Update:
The leaks from the rear axle were actually the rear brake cylinders leaking. Surprising to me since the previous owner said all of the brake hydraulics were replaced. The oil seals seem to be okay but since I’m tearing everything apart anyway, they will be replaced as well. I ordered the brake kit from a member of the MG Experience forum which includes all the springs, clips shoes and cylinders for the rear brakes. Rebuilding brakes is fairly a fairly easy job, but since it is so damned filthy up under the car, half the battle will be getting it all cleaned off so I can work on it without looking like the Swamp Thing when I’m done.
3-14-2011
Happy Pi day…my stepson instantly thought that it meant we should go out and get a pie for him. We did not. What it meant is that everything takes 3.1415 times longer than you think it will.
Here’s the list of fun in changing out the rear springs and bushings that has turned a single long afternoon job into one that is up to a week and counting.
1. The sub-frame rail right over the aft driver side spring shackle mount had some fairly serious rust through which meant I had to do some welding…and I am a shitty, shitty welder. But I got it done, ugly done, but done.
2. I broke one of the rear u-bolts that connects the axle to the leaf spring so I had to scavenge that off the roadster which took for-fucking-ever. Then I had some stripped shafts on the old GT u-bolts so I had to rethread them. Actually, I didn’t have to, I’m just too impatient to wait for the new ones that I ordered.
3. The underside was so caked with 40+ years of grease, crud, dirt, road spooge and rust that it took forever to get it all clean. But it is better than working on a dirty, greasy car.
4. I got rear axle oil seals for the GT at O’Reilly’s auto parts. The girl behind the counter assured me that they were the correct ones. I had her cross-reference the part number with other year MG’s to check it. She assured me that they were the correct seals. They were correct…for a Volvo! I went to another O’Reilly’s and talked to a greasy guy behind the counter. He couldn’t figure out how the girl got that part number, but we both knew how. I should never order parts for an MG from somebody who was not yet born when MG’s were still being made. Greasy guy had to order the correct ones so after another 2-day delay I finally got the right ones…but greasy guys are worth their weight in gold!
5. The brake kit I ordered was missing two springs and the clip that holds the hydraulic cylinder to the back plate broke when I tried to use it…they’re all junk. Luckily I’m a hoarder so I had extras to use.
6. The brake shoes were so tight that I had to tap the brake drum on with a very big hammer. I’m still not sure why it’s still so tight, especially with the cylinders retracted and the adjuster backed all the way out…hmmmm…
7. I spent about an hour looking for the castle nut that holds the hub onto the axle. And then I spent another half hour trying to get the passenger side hub nut off. It is not being very cooperative. I shot PB Blaster on it a few times and I’m letting it soak overnight. Hopefully that will let me get the little bastard loose. If not, I’ll have to hit with the torch to try to loosen it up a bit. If that fails I may have to break down and buy an air impact wrench.
And if there wasn’t enough bad news, I found more rust on the front reinforcement panel called the “trumpet” that extends forward off the outer, upper areas of the firewall underneath the rear tops of the front fenders. The one on the passenger side has been repaired and still has a rust hole on the top. The driver side one seems intact.
The replacements are only $35.00 each for the 2 Heritage panels but to install them, I have pull off the front fenders which involves a whole ’nuther horror show of rust for me when I see what’s under there.
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