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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Installing spindle bushes in HIF44

Has anyone installed spindle bushes at home?

As I understand it the original carb has no bush so you need to drill for the bushes and getting them in line is, of course, critical. Has anyone done this at home, how did you get on?

Thanks
Jeremy Cogman

Firstly with my HIF6 the wear was mainly on the brass spindle and a new spindle took up most of the wear and did not need rebushing.

I did a set of H4's for a mate some years ago and from memory (poor !) the drill size was an unusual size so had to order exact size.

I did them on a lathe using the new spindle through the existing (to take up most of the wear) to set the spindle in line - by chucking one end in the headstock and other in tailstock and then packing to height / clamping to carriage.
Unfortunately for a reason I cannot remember I had to drill one end - remove from lathe - fit the bush and set up again with the new spindle for the second bush. It all worked out very well in the end.
If I did it again I may even try a small inline boring bar instead.

Another thing I made a stepped drift to insert the bushes but they were not overly tight and this was probably overkill.

richard b

Don't they take spindle seals? On the HS6 I replaced the spindle and added valve stem oil seals on the body.
f pollock

There is a DIY method described in detail on the ChicagolandMG forum for doing this. Sorry, l don't have the URL on my phone but you could Google for it.

Like Richard l found almost all of the wear To be on the brass spindle on mine and replacing that was sufficient.
GuyW

Back home now, and have located that ChicagoLandMG link. Worth reading as an interesting repair excercise even if you don't then do it this way!
http://www.chicagolandmgclub.com/driveline00/1001/jasw.html

Couple of other pages that might be of interest:
http://www.chicagolandmgclub.com/techtips/mgb/152.html

and:
http://www.chicagolandmgclub.com/photos/hif_carb/

GuyW

It can be done at home, I have done it on my HS2s, using a kit from burlen, which requires an 8 mil reamer.
Its obviously better done on a lathe, but I managed to rig up a couple of steel supports to support the reamer.
The new spindle required a good lot of rubbing down with wet and dry to get a good fit in the bushes. Great care must be taken to exactly centre the throttle disks to prevent air leaks.
As I say, it can be done, but its not for the feint hearted, and if it goes wrong you are in for new carbs.


Dave Barrow

A picture of my homemade jig I found a piece of steel rod that exactly fitted the holes in the carbs to line everything up before reaming. Great care has to be taken not to disturb anything.

Dave Barrow

This thread was discussed on 06/03/2018

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