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MG TD TF 1500 - Front and rear axle nut torque and procedure?

Good morning all
I would like some help with the torque values and procedures for 1952 TD for the front and rear axle nuts.
Thanks in advance. John
John Hambleton

This shoudl help you - from Dave BuBois.



Rod Jones

John, please note that if using the aftermarket TD/TF axles that were once supplied by Mr Clarke and now sold by Tom Lange the rear axle nut torque is 150 psi
W A Chasser

I would use 150 ft/lbs on all rear axle nuts.
If you are on disc wheels and they fret there are NO new drums available.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Bill,
What does 150 PSI rate in LBFT's of torque?
Rod
Rod Jones

You devil :-)
L E D LaVerne

OK guilty :) .... I figured it was a misprint.
Good to know the higher value though. I have a Dave Clark axle with the new half shafts Can't remember what I torqued them to now But I was using Dave's list before.

150 ft/lbs are almost double what Dave had posted?
Going to the next split pin hole could put you even higher.
I've been using steel shims on the rear axle hubs to make the correct position Daves half shafts have two holes as well, 90' apart, which helps.

Rod Jones

The factory torque, as I remember, is 85 foot pounds, and to the next opening in the castelated nut. That is supposed to be somewhere around 150 foot pounds; it is all too easy to go light or go overboard with that imprecise guess/procedure. There were relatively few torque wrenches available in the 50's, and there was no expectation that owners would even own one - or that one would measure up to 150 '# of torque!

The best way is to torque to 150 foot pounds; you may need to swap nuts from side to side to make the cotter holes line up. As noted above, the Dave Clark/MGT Repair axles have two holes at right angles, to help line things up.

PSI and foot pounds of torque are incompatible; he meant 150 foot pounds.

Happy to answer all questions.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Thanks everyone! What’s the procedure for torqueing the front axle stubs nuts. Is it higher than what David DuBois chart shows?
John H
John Hambleton

The listed torque for the front hubs is correct - the "higher than" only applies to the much-higher-quality Dave Clark/MGT rear axle shafts.

For the front I tighten and spin the wheel until it's just barely possible to shift the washer under the nut the slightest amount by prying with a screwdriver. Others say to go tighter - they say you should not be able to budge the washer any at all.

My thinking is that my way there is a predicatable tightness, that can be repeated. Their way, if the washer is impossible to shift, it seems to me the bearing can be tightened down far too tightly, potentially damaging the bearing or seat.

Of course, I also make it a habit to re-pack my front wheel bearings every 2 years or 20,000 miles whether they need it or not, which I suspect very few people ever do.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Thank you Tom for clarifying my intended post. PSI was not the correct term to use. Mea Culpa
W A Chasser

No Disrespect meant Bill, :)
I was surprised by the new higher figure for Daves new half shafts though.
I have always been very careful with the split collar the drum mounts to and ensured it was not only very clean but tight up against the bearing. Per the WSM. So long as the nut was on tight, there should be no issues. 150 ft.lb to the nearest hole is very tight.
Worth remembering
Rod

Rod Jones

Rod. None taken. What I’m thinking and what gets pounded out on the keyboard seems to be at odds as I get older.

When I bought Dave’s axles several years ago he made it very clear that the torque was 150. He suggested that the nuts should be precisioned surfaced ground to get the cotter holes lined up properly at the prescribed torque rating.
W A Chasser

This thread was discussed between 24/01/2019 and 26/01/2019

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