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MG MGA - socket

Can an anyone suggest a way to remove the bolt that holds the hub without the 1"61/64ths socket? or does anyone know where to get one at a reasonable price. been quoted £40 for the socket!

Thanks in advance
bernard healy

It is as near as makes no difference a 50mm socket, which is available on ebay for 15 GBP with free shipping (ebay ref 181363277050) but make sure you get a 12 point one.
dominic clancy

Thanks Dominic. I thought it was a 8 point one?
bernard healy

You require an octagon spanner / socket.
Easy to make from 1/8 sheet mild steel with a drill, sabre saw and file. Plus patience.
Make the handle about 1 ft long



Art Pearse

I bought a Moss socket a few years ago and got an instant increase in MG friends!
Mike Ellsmore

Might give making one a go, thanks Art. what length is each section?

I was not able to access your thread, nothing happened.
But thanks any way Mike
bernard healy

I bought one a few years ago from a specialist tool shop. I think about £10. I suspect that Moss are overcharging on this item. The shop I bought it from said that it is common to several 50s - 60s cars including Land Rovers as well as MGs and their BMC cousins.
Dan Smithers

Bernard, send me your email
pearse@myhighspeed.ca
Art Pearse

I am confused here. Are we talking about the nut that is recessed well inside the hub? If so, I cannot see how Art's home made flat spanner will be able to access it.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve, it is not recessed that much. The nut is 5/16 wide and about 3/16 sticks out, as I recall, so the 1/8 spanner works OK. I use a hammer to tighten it.
Art Pearse

Art

I presume you are talking disc wheel. On my wire wheel hub the nut is 2" recessed.

Steve
Steve Gyles

No, WW.
Art Pearse

Steve, see WSM page H.10
Its the same for WW or DW. With the 1/2 shaft removed, the nut is exposed and protrudes outside the bearing carrier.
I don't understand your 2" recess. Have a diagram?
Art
Art Pearse

Didn't know we were talking about the rears! I was presuming the front hubs as the question referred to a socket rather than a spanner.

Steve
Steve Gyles

aha! the clue was the 1-61/64" size.
Art Pearse

Art

Long time since I have played with the hubs so the sizes went straight over my head!

Steve
Steve Gyles

Art...How about adding some dimensions to that spanner....Every MGA owner requires one !!...Rex
Rex Thompson

"Every MGA owner requires one "

Not to mention, early MGB owners.
D O'Neill

I used 1-1/2" x 1/8" flat bar mild steel stock. The main bit is 11-1/4" long, not really important, say 12" or more would be OK. The second bit is 4" long.
I taped the two bits side by side and used the nut to scribe around. Then cut out to the line on the two parts separately using an angle grinder with a 1/16 wheel to remove all but 1/32" before the scribe lines.
Then welded the two parts together. Could have used my MIG but cheated and got a nice TIG job at work.
Then take a file and work on the edges slowly using the nut as a "go" gauge till it slips in nicely.
I used a hammer to tighten. I don't subscribe to the need to go to 140 ft lbs but if you do you can always lengthen the handle.
The welds are about 3/4" long.
Art Pearse

Art

This has got me wondering how I tightened mine all those years ago (1997). I don't have a spanner nor socket anything like that size. I can only guess that I must have used an adjustable wrench? Is that likely?

Steve
Steve Gyles

Very likely! My old nuts also had chisel marks in them!
Art Pearse

Art

That sounds painful!

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,

Similarly, I replaced both rear hub seals over 20 years ago and I can't remember how I did it.

Checking the rear hub nuts is one of the jobs on my 'to do' list.
D O'Neill

Like others I am sure I have done the job in the dim and distant past. I would be pretty sure in those days I would have just used a hammer a chisel. I certainly don't have a spanner. Whatever the result has been fine since so I shouldn't feel too guilty about my crude technique.

Paul
Paul Dean

A 50mm socket will remove it, but I found i could not tighten it with this. The MOSS socket is a bit oversize - 1.63/64ths"
Peter.
P. Tilbury

The trick to tightening with a Moss socket is to support the socket with a hydraulic jack or similar and use a length of water pipe on a 3/4" sliding tee bar to get the 180 ft lbs. Almost all nuts I see on friends cars are loose because they weren't tighten correctly initially. Running loose can expensive as wears the land area for the wheel bearing on the banjo housing!
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

I took on this job recently and per Barney's site found that a Ford truck F150 4X4 front hub socket would grip the rear MGA hub octagonal nut. It was readily available locally and not too expensive. To get a significant tightening torque on replacement though is a challenge because the nut is thin and with a typical torque wrench the force is not central to the nut. I agree with the earlier poster that this could be best overcome by using a "tommy bar" with some pipe extensions. I have since acquired one via eBay and am sure it would be the better solution for torquing that troublesome nut.
Tom Heath

This may be what you looking for. I have it for few years so it is up to you to find it.

PERFORMANCE TOOL
4PIN 2.25" OUTER
SPINDLE NUT
CHROME-MOLY
W1269

That is stamped on the outside of tool. It was made for US made car? as I recall

Martin

sharpeys

Socket as described by Martin available from Oreillys Auto Parts in the U.S. for $9.99.

Tony


Tony Cox

yes Tony
that it is I just could not post picture. "the file is too large

Martin
sharpeys

Tony,

Does it work to tighten this nut to 150 ft.lbs or more?

Peter.
P. Tilbury

I tried one of these first but not as good as the Moss socket. It kept slipping when I tried to get really tight. i didnt support it underneath - maybe that was the problem!
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

I borrowed the right socket, but found that the bevel in the mouth of the socket took up most of the 3⁄16", leaving very little grip. Had it been mine, I would have ground it away. I used a gas strut against the garage wall to hold it in place, but it was very precarious.

Like others, my nut was scarred, but with centre-punch holes.
Nick and Cherry Scoop

I'm sure that with my home made spanner you could get 150 ft lbs using a BFH.
Art Pearse

In case you need convincing... The very high torque quoted for this nut is very important to get the bearing fit correct. The pressure actually squeezes the ball race inner so that it grips the 'shaft' to prevent it spinning. It is such a big bearing that if the fit was tightened up to normal standards it wouldn't come off at all when a replacement was needed.
Pete
PeteT

Pete, yes I do need convincing!
If the compression of the inner race causes it to swell and tighten on the axle, then equally the axle will be stretched and will shrink, causing a looser fit!
I reckon the normal "gutenteit" clamping of the race is enough to stop it turning. After all, the only force causing it to turn is ball bearing friction, so as long as it has not seized, it will not turn.
Art Pearse

BTW, I enjoy a friendly argument.
Art Pearse

People seem to want to mystify the reason for for the greater torque for this nut. Really, it is just a matter of the size when viewed as a fastener. You can use a calculator like http://www.engineersedge.com/calculators/torque_calc.htm to see for yourself that 50 ft/lbs on a 1/2 inch fastener would achieve the same clamp pressure as 150 ft/lbs on a 1 1/2 inch fastener. Note that the calculator is in inch/pounds so multiply by 12.
John DeWolf

When in doubt read the Guru - http://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/rearaxle/ra102.htm
Mike Ellsmore

This thread was discussed between 29/05/2014 and 23/06/2014

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