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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Putting Quarter-Elliptics Back

Has it got two Ls? Anyway, that's where I am now, and amazingly the spring, with the keep on the top, went in!!

Not having much luck finding the keep with the two bolts, though.
Nick and Cherry Scoop

Do your 2 bolts have pointy ends ? It does help. You also need to use a thin flat bladed something, slid in along the top of the spring to hold the keep down against the spring.

I also used a longer bolt in the first hole, as it was easier to engage the thread in the keep and then use this to pull the keep down hard enough for the second, correct length bolt, to start. I think the temporary bolt l used was a front damper mounting one.
GuyW

Pointy ends. Brilliant: I will give them pointy ends. It also occurred to me, as I was slicing onions and peppers just now, that I could have used a smaller diameter bolt to get me in the right ballpark, because it's always difficult working by feel, isn't it? Though I do find that your 'feel intelligence' improves as you go on with it.

As a naturally clean and tidy person, I also find it hard working with components generously covered in grease.

Thanks, Guy.
Nick and Cherry Scoop

Nick, try shutting your eyes as well, when doing things by feel.

That may sound like a joke, but it is true! Reducing the unused sensory visual input helps to focus on what you are attempting by feel. You will very likely do this naturally anyway - but now you know why!
GuyW

I lined up the keep with a screwdriver which just fitted through the spring and keep.I then found I could engage a bolt (not pointy!) I also tightened the u bolt just enough to hold the keep but allowing the spring to move.
Bob Beaumont

I hope you are using anti seize with your assembly. It is very difficult to remove those bolts when rusted.
J Bubela

Bob, I went straight for the pointy bolt solution, but I admire your method - try this, try that, little bit more here, slack off there. It's important to stay relaxed and allow the brain to work, especially when lying uncomfortably in a cold garage and getting frustrated.

That's the theory, as yet untested in practice.

JB - yes, I emerge from my garage covered in gloop these days. Dismantling was black muck with rusty bits in; re-assembly is gloop, but clean gloop.
I tore up a whole heap of 18" square rags before Christmas, and I'm going through them fast.
Nick and Cherry Scoop

Glad your fixed Nick. I have replaced the springs quite a few times on various Frogs over the years and sort of got a feel for it so to speak. I guess I was being lazy and could not be bother to grind a point although If I recall the original factory bolts had a little bit of lead on them so perhaps I wasn't being so skilled as I thought!!
Bob Beaumont

This thread was discussed between 11/01/2018 and 14/01/2018

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