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MG TD TF 1500 - Engine stabiliser bracket weaknesses

My engine stabiliser bracket has three areas where it has failed, two have been repaired by welding. I expect is is contributed to by failed bushes in the stabiliser link, but it nevertheless seems to have weaknesses in the design.

I have seen several attempts to strengthen the bracket and would be interested in the experience and ideas of anyone who has had similar problems.

I will attach photos of mine showing the problem areas and also a photo of a strengthened one.

Michael

M R Calvert

Second photo

M R Calvert

Third photo - cracks

M R Calvert

Fourth photo. A strengthened bracket.

M R Calvert

HI Michael. My theory is that these things are put under stress when the engine is jacked up, perhaps to change the front engine mount, without first disconnecting the stabiliser. They also cop a hiding due to stresses set up if they are not installed with the engine in a neutral position. The bracket at the engine end of the stabiliser often fails as well. Also if the engine is running really rough the stresses set up there could be a significant contributing factor. So my guess is poor maintenance procedures & failure to follow the recommended steps in the WSM are major factors in the failure of this component. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

I agree with Peter, and suggest you just get another, install it properly, and see if there are any problems. I've got a few, if you can't find one anywhere else- they do appear at auction.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

These brackets are fairly simple. You could make one out of new and or heavier gauge material. Your local sheetmetal shop should be able to pattern yours and fold one up in short order.

Bill Chasser
TD-4834
W A Chasser

Above all right on. It is a really lousy design to start with. There is a reason the vast majority of cars over the years have opposing mounts that can handle a great deal of torque. Think of the reaction torque on the engine block when you pop the clutch and/or are driving hard. That link is the main thing keeping the block from just flopping over. George
George Butz

Peter:

I have had more than one failure of the stabilizer system.

You said "So my guess is poor maintenance procedures & failure to follow the recommended steps in the WSM are major factors in the failure of this component.

What are these recommended steps?

Thanks

Mark Sherman
1953 MG TD
Mark A. Sherman

The major ones Mark being to isolate the stabiliser & the radiator top tank from the engine prior to jacking. Do you have a WSM? If not, that & the Driver's Handbook are pretty essential. Cheers
Peter TD 5801
P Hehir

"Your local sheetmetal shop.... "

OK, Bill, but who has one of those? I can't think of any local sheetmetal shops in the area, and Phila is a pretty big place. We do have the rare few wrought iron fence makers and a few welding shops (that mostly do truck welding), but finding a sheetmetal shop would be, I'd venture to say, a pretty hard task. Indeed, that's why I make all my own stuff anymore - there are so few sheetmetal workers, machinists or really good welders left!
Kevin McLemore


As some of you know, I have collected 4 MG TDs over the years (one with quite a few miles when I was 16 years old). Only God knows the abuse they have experienced, but at least two of them had the exact similar damage to the stabilizer brace shown in Michael's photos. I also beefed up and welded the areas of failure like he did. Since the mount point for the adjustable stabilizer bar is located pretty high up on the bracket, I expect the bracket mount points take quite a beating even with just normal use stress.
After welding, I have seen no more failures, but I don't think the cars have seen the harsh use since I have owned them (a few haven't even been on the road in a while). My suggestion is to look at them occasionally, and weld if a problem occurs. I believe the weld relieves the stress, and is stronger than the parent metal in the edges were they are prone to crack.
Richard Cameron

Kevin a shop that makes commercial heating ducts, most metal fabrication shops, you can by a sheet metal brake from eBay or Harbor Freight and do it yourself, race Fab shop. Most Co that sell industrial steel also have the equipment to do this kind of work. In Philly I'm sure there are many such places. Check the yellow pages under steel, steel mfg, steel fab, mechanical engineering etc

Bill Chasser
TD-4834
W A Chasser

I had several failures of the stabilizing bracket that attaches to the water pump. Since my frame is a little bit skewed I attempted to push the engine a little more upright by extending the stabilizer turnbuckle. This apparently added enough stress to cause several failures.
I then got the bright idea to use the stabilizer properly. I locked everything in place, with no pressure on the turnbuckle in either direction and have had no problems since then. I might add that I drive my car hard at or above turnpike and interstate speed limits.
Mort

M Resnicoff

Interesting topic. Only issue I have had is with the bracket that attaches to the water pump bolt. I have had it work the bolt loose.

Wonder if it is being tightened to much so there is not shock absorbing effect for the rubber grommets?
Bruce Cunha

Thank you everyone for your comments. For what it’s worth my view is that at a bare minimum the area around the hole at the top of the bracket where the link connects needs some sort of reinforcement.

My ‘go to’ person, a builder of hot rods, had the same suggestion as Bill; fabricate in a heavier gauge.

A simple solution would be to distribute the load over a larger area by using a couple of large washers, possibly tack welded in place as in photo 4. A rectangular plate fitting inside the U shape of the bracket and welded top and bottom would be even better, easy to do, and not alter the appearance of the bracket to any noticeable extent.

The angular forces are transmitted primarily to the far bottom foot where mine is cracked (photo 3). I think this area also needs beefing up, perhaps again with a rectangular plate welded inside the bracket and ground flat at the foot.

As others have experienced, my bracket attaching to the engine has also failed and has been repaired and strengthened by welding.

Thanks again for your thoughts,
Michael
M R Calvert

I've known a garage hand to lift the whole front of the car with a jack under the sump. That can't be good for the stay or the engine mount.

David
D A Provan

Another problem which could cause the bracket to break is the spacer to the shock being the wrong length. This spacer is required only for Armstrong shocks.

John

52 TD
J Scragg

My engine stabilizer is fitted to the rear end of the engine.
Fixed to an head nut on engine side and a bracket extension on the scuttle pillar.
But I don't know the reason of this mod.

Laurent.

LC Laurent31

second picture

LC Laurent31

This thread was discussed between 07/05/2017 and 17/05/2017

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