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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - FWB general query

Hi all,
midget Mk III
I have some front wheel play with the brakes OFF which vanishes once brakes are ON.
Can I just confirm my bearings need replacing?
Cheers colin
colin frowen

Yes.
Dave O'Neill 2

hi Dave O'Neill.
Cheers - not totally sure about MG's yet!
Colin
colin frowen

Colin, how much slack are you detecting at the wheel rim? A little movement there is normal and nothing to worry about. Unless you have a "difficult" MOT tester who is only used to testing moderns!
Guy W

Not sure what you mean by that Guy, as most moderns with taper bearings have a little play in the wheel bearings?
SR Smith 1

There'd better be SOME play, else they'd seize. I reckon 'detectable' play is the issue.

Good Spridget FWB's don't have easily detectable play in the fwb's.

How much movement say at the disc edge, are you detecting Colin?

Lawrence Slater

I reckon up to about 3/8", at the wheel rim is OK and should pass an MOT. I would a prefer little less but wouldn't be fretting about it that much.
Guy W

Found this on here. http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_250.htm

"With the wheel braked, note the total amount of movement at the wheel rim when the wheel is rocked. For a 50cm wheel this should not exceed 10mm. The maximum for other wheel diameters should be in proportion to this figure."

And that I assume is for a modern. So as Guy says, there should be some leniency for 50 year old cars.
Lawrence Slater

edit:

Ah, that may be about king pins, not wheel bearings.
Lawrence Slater

I think it does mean kingpins but 10mm seems an awful lot!
Graeme Williams

10 mm sounds about right to me. Don't forget that is on a 20 inch wheel. I know a guy who used to prepare and take HGVs for tests and he told me that on a lorry the figure was 1/2 inch allowable play for king pins. He also told me that the beauty of HGV tests over car ones was that everything had a specified allowance. None of this up to the testers discretion you get on cars.

Trev
Trevor Mason

This thread was discussed between 13/02/2016 and 14/02/2016

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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