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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Track-rod end gaitor

I fitted n/s TRE to pass MOT summer 2009.

Checking over the car for this summer, I spotted the gaitor on this side has just started to split. (Other side is >10 years old, and fine, of course.)

Anyone know if you can buy the gaitor on its own, and where from?

Thanks,

Anthony
Anthony Cutler

Yes you can.

I bought one recently from MGOC, but I think that all the usual suspects stock them.

Don't let Nigel see this thread. He has a lot of trouble with perished rubbers!
Dave O'Neill2

Anthony,
I've been banging on about rubbish rubber for a while now, just do an Archive search and you'll see more info on TRE boots and steering rack gaiters

the new TREs boots and steering rack gaiters I put on from new didn't last 6 months of very light use

the early boot I think you can buy new from the usual suppliers and that it might even fit the later TREs too but I don't know that for sure

I got a (another) new set of TREs from MGOC Spares and they came with grease nipples even though the originals didn't

I sawpped the boots on the new set for some Rhino Rubber but these weren't the easiest to track down
Nigel Atkins

ETA: too late :)

I must have been typing whilst Dave posted

as Anthony not his vehicle profile and doesn't mention which year his car is and I certainly can't remember giving details is a bit harder

I'm just back from the local post returning wiperblades to the manufacturer - more on this when it finally resolved

Moss uprated springs I can confirm - they are catalogued wrong and the 'management level' guy I dealt with tried to blame me as the customer for their mistake so no chance of an apology to me for all the extra hassle and expense they caused let alone an admission of make the mistake
Nigel Atkins

Hi Dave, Nigel

Thx for prompt replies. Will check archives.

BTW BRB is a 1973 RWA.

Anthony
Anthony Cutler

as you can see from my 'Vehicle profile' mine's a 73 RWA too

in that case you should have the later steering rack and TREs with boots (Track rod end boot 143992) which are shown as not available

I got the full TRE (GSJ158) from MGOC Spares, £11.98 each, having someone check the boot quality first and them seemed OK and these are the one that turned up with grease nipples (not sure if that's good or back if grease reacts badly with rubber!?!)

I changed the boots anyway to Rhino Rubber ones just in case

the earlier boot 17H3501 may well fit all TREs but I don't know

the TRE's that rusted badly and boots split were from Brown & Gammons (priced at £6.89 each, I don't know if the low price is significant)
Nigel Atkins

Should have gone to spec savers Nige :)

Or MG parts UK £8.75 for a PAIR see here

http://is.gd/3zlSn5
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Bob,
as you know my sight is very poor but to confirm I paid B&G £13.78 for a pair that lasted less than 6 months and MGOC Spares £22.36 for the pair

I did see after buying the first useless, crap, pair with rubbish rubber from B&G the ones on MGPartsUK but as they were cheap, £10.75 a pair (inc VAT), and I've never dealt with the company plus they looked the same as the useless, crap, pair with rubbish rubber from B&G

I contacted someone I've known for years at MGOC Spares as I knew they would tell me to the best of their knowledge if they though the rubber would be OK on the ones they were selling

looking at a web site you just can't tell who's stocking the latest batch of cheap crap parts that some classic owners insist these companies stock
Nigel Atkins

MGPartsUK or Midland Sports & Classics have a lot of parts made and they supply many other retailers, so they are more than likely the same as the B&G items.
Dave O'Neill2

And Roche as well no doubt

What would be good I think would be if all suppliers actually were forced to disclose what there supply source was and then we would be able to do direct comparisons. :)

I just remember a few years ago when Moss Europe were on the brink of going out of business that friends of mine in the MG parts distribution business' were extremely worried that the whole industry would collapse because Moss were supplying almost everyone?
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

the MGOC Spares (note I keep adding Spares to MGOC) 'looked' to me to be of a different make, as a customer only with no engineering knowledge, plus they had grease nipples

many items comes from one source but some parts are made by different manufacturers

it used to be that the big boys could commision parts to be made for them in batches or time/quanity contact, I don't know if this still is the case to the extent it used to be

then of course NOS still surfaces

from what I can understand Roche Bentley initially at least provided a service others were not so I think A, B & Spridget owners at least should be grateful for that, the fact he went on to make a good living and possibly leave it behind a bit shows a good business man
Nigel Atkins

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Mini-Suspension-Knuckle-Joint-Rubber-Boot-also-fits-Track-Rod-End-austin-/170833900055?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27c67e7217#ht_500wt_1180

will get you a boot that fits for 2 quid. Seeing as BRB is nice and original already (;)

Mine splits the TRE boots with it's balance weights on the front wheels, so I moved em inwards, sorted. Some of these 2 quid rubbers and they're still going 3 years on :)
Rob Armstrong

£2 each isn't cheap but you don't want cheap you want durable

have fun with the boot/gaiter clips or more likely wires, don't overstretch them
Nigel Atkins

little cable ties work better than the irritating wires/clips in my experience :)
Rob Armstrong

Like that for an idea Rob I bought a huge selection of small ty-wraps the other day from somewhere like Aldi but not sure exactly where but a good selection of colours. That from someone who uses the dam things daily working for TATA Steel (we dont use coloured versions LOL). You never know when you may want a green or blue one :)
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

17H3501 is the MGB gaiter, for GSJ168. The early midget one is 7H3762 and also does TD, TF, MGA, Morris Minor as well as a number of other useful applications which it wasn't originally intended for.

