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MG MGA - Rear end work

Hi all, Hope the holidays treated everyone well.

Its time to start this season's rebuild project; rear axel and associated work. Here's the list:

1) I'm leaking oil out one rear hub so I'm going to speedisleeve both hubs.
2) The splines on the wire wheel hubs are severely worn so I'm going to replace those.
3)I'm leaking oil out the nose of the diff, so replace that seal.
4)Bad u-joint at the prop shaft diff connection,replace.
5)Funny whining noise from diff so i'm going to look at replacing the pinion bearings.
6)Since I'm removing the axel I'm going to replace the rubber suspension bits while I'm there.

So before I just pull out the rear axel willy nilly, are there any hints or things I need to be aware of? Is there anything else I should do while I'm in there?

Thanks.

Tysen
T McCarthy

Don't install the speede sleve unless you need it. If the seal surface is in good condition there is no need. A leak at the wheel may be do to a bad gasket or "O" ring.
John H

Tysen,
I had leak problems with a new gasket, O-ring combo until I coated both sides of the gasket with silicone gasket maker before installization.
FWIW,
Doug
D Sjostrom

I use Toyota FIPG part # 00295-00103 to seal the "O" ring and leave out the gasket. Toyota uses it for pan gaskets, it is great stuff.
R J Brown

Make sure you mark the flanges on the driveline and differential so it goes back in the same orientation unless you are going to have it balanced. Have a good day!

John
John Progess

John, I have heard this said a lot, to mark the flanges, but to me it makes no sense. the diveshaft is not balanced with respect to either flange, front or rear., so it cannot matter if the rear flange, say is connected 90 or 180 off its previous position. There is no distinction between the 4 positions possible.
My understanding of the U joint system is that it is important for the two U joint axes to be in the same plane when the driveshaft is built, or you will not get a uniform transmission of the rotation from end to end, and that is all part of the shaft itself, not what it is mated to.
Am I missing something?
Art

The holes in the yokes are asymetrical, so there are only two possible positions, not 4.

I also don't believe that there is "only one" balanced position. The prop should anyway be balanced, and it's then of such a small diameter that there should be no strange effects if it is mounted 180 degrees out.
dominic clancy

Dominic, You are of course correct, but that doesn't alter my argument. The two positions are indistinguishable as far as the PS is concerned, and I can't see why MG went to the trouble to do that. I agree the propshaft itself is or should be balanced alone.
Art

The driveshaft on a modern car is balanced. I don't know whether the older ones were, but I cannot look under my car right now. It really should not make a difference whether the driveshaft is 180 out or not, but I know that the new aluminum driveshafts on the new vehicles matter whether they go in the same way they came out, so maybe the older ones do too. Believe me, if your propshaft is out of balance, or even slightly bent, you will notice it.
mike parker

Art - I think we are in agreement, sorry if you got a diferent impression.

My propshaft has just been repainted as part of a total mechanical overhaul (every oil seal and gasket apart from the head is being replaced).

The friend helping me pinted at a plate on my propshaft and said "what's that?" and was amazed when I explained that it was a balance weight for the prop - it is spot welded in place at one end.

I'm just glad that the time the car spent rusting in a field in Florida left a uniform set of dimples all the way along and around the shaft.... it still appears to be balanced.

Off to assemble the newly blasted and painted backplates to the axle, then mount hubs, brakes, shafts etc...

dominic clancy

This thread was discussed between 18/01/2007 and 22/01/2007

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