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MG TD TF 1500 - '53 Front Shocks

I have a January 1953 build TD, and I'm pretty sure I have the earlier Girling shocks on the front, based on the size of the hex nut on top. Would the car have come from the factory with Armstrongs?

Cheers

Larry
Larry Karpman

I should have added that I do have the bump outs on the wings, which leads me to believe the car came with Armstrongs. Does it really matter which shocks are up front?

Cheers

Larry
Larry Karpman

Larry,

In all probability your car came with Armstrongs, and someone put Girlings on it as replacements.

warm regards,
dave
Dave Braun

Thanks Dave. I rather figured that. Is there a benefit to the Armstrongs over the Girlings?

Cheers

Larry
Larry Karpman

Larry -

I have a August 1953 TD, S/N 29744 made in the last week of production, with the Girling shocks both front and rear. Also the bump out in the front wing. I believe the two shocks were interchangeable but the mounting bolts were different.

Jan
Janson Hurd

"Is there a benefit to the Armstrongs over the Girlings?" No advantage one over the other. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

There is a slight advantage to the Armstrongs in that the fill plug is easy to get off to replenish the fluid. If you ever try to get the plug of the Girlings off you will know what I mean.
Cheers,

Bob
R. K. (Bob) Jeffers

# 23935 has girlings o.e.m. & the bump in the fender. Jan & I believe "what was on the shelf, went on the car" Len
Len Fanelli

Thanks all. Looks like my early '53 came with Girlings and wing bump outs because that's waht the boys had on the shelf in January 1953. BTW, today is TD 24349's 55th birthday!!! I have many gifts to install :-)

Cheers

Larry
Larry Karpman


R. K. (Bob) Jeffers wrote:
"If you ever try to get the plug of the Girlings off you will know what I mean."

Bob points to a problem but didn't told the solution. I'll do the job actually.

The front caps are done with difficulties. How can I get access to the rear caps? What kind of tool is the best? The thin cap is a little bit taper with a mouth of 1 15/16.

And what is the best sealing - where can I get them? At the front I'd found two worn different sealings. A copper ring with rectangle and a rounded copper ring filled with felt or something similar.

Bela

I'd used the term "cap" - the correct term ist "filler plug".
Bela

Bela - You may not know, but Bob passed away several years ago - great loss to the MG fraternity. I can tell you what I did on our TD. While I was restoring our TD, I had the shocks off the car. With much fussing around, I got the lids off of the Girlings off, I drilled a 5/16" hole in each cap and had a corresponding nut tack welded on the inside of the cap. I put a rubber washer under the head of each bolt and screwed it into the nut - problem solved. Cheers - Dave
DW DuBois

Thanks Dave - good improvement.

My shocks are fitted and the filler plug is fixed - can't get it loose with a pipe wrench without scratching and deforming. I have sprayed with deblocking and I'm waiting for better times or a good idea.
Bela

If you have to fill a shock, it leaks and really should be rebuilt. That is the word from shock expert Peter Caldwell at Worldwide Auto Parts.
Lew3

I replace the thin seal which always distorts, with a 3mm solid seal. The cap then seals quite well and only needs to be hand tight with the solid seal. I do like Dave's idea with the improved filler plug.

Regards
Declan


Declan Burns

Hi Declan,

do you remember what kind of rubber it had been? EPM, EPDM, NBR, HNBR, AEM....?
Bela

Bela,
I don't remember. It was a few years ago and it was a piece of rubber I had lying around the garage. If you use the correct grade of NBR you will be fine.

Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

I'd taken one of the rear shocks off the car. I didn't found a way to open the filler plug without a dangerous torque on the hex wrench.

Actually I'm not afraid because the shocks have been tested as good with a special test equipment in a workshop. Next action is looking for a rubber piece, filler plugs and a big pipe wrench which is able to encompass the filler plug.
Bela

Bela, if by pipe wrench you mean this type, please reconsider - the teeth will make a mess of the filler plug.

https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/straight-pipe-wrench

When I took the plug off of mine I got a large adjustable wrench - measure the filler plug across the flats and be sure to get a wrench with jaws that will open wide enough - this type:

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-inch-jumbo-adjustable-wrench-39620.html

I know that you don't have Harbor Freight there, but there will surely be a hardware outlet with a big wrench like it.

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

Hi Bobby,

thanks for the tipp.

I envy you because you have harbor freight tools. I guess there is a bigger market in the USA because many people live in the spirit of the first settlers and love the handcraft.

Yes - the front filler plugs have some scratches because I'd used the first mentioned tool.

The second tool is twice in the workbench but too small.

Meanwhile I'd found and purchase a tool (HEX 49/50mm) for the motorcyclists.



Bela

Bela,
The tool in the photo will not fit-it's octagonal! The filler caps are hexagonal.

Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

Dave I'm curious about your mod to the cap. I understand you to mean that you place a spanner on the head of the bolt you've installed to tighten it & hence tighten the cap. I can see how that would work. But wouldn't the bolt just unscrew when you tried to remove it, leaving the cap where it was? Am I missing something or are you suggesting that the now visible bolt head is permanently welded to the top of the cap? A purpose made plywood tool such as the one used for the radiator cap may well work Bela. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

Oh Declan - you are so right. We all love the octagon but that is too much.

I must have been blind. First during purchasing and then while publishing the image at this place.

Shame on me.

Thanks Peter,

If I don't find a proper tool your suggestion may be helpful.
Bela

Peter,
I think Dave means drilling a hole in the cap and welding a nut to the inside of the cap and just using a stop bolt and fibre or copper washer through the cap into the nut as a filler plug. Then you don't have to remove the cap to top it up-just undo the plug. Sounds like a rather good idea to me.

Regards
Declan
Declan Burns

Possible solutions would be to tap the cap with a BSPT thread and screw in a tapered plug or thread BSPP and use a parallel plug with a flat fibre washer. This would remove the possibility of thread distortion owing to welding heat.
G Evans

Bela,
I opened the filler caps with a 47 mm nut (cost 50 Euros)and much effort!

Then I did the same as Dave and weld a 10 mm screw with a 17 mm head on all 4 caps.
While remanteling put cooper grease on the theads.

Klaus
Klaus Harthof

Hi Klaus,

I have a 47mm wrench but it doesn't match. The filler plug is a little bit tapered and I measured 49mm at the bottom. It seems there came different items with the shocks.

Bela

Hi Klaus,

I hit the RETURN-Key too fast. At this moment I'm still looking for a tool which allows to open the plug as it is. Or could you dismantle the plug with the nut without dismantling the shock? Yes - copper grease is a good idea.
Bela

Hallo Bela,
Please Fall me on monday under
02761 65992
Klaus
Klaus Harthof

Hi Klaus,

I'll do monday - thanks for your support!
Bela

Bela, you might try simply using a rag to place between the teeth of the pipe wrench and the cap - this may keep the wrench from scratching it more.

BobbyG
Bobby Galvez

This thread was discussed between 21/01/2008 and 19/03/2016

MG TD TF 1500 index

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