17H3501 also is a good multi-fit job, reasonably stretchy and lasts well. I have just gone back to work (=walked down the stairs) to check on our stock and can report that 17H3501 is a dead ringer for the gaiter on the TRE's fitted to the later Midget rack, GSJ158.
Paul Walbran

good point Paul about different numbers

MGOC Spares lists earlier boot as 17H3501, I'd guess this is because that's what they actually use

Moss list it as 7H3762 but I guess they may well actually use 17H3501 (I don't know that for sure but I do know for sure they mix up their catalogue numbers)

I've found many suppliers use the original part numbers for substitute/non-original parts which can be very annoying if you've paid for a certain original part only to be given a standard part at an inflated price
Nigel Atkins

At one time, Moss used a 'Z' suffix on pattern part numbers, rather than OE.

I don't know if that is still the case, as it would probably mean 98% of their parts having a 'Z' suffix, so they may have done away with it.
Dave O'Neill2

The two gaiters are quite different, so it's not a case of them being alternatives. The Midget TRE is bigger than the B's, hence so is the boot. The smaller one will stretch but it's not as good for fit as 7H3762.

Nigel - I know you have had a shabby episode from Moss recently, but generally they are OK. I find the same about all the other suppliers I deal with and whose names are mentioned here from time to time - generally OK, but every now and then you get something they should sort but don't want to know about.

Dave - Moss still use the Z suffix, others have similar systems. It's a moot point sometimes about what's original as most components were outsourced originally. Lucas items are a case in point. If they are Lucas branded and they were Lucas originally, does that make the currently available Lucas items genuine or not, even though they are likely made who-knows-where?

"Genuine" parts seem to usually regarded as ones which are up to genuine spec, but as we know many aren't. This is just not Moss, but other suppliers too. One example which really annoys me at present are layshafts, supposedly OE spec but when you dig into it you find that they are now induction hardened rather than case hardened, and the hardness is very variable: We tested all the ones we received over a period and found they were between 50 and 59 Rockwell as against the 61 Rockwell of used original layshafts. (This all was revealed after a warranty claim which Moss didn't want to know about involving a shaft which lasted less than 10000 miles. As a result we now get them made here to the proper spec, though at great cost.

Paul Walbran

Paul,
we could do with someone like you trading over here

as regards Moss – I’m very used to suppliers making mistakes it’s how they deal with the mistake that matters

when someone in charge suggest ‘I shouldn’t have ordered the part if I wasn’t sure’ after I’ve explained to him at length all the care and checks I made with his company before ordering and that his web site details are out date so making it more confusing and that I’d found these parts have been incorrectly catalogued before, well what more can I say

I’m dealing with another company about their product and they are investigating the matter and keeping in touch and asking for progress reports and it may turn out not to be their product at fault anyway but they are checking their product in case – bit different to the response I got from Moss

I understand that at times there are bad customers as well as at times bad companies and I’m sure that despite trying I’m not always the best customer they could encounter
Nigel Atkins

Maybe you think you are trying, and they think you are a trying customer! ;-)
Guy

boom boom
arf arf!
David Smith

true, I should know better than to expect to get what I've actually asked for and ordered and it's probably cheaper to ignore mistakes for some companies

and rather than preventing another Spridget owner making the same mistake (customer's fault not Moss) I should just satify myself with their hassle and frustration

perhaps they all have it in for me :)
Nigel Atkins

Perhaps they read the BBS!
rachmacb

I completely agree Nigel, it's how mistakes are handled which matters and the Moss response in your case was utterly wrong. For most companies, it usually comes down to an individual letting the side down rather than company policy. That's why I usually return for more business, but remembering to deal with someone else if at all possible. Though if it's more than just the very occasional case I'll give them a miss completely.

Rach - cunning plan!
Paul Walbran

I do realise things can vary from case to case, day to day person to person

I dealt with 3 Moss staff members the first was very helpful (though might have turned at the end when dealing with someone at a higher level in the company) another was less helpfull and the guy who was higher up in the company at best lacked empathy or more likely didn't care and was dismissive

I think rach might mean they read the BBS and know I deserve the hassle :)
Nigel Atkins

LOL - that is always the problem of the written word - one is always making assumptions on what others mean!
rachmacb

narh, just lightening the mood a bit

some suppliers do sometimes read the BBS I'm sure
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 08/05/2012 and 11/05/2012

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.