They also say on their product literature that this is a difficult install and to order an extra bushing or two because one might get mauled in the process. Moss doesn't paint an easy picture for it even with their tool. The fit is TIGHT!

I hope to have this all done by Wednesday late evening. I've decided to go ahead and try it with a bench vise. One advantage to that is that it allows for keeping the shock vertical during the installation of the bushing into the eye of the shock arm.

Wish me luck!

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

Bobby,

The hardest part of the installation is pressing the link arm through the rubber bushing that was previously inserted in the shock absorber socket. Make sure you have a pilot (bullet-shaped metal piece) to guide the link arm through the bushing. You will find it helpful to fabricate something like I did out of wood (see my writeup and picture), which will be placed between one side of the bench vise and the shock absorber socket. As you drive it, the pilot will follow a path through the rubber bushing, continue out the other side of the bushing and into the hole in the wood. You will definitely need something to lubricate the pilot and bushing. The major problem is that the bushing can get torn up or otherwise damaged while the link is pressed through.

Larry
Larry Shoer

Bobby

Peter is THE expert on these. Shocks are what he does for a living. IMHO I would trust his information even over Moss's.
Bruce Cunha

I agree that Peter is the expert in this matter. I do know from the archives and personal email exchanges that, even with the Moss kit, installing the Moss bushings is a very difficult task. I don't feel it is appropriate to ask Peter to reveal his trade secrets, but if one of our enthusiasts has a reliable procedure to install the Moss bushings, it would do our community a service if the procedure was posted.

As I indicated, I installed bushings from Apple Hydraulics, not Moss. I believe they have worked well for several years and many miles.

Klaus shared with me a sketch of the tool he made and how it is used. With his permission, I am attaching it to this email. His term "metal ring for rubber" refers to the socket on the Girling shock absorber arm where the rubber bushing permanently resides.

Larry



Larry Shoer

Larry, no secrets here, just experience, and making a better version of Moss' tool. Also, it helps a WHOLE lot, to do the bushings when the shock is apart. We made some jigs that help to hold things. Probably not worth the effort for a DIYer. It's cheaper to ruin a few bushings than make the fixtures. But we needed to stop ruining bushings...that gets expensive in time and parts in the long run. Now, we maybe tear 1 in 60 or so. The trick is getting a 1/2" shaft into the pencil lead diameter hole.

Peter
Peter Caldwell

I elected the much pooh poohed quick fix that someone suggested. Just removed the wheel and installed in place. Just did one side. It's been on about 1-1/2 years with no problems. I'm sure it will hold till the day Peter gets them for rebuild.


Mort 50TD (1851) Mobius

The bushings anf the installation kit arived this morning. I got into it this afternoon.

Here's what I found:

.- The installation kit is beautifully machined.

.- The bushing slides right into the shock arm eye very easily using the coned bushing insertion tool. I used my bench vise for this. It surprised me how easily it went in. Used mix of water and alcohol for lube.

.- I can see why it's advised to let this dry overnight - I kept trying to get the link arm into the bushing and it was as difficult as advertised. The rounded bend in the link arm kept moving around as pressure was applied. This caused the bushing to get moved around inside the eye of the shock arm. My bench vise was marginal because the jaws didn't really open wide enough for this, so I to Harbor Freight to get the one ton arbor press, only because it provides enough of an opening to get the whole assembly in there. Same issues once pressure was applied. That's when I decided to let it dry overnight and see if the bushing sets more in the shock arm eye and moves less once the water/alcohol lube have dried.

If not, it will be off to find a machine shop that can do the pressing for me.

Attached is a pic of the installation tool kit.

The coned bushing insertion tool is at top center. Works beautifully.

More news tomorrow.

BobbyG



Bobby Galvez

Well, it took some doing, but the bushing is in place and the assembly is back on the car. Will test it either tomorrow or the next day.


It was a good thing that I got the arbor press, I don't see doing this with a drill press unless it's VERY heavy duty. I originally mounted the arbor press to a 2x6 with 4 inch lag screws. When I put the pressure on it stripped the screws out from the board!

To Home Depot to get some 3/8" diam. 4" bolts with nuts, countersunk the heads on the back side of the board so that it would sit level and back to it - it was about to pull those out when the bushing finally went in! The fender washers over the bolt holes in the arbor press actually were dished. Will look into some 1/2 inch bolts next - and thick washers.

It took a long time to figure out the right setup for the operation - once that was done it actually goes pretty quickly. It's critical to have things lined up correctly.

Getting the bushing into the shock arm eye was very quick - a matter of a couple of minutes. Used water/alcohol to lubricate and it slid right in.

To get the link arm into the bushing I went to the TD Shop Manual and it suggests lubricating the bushing core with petroleum jelly, so I did that. Once I had everything figured out it too was a matter of a few minutes.

Setting everything up for this last part was elaborate because it was just me. It all looked very Rube Goldberg with a piece of lumber here and another there to hold the link arm steady - a couple of boxes and a book stacked up to hold the shock assembly at the right height, a knee on the end of the stick holding the link arm secure in the jaw of the press and a wad of paper strategically placed to keep the bend of the link arm from causing eveyrhing to rock under pressure.

Pics when I do the other side. It won't be today, I'm rushing to get out to the Sprong GoF - rain is keeping me from taking my other car. The TD needs to sit until the lubricant in the bushing dries up some. Weather permitting I'll drive back from the hotel tomorrow and get one or the other of the cars to participate in the activities. Tonight I will be showing up in my Suburban ... but it is painted BRG.

Below is a pic of the bushing that came out. The proverbial piece of hose, really. Came out very easily as can be seen from how it suffered no damage at all coming out - or from having the link arm inserted and withdrawn a few times, too.

Here's hoping that the new one holds. The pressure that it took to get it in there is encouraging.

BobbyG



Bobby Galvez

This thread was discussed between 05/05/2012 and 10/05/2012

MG TD TF 1500 index

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