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MG MGA - 26 spline halfshafts. How rare?

Just been changing the hub seals on my wire wheel axle and noticed that the halfshafts have 26 splines. It's a 1500 1959 but converted to wires by previous owner so I don't know what the parts came from. Didn't realise till I got the parts list out that 26 splines are rare.

I am beginning to think I may have counted wrong. I will need new halfshafts and hubs as the outboard end splines are very worn to the point where I am worried that they will fail soon. The splined hubs just fell off the halfshafts.

Just wondering how many of you out there have 26 spline halfshafts and were they introduced at a particular time? I have just phoned Moss and they tell me they are made for them to order at £100 a side with a 6 to 8 week wait. In any case I will be pulling one side again just to be completely sure I have counted right.

Don't suppose there is any other fix. I have had a couple of suggestions from welding the hubs to the halfshafts or packing the splines with thin steel, too much of a bodge for me.

Thanks all

Chris.
Chris Paul Currah

26-spline with start of 1600 production, May 1959, car number 68851.

25-spline staarted December 1959 with WW car 92749 and DW car 82893.

So all 26-spline were 1600's. Just shy of 14,000 cars in 7 months, about 14% of all MGA production.
Barney Gaylord

Thanks for that Barney.

So not as rare as some people have told me and with a logical date of introduction. I will count again though to be sure.

Chris.
Chris Paul Currah

Chris
Have just put new hubs on my old 1600 halfshafts and found them about the same to push out as replacing them, but needed a hydraulic press that most garages have. Strange you have found yours so loose - is it worth degreasing the splines once apart and trying some Loctite retainer. Might be worth a chat with your local Loctite (or similar) distributor.
Anybody else done this or avoided it for some reason?

Pete
Pete Tipping

By changing the spider gears in the Differential you can use a 25 or 10 spline axle. see the current thread 3.9:1 Conversion.
R J Brown

Pete,

Mine were loose as they are horrendously worn, both hubs and outboard halfshaft slpines. About half the splines are worn away to the point where I am worried that they will soon give up completely and just spin within the hubs.

Puzzled as to why this has happened as they are supposed, as you say, to be a force fit so shouldn't move at all. Wheel bearings are fine.

Have just got a quote for 26 spline halfshafts from Mgoc, they have them on the shelf, for £86 each, same as the 25s. Will need new hubs as well. Other suppliers just gave a intake of breath when I mentioned 26 splines.

RJ

If I can get hold of an early Mgb banjo 3.9 diff, they seem to be rare at the moment in the Uk, I will switch at the same time.

Thanks.
Chris Paul Currah

Chris, I think you will find that all the B 3.9 axles are (should be) 25 spline.
What I am not sure about is if this diff was fitted to the Oxford Cambridge etc with 26 spline.

Colin
Colin Parkinson

Colin

These are WW shafts - as far as I know no Farinas had WW. Steel wheel shafts are different (they have a plate at the outer end, whereas WW shafts have splines that fit the WW hub, and the outer end is sealed by a welch plug). So SW shafts can't be used here.

I also believe that B WW axles are a different length (longer?) than A WW axles so the shafts are not compatible (but I can't offer any evidence so will quickly stand corrected).

So it looks like a search for a pair of WW shafts is the correct approach. I would expect these to be scarce used as they have probably all gone the same way Chris's have.

It seems that used drivetrain parts are getting harder to find these days.

Dominic

dominic clancy

The Moss catalog indicates that the MGB WW axel shafts are the same as the MGA Mark II 25 spline shafts. I sure hope so as I am switching my MK II to wires. So far the shafts do fit the MGA WW hub. Still waiting for the wires to get here to complete the swap. Have a good day!

John
John Progess

Dominic, yes I know there were no Farinas with WW!!!

But the differentials are the same type. I assume the spline count of 26 is the inboard end?

And yes the A WW shaft is the same as the B WW shaft.

Colin

PS I do have a pair of 26 spline shafts, but they are for steel wheels. They are for sale. Also with the 4.3 diff.

PPS I also have a WW axle case ( It is shorter) That is also for sale.

Also looking for a 4.1 diff
Colin Parkinson

This thread was discussed between 13/04/2006 and 20/04/2006

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