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MG MG Y Type - YT Half shafts

Well i seem to have broken a half shaft due to some bad mannered driving at a hump back bridge could anyone point me in the right direction to get a replacement.
Thanks in advance
Allan Singleton
Allan Singleton

One from a TC will fit. The YT uses the YA's rear axle. If you buy a second-hand one, try to get one that has been used on the same side, or the stress reversal may simply break the 'new' one. You can check its use by looking on the splines, the most worn side will be that being 'driven' by the diff.
Neil Cairns

Hi, if you have a YT then a MGTD axle will fit. If you have a YA then a Morris 10 axle will fit.
Hugh Pite
Hugh Pite

Ooops, my mistake. The YA and YT use the same rear axle which is essentially the same as a Morris 10. I don't think the TC half shafts, which are splined at both ends, will fit these axles.
Hugh Pite
Hugh Pite

I suspect that the TC half shaft is the same as YA/T except that in place of the spline at the wheel end you will have to weld on the flange from the broken Y half shaft. The seals and bearings are the same listings in the NTG catalogue. Abingdon made TC half shafts a few years ago and at the same time made some for YA/Ts. Don't think they would have done that if there was more difference than just the flange;and even then the Y shafts were considerably more expensive. Terry
Terry O'Brien

Hugh, you are correct. The Y/YT half shaft are the same. This half shaft is pretty unique to the Y/YT and are now very hard to come by.

I cannot comment on the TC & weld solution. Clearly this, if possible, will have to be a very strong and highly professional weld to take the torque forces set up on moving off / accelerating / braking. It is not one that, as a register, we would be despirately keen to encourage or in any way endorse.

The other point worth making is that, although originally not handed, over the years of use these do become "handed" by the torque put on them. Always replace a left with a used left, and a right with a used right. Never be tempted to put a used left in a right or visa-versa. All you will do is snap a good other side and waste it as the torque is reversed and it snaps like a carrot.

You can tell by looking carefully at the splines for "take up" chips and stress marks. This should confirm which side is which.

Regards

Paul
Paul Barrow

Presumably if the YA/T half shafts are impossible to find, but the TC ones fit, the TC ones will be equally difficult to find?

If the half shafts are as fragile as reports suggest would it be cost effective for somebody (NTG?) to have a batch of them specially made up? They would surely have no problem in selling them.
Andrew Adamson

The half shafts are not fragile, but they are old and as those of us who are getting there know that brings unpleasant problems from time to time. When I rebuit my YT in the early 1970s the then local MG guru warned that I would soon break a half shaft, so I got a used set as spares from the recently minted NTG. Have been carrying them around in the boot since. When you have insurance you never have to use it-touch wood. Terry
Terry O'Brien

Yes NTG did make a batch up but I do not think they will do it again.

If any one know of any manufacturer who might be willing to make up a small batch at a sensible price I would be willing to look into the feasabilities of this with them. Email me your suggestions off-line to webmaster@mgytypes.org.

I emphasize though, at this stage it is only speculative - I do not want a list of prospective customers!
Paul Barrow

Firstly I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this I have found the information very useful. I havent found one yet but I am on the search.
I have had a couple of suggestions on getting one made locally and if i dont find a used one i will have to do that. if anyone knows of one or a pair for sale please let me know. i will let you know how i resolve the problem
allan singleton
Allan Singleton

Paul and Alan:
In their price list NTG still has used half shafts- expensive at L 91. Their new TC shafts are L50. Roger Furneaux has TC shafts at L25 and probably better grade of steel.I think Roger is a good place to start if you are thinking of getting a batch made. Abingdon Spares are sold out of the ones that they had made up 5-6 years ago, but they should have a record of who made them.
Took a look at my spare set; the flange is welded to the shaft but that does not mean that there are not splines where the flange is attached the the shaft only that you can't see them. Terry
Terry O'Brien

A few years ago I broke a half shaft on our YA and Abington Spares did not have any in stock. After looking high and low I ended up at a machine shop in the Seattle area and they said that it would not be too big a deal to take a new axle from something like a Ford Or chev. Pickup and machine it to fit, adding the flange from the old half shaft. About this time Abington came thru with two so I never tried this solution out but it maybe something worth looking into.
Rob R.

MG Workshops in Melbourne Australia have a supplier who manufactures short runs of axles at competitive prices (especially with the A$ vs Pound rates)

I know that they make TD axles and am reasonably confident that they make TC axles also. I have recently purchased new splined hubs from the same supplier.

The new axles are made of much stronger material than the originals which is also a plus.

Their email address is mgworkshops@primus.com.au

Phil Stafford

Just a note to thank everyone for information and support in particular Webmaster and Alf. I now have two (a pair ) of half shafts and will be back on the road for next week.
allan singleton
Allan Singleton

An update on the half shaft question. Had leaking rear hubs ruining the rear brake shoes. Thought I would use Roger Furneaux's TC rear hub bearing nut with lip seal and stainless steel sleeves The NTG price list has the original nut etc. common to TC and YA/T.Well Roger's nut won't work on a Y.Because of the lip seal the nut has too much depth so you can't reassemble it without a 1/4" gap. So had too use the old nuts but replaced the bearings with sealed bearings.We were going to use the sleeves but it appears that the Y half shaft is about 1/16" larger in diameter than the TC shaft as the sleeves will not fit on the Y shaft. So there is more difference than just the flange.
By the way after 54 years my half shafts looked brand new with no evidence of spline wear or twisting. Terry
Terry O'Brien

This thread was discussed between 29/04/2003 and 06/06/2003

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