MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - manifold clamps- steel plate

In response to the ARP manifold studs... food for thought.

After nearly two decades and twenty thousand some miles of running blowers on a couple TDs, those studs have long been on my TODO list, or should I say, the clamps. Mounting a couple carbs, manifolds and air cleaner close to the head is one thing, but having a hefty blower package cantilevered way out makes things much worse. I've had to replace a number of manifold gaskets, and checking the stud nuts has become a mandatory routine as nuts frequently come loose. My biggest complaint has been there have never been enough threads to add a lockwasher and the thin threads on M8-1 nuts are the weakest link. Tightening to the point of stripping threads is not a good practice.

I've long wanted to robot flamecut new manifold clamps out of 3/8" steel and finally got around to it as a S.Co.T. blower is getting a new lease on life. Note the two funny looking clamps under the blower. These 3/8" thick clamps provide enough extra thread to add a washer AND double nuts which provides more threads to carry the load and guarandamntee they won't loosen.

I also ordered M8-1 threaded rod from Grainger and replaced front two studs in order to incorporate them into a support under the supercharger. They are conspicuously long but will get cut once the bracket is fabricated.

I have an extra set of clamps cut out at the moment, if anyone is interested, but I'm not actively looking to market them. What you see is sanded shiny, not plated. I have two other blown XPAGs to add them on eventually. First, I'd suggest you spend $5.40 at Granger for a meter long all-thread rod and cut some longer studs to doublenut. This rod is so uncommon, it isn't even on their inventory list- it is item #38DK75.

Tell ARP to add a little extra to the studs for a second nut if they fabricate a batch. A high strength stud doesn't do much good if the one, single nut comes lose or strips.


JIM N

Hello Jim.

First: Your manifold clamps look great.

Second: Thanks for your recommendations. Hopefully, people interested in better manifold studs will contact Donny at ARP (see contact information below) and show support for their manufacture. This would be the time to discuss any modifications that would be beneficial, like slightly longer studs with more outer thread length as you recommend.

They are looking at the cost now for producing the studs and will contact me next week. I hope others are also interested (although there has not been any support as far as I know).

Is there any interest in a "group buy"? Seems like I am the only person interested in ARP manifold studs?

Regards, Bill

Donaven De Alejandro (Donny)
Specialty Products Coordinator
ARP
1760 Lemonwood Drive
Santa Paula CA 93060
Tel (805)525 1497
Fax (805) 525 1441
E-mail: donavend@arpfasteners.com
Web: www.arp-bolts.com
WHTroyer

I agree the currently available studs are too short. The nuts on mine are barely flush with the stud end, and certainly no room for lock washers. George
George Butz III

I'd be up for a set Bill. but they would have to happen fairly quickly as I expect my head to be ready soon (as in maybe today). Once on the car with the blower it's impossible to replace them without tearing the front of the car apart on my TF. And yes I'm not happy with the replacements.
L E D LaVerne

Message sent
L E D LaVerne

I emailed Donny, reply was vague, I would suggest Tom Lange as he already deals with ARP I believe.

Peter
P G Gilvarry

IT would be great if Tom wanted to have these produced.

LaVerne, thanks for your response. I also need these fairly soon and will speak with Donny about delivery time.

Peter, can you explain how the reply from Donny was vague? I would like to know before speaking with him again. He has always been fairly clear when speaking with me.

Thanks, everyone.

Regards,

Bill
WHTroyer

Basically he advised that if I wanted some I would have to make a separate inquiry, not just "coat tailing" onto your work.

I just gave up and was planning on raising the subject with Tom Lange to see if was prepared to get involved. I am planning on seeing Tom and the Kimber Festival in a month's time.

I was thinking of 6 to 8, 1 set for the manifold and another set to have on standby in case I pull the gearbox.

They can't be too expensive if they are making quantity, my experience is that the setup costs are high, then the costs reduce the more you make.

Tom's head studs are $17.50 each with nuts. So as theses are somewhat smaller, I wonder if $12-15 is a good range?

Did he say what quantity he would need to manufacture these?

I am going to sit on my hands and see which way this goes.

Thanks.

Peter
P G Gilvarry

I would be interested is a set of manifold studs if Tom Lange gets into the picture.

Jim N., I would be interested in a set of your clamps. Contact me offline at jneel43 (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Thanks

Jim N (New York)
James Neel

I haven't received a reply as of yet.
L E D LaVerne

I would be interested in several sets just to have on standby once a price is known. A blower project may happen someday and the stronger/slightly longer studs would certainly give “peace of mind” down the road. I imagine Donny will require a minimum order to do a set up and to cover their R&D costs. Special orders are considered proprietary which is why one can’t coat tail onto someone else’s order.

As an aside... I had hoped to get big end ARP rod bolts from Tom last year but he was not planning to order any more because of the production costs, the big financial outlay required to get the order made and the length of time it took him to sell off what stock he had made up. Something to be considered

Bill Chasser
TD-4834
W A Chasser

I don't believe there is a market for the head studs, to which the two manifolds attach. I have only broken ONE in all my years, and cannot afford to have a hundred made up (at consieerable expense), sell 5 studs, and be sitting on 95 studs for the rest of my life.

I AM interested in having proper and strong exhaust manifold studs made by ARP, since the studs from the usual supplier are junk, plain and simple. I have stripped these aftermarket studs just installing them in the exhaust manifold, and have nbot even gotten to tightening down the head pipe!

I know TC studs are longer than TD/TF studs; is there interest? I have already approached ARP about making them.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair

t lange

Is 100 the minimum Tom? And is that studs or stud sets? How many pre orders would it take to get you interested?
L E D LaVerne

LaVerne,

I can send you a set of clamps and a handful of nuts if you're interested. email me at jrnorthrupsr@Yahoo.com.

There's really nothing wrong with the original studs. They could stand to have more than just the single 8mm nut threads for clamping force, like asking a boy to do a man's job.
JIM N

I've broken only one manifold stud and I'm guessing it wasn't OEM. That said, If someone like ARP or Tom produced them in higher quality then I would be interested in one or two sets.
Steve Simmons

"P G Gilvarry, New York, USA, Basically he advised that if I wanted some I would have to make a separate inquiry, not just "coat tailing" onto your work.

Did he say what quantity he would need to manufacture these?"

So basically be advised, why don't you asked your own questions and not just "coat tail" onto my work.

I'll let Tom take over and stay out of this.
WHTroyer

Sorry,

Quote: So basically be advised, why don't you asked your own questions and not just "coat tail" onto my work.
Unquote:

I thought you were asking folks to contact Donny with interest so that it would make it feasible to have these produced. But looks like you are not going ahead anyway.

Sorry if you have your dander up, I was merely showing joint interest!

I will stick my head back where it belongs.

Peter
P G Gilvarry

Made clamps of steel 15 x 18 and drilled an 8 mm. hole. Has now worked well for a number of years in my SC equipped TD and has been removed and reinstalled several times.
A real pre war T enthusiast here cut high tensile hexagon bolts and threaded them to, get high quality studs.


YS Strom

Someone would have to contact ARP to find out their minimum, which differs with every order; I simply guessed at 100.

From my point of view this feels like a solution in search of a problem, and I'm not in a position to take it on. I can't imagine I could sell enough to get back my initial costs.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

This thread was discussed between 15/03/2018 and 17/03/2018

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG TD TF 1500 BBS now