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MG TD TF 1500 - Trunnion location

Gentlemen, I have a question reference the position of the trunnions on the pins. When I took the trunnions off they came of nice and easy. When cleaning them up I discovered that the right side had taken a hit in the past and that had bent a pin on the "A" arm and bent the shaft holding the top trunnion. Worst was that the hit had broken the steering arm that they then welded back together again. Hugh Pite came through and replacement parts are on their way... He is a fantastic resource!
Now after cleaning and painting the left front side parts all looked well until it came time to put the trunnions on top and bottom. What I found was when I tried to fully wind trunnions on the shaft as per the Schach manual they would not turn on all of the way. According to Schach they should bottom then be turned back a half turn. I cannot get them all of the way down without a lot of force. Should they go all the way down?
Many thanks
Rod Murray 54 TF
Rod Murray 54TF 3006

Do they bind all the way down or just at the end? The important part is that the steel tube that goes through the trunion is centered in the groove in the swivel pin. If it screws down far enough so you can insert the tube and it will rotate at least 180 degrees either way freely, then I think you are OK. George
George Butz

Make sure the bushing is not in the top or bottom link and they should screw on very easily by hand with hardly any force. If the bushing is in, it will screw dawn a little ways and then bind. PJ
Paul S Jennings

Many thanks! That was the problem. They were hell to get out needed the 12 ton press. Well rusted in place after 30/40 years of sitting in the back of a garage. When the tubes were out the trunnions went on with no problem all the way to the bottoms.
Best regard
Rod
Rod Murray 54TF 3006

Glad Paul mentioned that since it was the problem. I re-read the WSM on this and it is wrong- it mentions the through bolts, but never the steel tube- which is what can't be put in until the link is mostly screwed down to align with the cutout in the swivel pin. George
George Butz

George,
The steel backed bushing for the brass trunnion has a substantial cut out for the Kingpin threads to miss it as you thread the trunnion onto it. This bushing needs to be inserted first - in the correct position. So the hole lines up towards the kingpin. Then turn the trunnion onto the kingpin and once you see the wasted part of the kingpin at the bushing - insert the steel tube bearing. Then you wind the trunnion up and down to find the center position of freedom and secure the A frame pans and shocks with the bolts, washers and rubbers.
I thought the WSM was correct in this matter? Steel tube is marked as E, F is the bushing.

Rod


Rod Jones

Before I asked the question I did review many sources to find an answer. The problem with both Schach and the WSM and for that matter all others sources that I checked, there is NO narrative that identifies that there is an interference with the threads of the King Pin. Even the WSM drawing, as shown by Rod, really does not CLEARLY show that the steel tube intrudes into the path of the threads of the trunnion. This issue must have occurred before or my parts just happened to both be on the tops of their respective dimensional limits,.This has, as I suspect it has, occurred frequently in the past, even in the original years of production, and yet I could find no narrative warning of the interference fit. Based on the advice here I removed the tubes tat were severely impacted in place solved my problem the trunnions spun on smoothly.
Best regards
Rod Murray
Rod Murray 54TF 3006

Rod M, I have seen several swivel pins ruined by forcefully screwing on with the steel tube in place. Yes, there is a cutout in the bushing- which lets you insert the steel tube when it is aligned with the cutout part of the swivel. IF you screw the link part way down and try to insert the steel tube, it hits the threads, etc. If you force on, you wipe the threads on the upper part of the swivel pin. BTW, if you can screw your swivel links off and on w/o removing the steel tube, someone has already buggered the threads. George
George Butz

Hi George:)
Because there is not any narrative out there other than this BBS that has identified the real need to remove the steel tubes before winding trunnions up or down I can imagine there are a lot of partially distorted threads out there. More so on the brass ones than the steel as the steel would not be quite as malleable.
Best regards
RodM
Rod Murray 54TF 3006

This thread was discussed between 08/11/2014 and 09/11/2014

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