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MG MGB Technical - '80 B rear hub bolt removal


Hi Everyone,

I'm replacing the rear brakes on my '80 LE and want to replace the rear axle oil seals as well. How do I get that nut off that holds the hub on? I'm guessing the one on the driver's side tightens counter clockwise?

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Dave
David Plantz

AFAIK - both sides tighten the same way - clockwise.

It is only the wire wheel spinners that are handed.
Chris at Octarine Services

As Chris says they are both right-hand thread as they are locked with a split-pin. The socket is 1 5/16" AF. If you have centre-lock wheels, and a 3/4" drive and/or impact socket it may not fit in the hub so you will have to get a 'thin-wall'. But I have had no problem with a 1/2" non-impact socket.
Paul Hunt

I was unable to find a 1 5/16" thin wall socket locally. I did, however, find a 34mm axle socket at Pep Boys that fit perfectly. The 33mm one was too small. It was also pretty inexpensive - $14.99 if I remember correctly.
sliedavs

Hey guys, LEs don't have wire wheels, they have the bolt-on alloy LE wheels. Dave, once that split pin is removed, it's just muscle vs machine. Unless you have a monsterously good handbrake, you might have to put the car in gear with both the rear wheels on the ground. Then get assertive with the wrench!

My information is the same as Paul's, although I came across it accidentally. My non-impact 1/2" drive 1-5/16" socket will go in a wire wheel hub with no problem, but Dave doesn't have to worry about that. I'd say step on the handle and bounce if necessary. If a 1/2" drive breaks under those circumstances, it was no good anyway, and we all have a pretty good idea where it was made. An impact wrench would be handy for this but Dave, I know you don't have one. If necessary, go to the hardware store and buy a piece of cast iron pipe that will slip over your wrench handle. At about the moment you're sure you're going to break the wrench, you'll hear - and feel - that wonderful "irk!" sound as the nut starts to turn.

Good luck, Allen
Allen Bachelder

Monstrously good handbrake or not, unless you're using an impact wrench, get the car on the ground with handbrake wrenched up tight and wheels blocked before you try to break that nut loose. It's never pretty when a car comes off the jack stands off schedule.

I loosened my axle nut as Allen describes: 1/2" breaker bar under the oppressive weight of one mid-sized MGB owner. Don't use a 1/2" ratchet handle unless you wanted to throw it away anyway.
Matt Kulka

Matt,
Thanks for correcting me on that. For one thing, you raise a serious safety issue. I was rather presuming that Dave would have to resort to putting the wheels on the ground, but that's not exactly what I said and I need correcting. It's amazing what even those of us with less than Herculean strength can do, given a long enough bar. I remember trying to loosen a differential flange nut once by this method, and though I don't boast about my strength (I stay out of dark alleys!), using a long pipe for an extension, I actually lifted the rear end of my '76 B off the ramps (which I never use otherwise) with the pipe, and the flange nut still wouldn't turn. My impact wrench couldn't touch it. That's one time when I just gave up. ' Just started checking the rear end a little more often!

Allen Bachelder

My method is to use a name brand breaker bar with a 1" iron pipe cheater of 6-foot length (yes, six feet). I went to the local iron supply yard and got a 2"x2"x1/4" piece of angle iron six feet long. In this I drilled several holes for various projects as-required. The pertinent hole for this is the one for the wheel lug (or drum fixing bolt in the case of the wire wheel hub) The road wheel is removed, car on jack-stand, angle iron attached to lug and snugged down. Wheel rotated until angle iron bears on next lug then tighten lug nut and affix hand-brake. 200+# at 5-feet is in excess of 1000lb-ft. Never had a problem yet.

Mike!
mike!

This thread was discussed between 19/07/2004 and 27/07/2004

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