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MG TD TF 1500 - How much HP can a T-series rear end handle?

Any guesses on how much horsepower an MG TD rear end could reliably handle, if converted to the MGA gearing and Dave Clark half shafts?
kylemorley

OK here is what I know. If you used a MGA 4.33 gearing and new axcles then I would assume it could handle a 1500 or 1600 engine like in the MGA. Don't remember the HP of my MGA.

You may have other limitations -- clutch, tranny, etc. can't speak to those. Dave Clark will remind you that If you increase the "go" you should also increase the "whoa."
JWP Policastro

When MG introduced the MGC they replaced the gearbox and the rear axle with stronger units, because the stock MGB gearbox and axle could not handle the extra horsepower and torque of the BMC six cyllender engine.
I would say the TD/TF rear axle could safely handle 100 horsepower, with improved axle shafts installed. I would imagine the gearbox would have a hard time handling much more than stock horsepower.
-David.
D. Sander

"I would imagine the gearbox would have a hard time handling much more than stock horsepower."
You may be right Dave. I just finished swapping out the busted tranny from our supercharged '50 TD.
Interestingly enough, we got many years use in our supercharged '51 with no trans issue, but it has the stock 5.12:1 gearing. The '50's MGB 3.92 ratio forces the trans to handle much more force on the gears & bearings than the original gearing.
Then again, the lower geared MG never cruised the highways in the 80-90mph range, like the '50.
JRN JIM

The only weak spot in the drive train are the original axles. Using the new axles being manufactured and carried by Dave Clark, that problem area has gone away. Cheers - Dave
D W DuBois

I've been told by some of the "T" vintage racers who bought my half shafts that they can put out over 120 horsepower (don't ask me how :-)) They say in the history of them using the modern shafts (must be over 15 years?) there has been no known breakage.In fact they call them unbreakable.

I'm pretty sure the differentials have been good with the racing guys as well. There are many MGA racers using the 4.55 and 5.125 gears from the "T" in autocross etc. and even though the T gears are smaller and presumably weaker I don't think they are breaking very often and the A's are running a lot more HP.

But I have no real data, it's all what's been told to me.
Dave
Dave Clark Arizona

They put 220 HP (I think) on the EX179 for the speed runs on the Bonnaville Salt Flats (in 1953??) using the TD Chassis and running gear and a hyper tuned XPAG punched out to 1500 cc.

So I would say that in ain't the HP that broke the axles but faulty driving and shifting.

MG Vintage racers seem to get 120HP out of their XPAG's with standard gear boxes and rear ends ( required to pass inspection)
Don Harmer

This thread was discussed between 01/11/2014 and 05/11/2014

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