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MG MG Y Type - Parts quality

Like many of us I am sure I have moans about the quality of replacement parts. It seems to me that rubber parts are particularly bad nowadays as they seem to last for no time at all. Even for modern cars track rod end dirt seals are, in my experience, failing quicker than the joints themselves. This never used to happen. This has caused a real problem for me during the front end rebuild of my YB which is just coming to an end (though I don't know when I will get a chance to drive it under the present lockdown conditions). I replaced all the rubber items on the front suspension 18 months ago and have now noticed that the vertical trunnion seals are totally unserviceable despite the car having not even turned a wheel since their fitting. They came from one of the usual suppliers who I often buy parts from and am unwilling to go back to them as I'd rather not go through a strip down every two years. I also suspect they all get their parts from the same source so can anybody tell me where to go to get replacements which will last? Perhaps someone out there who has good ones which they replaced in the last couple of years could tell me where they got them from. I would attach photos but the system will handle the pictures from my camera as the files are too large.
regards
Ian
ian thomson

Octagon Car Club supply good quality rubber parts to members, but they are in partial shutdown at present.

Stay safe

Tony
A L SLATTERY

Well I tusselled with difficulties of uploading pictures and if you are reading this I have succeeded. Remember these trunnion seals were brand new 18 months ago and the car hasn't turned a wheel since then. Thanks for your recommendation Tony but, as I said, these came from one of the usual suppliers. I feel I may have to get replacements from outside of the UK as I suspect all the UK suppliers may get them from the same source and stripping the front suspension unnecessarily is something I would like to avoid. I assume that TF/TD and MGB parts are the same.
regards
Ian





ian thomson

I can clearly see why you are disappointed - very poor.

Cheers

Tony
A L SLATTERY

I am resurrecting this thread in something close to anger at the rubber quality available nowadays. I replaced the trunnion seals in the above images with NEW seals from a different source 6 months ago, I repeat: Six months ago, and now I have got back to re-checking them they are just as bad. One of them was not replaced due to a seized sleeve and on getting the UNUSED seal out of it's plastic bag to fit now I have replaced the seized parts I find that the seal is starting to split. I am now at a loss as to what to do especially as replacing the bottom one is a rather big job requiring freeing off of the backplate to give clearance for the trunnion to come off. I don't relish doing this job every year until I find some rubber which lasts. I have got the seals from reliable sources, the usual suspects, but suspect that they all come from the same source anyway.

Ian
ian thomson

Ian,
a few of us have been moaning about piss-poor parts quality for years including rubbish rubber.

I make myself very unpopular by laying much of the blame with classic owners, many of them want cheap parts and have fuelled the race to the bottom. Some don't notice or care because they so rarely use their vehicles - but as you've found even static the parts determinate.

Even when offered better (than the crap ones) quality parts the crap parts outsell the better by multiplies, just ask the seller.

There's been a general race to the bottom with groups of counties thinking they're taking advantage of another country and are now learning it was always the other way round (and we've all contributed including me).

6 months to cracking is about right, how long they last with use is another matter and the more use the quicker.

My first set of steering rack gaiters lasted 6 months of very light use, the next set 4.5 years before splitting, crazing started within 6-9 months.

Its the same for other parts too (and on modern cars), the situation got so bad with some electrical parts that things were forced to improve (not to original standards though).

A chap on the B section started a list of piss poor parts and rubbish rubber but few others wanted to know.

6 months of piss poor rubbish rubber, here's just one example (yes, rust!, the car is used and sits outside 365/6). -


Nigel Atkins

Hi all,
here's one from me too. Front king pin, lower knuckle.
Sort of like June, "busting out all over."

One day, I'll work out which way is up.

regards KG




K G Mills

I'll ask Declan Burns if he has any contacts or products still like this as IIRC he has some rubber stuff specially made, not cheap (to buy) rubbish like this.

For the photos at wrong orientation I always suspect an i-can't-phone has been used or other portable device, possibly with device at wrong orientation when taking the photo (held at portrait instead of landscape(?) or upside down(?)) but I don't know as I've managed to avoid these particular electronic items.





Nigel Atkins

Aw gee Nigel,

(And not to be taken seriously, if I may a little personal indulgence)...
I've only just worked out how to save it down to 2M.
And please don't laugh derisively, there are 3 slr's, various lenses and innumerable coupled range finders sitting on the shelf here gathering dust, but I have just acquired my first mobile phone. Damn thing keeps jumping around and re-orienting itself, but dis-orienting me in the process. It's an interesting learning curve. Been using email for decades, but quite an accomplishment for me to send the images to myself on my phone, and then post them here. Surprisingly easy process.

On a serious note, I really value this bulletin board for all sorts of reasons. Let's hope I can make a contribution myself on an occasion.

regards KG
K G Mills

KG,
you're well ahead of me I can't use my wife's (old) i-phone for taking photos it's beyond me, it doesn't like me and I don't like it. 😃

NOW - the good bit -

get yourself over to the T Series TD-TF section on here and the thread called 'Need new shock absorbers' for some good news.

Nigel Atkins

IAN,

see my previous post and have a look there.
Nigel Atkins

look here
i know Declan, he makes perfect parts

https://www.mgexp.com/forum/t-series-and-prewar-forum.46/new-kingpin-seal-design.4275843.4329069/page-2#msg-4329069

and if you want his parts we can make a parcel knob and seal in one parcel to sent it to Australia

i know him ;-)
FT Franz

I see Ian has already found Declan then. 😂
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 23/04/2020 and 04/05/2021

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