MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MG Y Type - Removal of studs from headlamp brackets

I have two Mazak brackets for my headlamps - with about 1/4 inch of stud left in them. Does any one have any idea how I can get them out please without damaging the Mazak?

Thanks

Paul
Paul Barrow

Paul - How are you at wood carving? If you can carve a saddle for the bracket to rest in out of hardwood, with a hole drilled right under the stud, you should be able to press the stud out with a press. I don't remember seeing a press in your well equipped garage (about the only thing I didn't see there) when we were there Sunday, so if you need to use one, I have one that we could use to get the stud out. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Hi David

No, you are right - no press. The studs (I think from memory so please correct me anyone) are threaded in. I am thinking the easiest route will be to have new threaded bar welded onto the stub and be done before they go off to chromers.

Any other ideas please?

Thanks

Paul Barrow

Paul - The only problem that I can see with welding a piece onto the remaining stud, would be the melting point of the Mazak. I don't know what that melting point might be, but if it is lower than the material being welded, the heat might cause some damage (note: just playing devil's advocate here). If the stud is threaded into the bracket, what about a stud removal tool to back it out? Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

I have a problem with my studs too. I'm afraid that the mazak thread corroded inside the moulding but not on the outer edges where it rests on the mudguard.
The stud now turns freely in the moulding, probably with a clump of corrosion on it which prevents extracting; very frustrating indeed because I know that when they come out my bracket is ruined?
Willem van der Veer

I had this problem a while back - in the end I managed to drill out the remains of the stud and put in a new thread then cut off the top bit and filed it to shape so that it did not show too much!!!

Good luck!
David Mullen

Willem - Once you get the stud out, if all the threads are destroyed, get a recoil kit from Uni-Thread <http://www.uni-thread.com/> and repair the threads. I suspect that the stud is a common size such as 1/4 BSF, in which case you have the kit available for other threads that get damaged. Good luck - Dave
David DuBois

Mazak, aka potmetal, melts around 700-750F. If you try to weld near this stuff, it is likely to vanish. Also, the corrosion products often contain free water, which may explode when heated. It is sometimes possible to weld a piece on a stud in this situation, IF the mazak bit can be kept submerged in water while you weld the stud on. This is tricky with a short protrusion. If you succeed, the stud is likely to be loose afterwards, and will unscrew (or fall out!)
FRM
FR Millmore

If the remains of the studs do not turn, you could try drilling a small hole down the centre of each stud, and then using a reverse thread "Easi-out", or simply drilling progressively larger holes upto the thread minor diameter, and then retapping the thread. Alternatively, if you have a toolmaking firm locally that has spark eroding facilities, you could try persuading them to spark-erode away the remnants of the studs. You will then need to retap, or use "Helicoils".
Roger Wilson

This thread was discussed between 24/08/2005 and 26/08/2005

MG MG Y Type index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MG Y Type BBS now