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MG TD TF 1500 - TF Differential/Axle Failure?

Hello All,

I decided to take a drive in the TF tonight. After about three miles, did a U-turn and started up a fairly steep hill in first gear. After a short distance, there was no power to the wheels. I don't really remember any unusual sounds or bumps or vibrations, just no power to the rear wheels. The clutch still seemed to engage and disengage properly, and I could shift through all four gears and reverse, but just didn't go anywhere. My reaction at the time was that something in the tranny had let go (it seemed like the tranny was no longer connected to the motor).

After the flatbed dropped the car back into the garage, I started it up, put it in gear, and looked underneath. The driveshaft was turning, but the rear wheels weren't! With work gloves on, I tried to stop the driveshaft but it seemed to be fully engaged by the transmission (good way to lose a hand?).

My major depression eased when I realized that something in the rear end broke, instead of the transmission. Is that a good general statement of the problem?

Then I remembered, when I was leaving the house tonight for my short jaunt, the right rear wheel slipping on the packed snow/ice in the driveway (the driveway has a curve to the left and slopes uphill to the road) then catching in the gravel. I wondered at the time if that was too hard on the rear end.

I'm wondering if I broke an axle? If so, wouldn't the other wheel be turning? What should I do now? Just pull the rear end apart and see what happened? Maybe this will be a good time to install the 4.55:1 ring and pinion. Any input on how to further diagnose the problem, or how to proceed from here will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Greg
TF 6846, XPEG 0797
TC 6669, XPAG 7170

Greg Van Hook

Most likely a broken axle, a weak point on the T series. The differential is not a limited-slip, so the unbroken axle will not move the car. I've never been able to extract the broken end without out opening up the differential because mine have always broken in the inner splines.
George B.

Greg,
Have to aggree with George here...sounds like all those "hole shots & burnin' rubber" caught up with you!
;-0 !!! The twisted inner spine does make a nice paper weight if snapped completely off like mine did. My wife uses the broken half axle to "fend" me away from the mail box and the latest "T" series parts books contained therein. This was the point that I changed my gear ratio...no better time than whislst it's torn apart!
"I tried to stop the driveshaft but it seemed to be fully engaged by the transmission"....don't do this anymore....with a LHD & a RHD in your stable now you need both hands to shift gears!
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500 #7427
David Sheward

Greg,
Got to agree with the broken axle,, It is possible to change the axle with out opening up the rear dif... Part of the broken piece can be pulled out, but the break is at the splines in the dif. If you want, I can send you a picture of a tool that we have used quite a few times that is inserted from the "good" side to drive the broken spline piece out from the "bad" side.


SPW
Steve

Same thing happened to me a few years ago. Left axle shaft snapped. I used a long 1/4" rod to knock out the broken stub, then used a magnet to get out all the broken chunks. After getting all the pieces out, I "reassembled" the shaft to make sure I had all the pieces. It would be best to disassemble the housing and wash it out with solvent. It does not take much grit or metal filings to eat the bearings or the ring & pinion. It does not have a magnetic drain plug. A damaged pinion or side bearing will eat up a lot of iron, including other bearings, all the gears and, if something breaks, could ruin the housing as well.
John Masters

Thanks everybody for your help.

Now comes the re-build. As far as a new axle, are all replacement axles created equally (e.g., is there a difference in quality between an axle from Moss and an axle from Abingdon Spares)? What other new parts should I have ready (bearings, seals, etc.)?

Thanks again, Greg
Greg Van Hook

Greg,

All are not the same. Skip Kelsey of Shadetree Motors (kelsey@shadetreemotors.com) sells axles that are much better than the common ones.
Bud Krueger

Discovered that Skip Kelsey's stock is depleted and he doesn't have a source at the moment. Sorry about that.
Bud Krueger

I think Moss may get their axles from Brown & Gammons --- or B & G's supplier. Check with Moss and see, because if they do, you won't have to order from England. Abingdon may have the same source. The point is, B & G axles are made to racing specs and won't break. Be sure and replace the other axle as well, since you have it out. Otherwise, you'll be doing it all again at some future date. Of course, you'll be able to do the job a lot quicker the second time, what with all your experience and your new special tool. Good luck and happy motoring.
Reed Yates

Hi You'all,

The samething happened to me where i lost power to the rear wheels and it so happened that i had just greased up the hubs prior to putting on my newly repainted wire wheels and the hubs were not turning because of the excessive grease that accumulated between the splines and the hub.So before tearing down the axels I would check for a stripped hub or even the center splines of the wire wheels being stripped, or both. Under the circumstances described this could be a distinct possibility. Hope this helps.
Tilak G

Condolences Greg, had the same happen last September. Our old TF1500 did its intended role - sucessfully conveying the wife & I to the church then reception for our wedding using wedding cars tonbridge... but upon parking at the hotel's underground carpark that night, the RHS halfshaft gave up the ghost.

Symptoms are as you describe - absolutely no drive, able let the clutch out in all 5 gears with car remaining stationary. Central driveshaft turns at varying speeds in relation to the gear it is in. There is a louder whirr/grind from the whole axle as the diff unspools.

First thought was of a stripped wheel spline... but tightening the knockoffs did nothing. With engine off, car in gear could be pushed easily thus confirming an axle catastrophy.


Not relishing a DIY job on this, had the car towed directly to the local MG Workshops. (Getting it tugged out from 2 storeys underground is another day's story altogether.) The Workshop sourced a used original MOWOG part to replace the broken halfshaft. The otherside was cracktested OK.

Discussed with them re longetivity of these parts. Although admitting metallurgy then is likely less modern than today, appears original halfshafts still hold up decently well to XPEG torque. Only when the engine is significantly uprated or supercharged need the halfshafts need attention.

If so, modern parts machined out of billet are available at cost of approx A$500. These are the equivalent of those made for B V8 racers.
Will

This thread was discussed between 28/12/2002 and 14/01/2003

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