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MG MGB Technical - Wiper arms

As I was cleaning the windshield, I raised the right wiper arm (74B) and it came off in my hand. It seems that I just need to replace it on the ridged spindle. I don't see any set screws or other retaining mechanisms. Am I missing something or can I just put it back on and tap it down?

Dan
Dan Hiltz

Usually no screw, just a spring-clip inside the socket that engages the back of the splined section as it is pushed on. Doesn't seem much, and they are easy to remove, but (so far ...) I've not had one fly off in use in 30 years and 200k.
paulh4

Thanks Paul. I'll need to make sure the clip is still there.
Dan Hiltz

By the hinge and spring in the attached.


paulh4

Paul, the arm you show is immediately obviously a genuine wiper arm.
The "genuine TEX" arms that I have seen (and regrettably purchased) don't replicate the original fine spline that mates accurately to the drive spindle spline. Rather it's a cop-out block form pattern, which I presume is easier to manufacture. So I think they aim for them to work by means of friction binding, with the clip stopping them from falling off.
Unfortunately the dimensions of the wiper arm hubs that I have come across so far are made too large. As a result the union between the drive spindle and the arm is pretty wonky, and you can easily lose the arms. (I think I lost about four of them).

In the first photo, the middle arm is an original arm, and either side are (ahem) "genuine TEX" wiper arms.
In the second photo where I have measured the TEX and original arms, the original arm is at the bottom of the photo (assuming they load the correct way round for me this time). Even to a cursory glance the TEX arm hubs are dimensionally larger than the originals. This is confirmed on measuring.

When I pointed out this issue to TEX, their response was "If you don't like our arms we suggest you buy from our Chinese competitors". Surely customer service and product quality control at their very finest. Is it any surprise the British motor industry imploded on itself?






T Aczel

As soon as I looked at the image (did that before reading all the text) I could see that the middle one was the same as mine, I'm surprised the one on the left even rotates and the one on the right isn't much better.

Tex is the same as Magnatex and I have a note from somewhere that they were used for a period 'instead of Lucas' from Dec 68 to Feb 69 - maybe they were rubbish then as well!

We live in a world of crap parts. I replaced the steering rack on my roadster in January with an exchange rebuilt in preference to the new outright from Argentina as I have read of so many problems with those. But at the annual test they gained the same advisory of 'both inner joints worn' as the previous rack after just 1500 miles and seven months and with the TREs on they just flop down under their own weight. In discussion with the supplier of that at the moment. There have been a spate of complaints just recently, for my part a new lighting switch didn't work out of the box until dismantled and cleaned, headlamp sub-harnesses had bullets that were totally incompatible with the harness connectors, and two felt pads for the drop glasses were shown in the detailed image but only one supplied. Those three all from Moss Europe.
paulh4

Just a word about the Argentine racks. I have replaced the originals on both the midget and the B with the Staco/Lacum racks. They have over 100,000 miles each on them and are still tight like new. They also weigh about 1/2 what the originals do.

I have found them to be an excellent upgrade for both cars, which are driven regularly on long highway journeys.
Glenn Mallory

It's refreshing to read Glenn that the aftermarket Sth American steering racks are good. I have had such a long series now of aftermarket parts disappointments that wherever possible I will endeavour to keep my original parts and have them refurbished. I've done this now with both steering racks on my MGB and my MGA. master cylinders for both cars too. fuel pump for one, though the SU pumps seen pretty good; I have a new non-points one on my MGB.

If you look at the first wiper arm, they have even drilled it off-centre. So even if the arm stayed on (except it didn't!), the arm would operate in a slightly eccentric arc.

A couple of other examples of after-market parts issues:
1) A timing chain tensioner (Rolon brand) that failed within 1500 miles. The rubber pad was held on by a circular dollop of glue applied to just a part of the pad. The adhesive probably covered at best 30% of the rubber pad's surface area. Since the rubber pad doesn't overlap the blade's edges one can anticipate a high incidence of failures, which I later discovered is indeed the case. And even though the fault is now well known, they still keep making the part in exactly the same way.
2) Just unnecessarily and avoidably annoying: a rocker (aka valve) cover MG logo plate. The lettering is obviously very different from the original and the rivet holes are the wrong size and in the wrong location. If you drill the holes eccentrically you can make them the right size and in the correct location. But still the plate will look different to the original.
I hate this "near enough is good enough" attitude.

Like most of us, I have other examples too. But I can only load two photos at a time.






T Aczel

JP Hall in Australia had what seemed to be an Argentinian rack with masses of play at the passenger end because there was no bush. People on the MGOC forum have had that play at the pinion end because the damper was assembled incorrectly.
paulh4

The Rolon chain tensioners have become a dirty word on the Triumph Dolomite board that I also inhabit. The 1850 and Sprint slant engines all use this type of slipper chain tensioner and several engines have been damaged by the Rolon pad coming off. When I stripped my 1850 a couple of years ago the original tensioner pad had two grooves in it as you might expect, but all the Dolomite people said just put it back. It will last for many years of normal use.
Mike Howlett

Did the same with my 'original' (to a Gold Seal engine) Renold, 30 years and 60k in my ownership.


paulh4

This thread was discussed between 13/09/2023 and 20/09/2023

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