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MG MGB Technical - front end clonk!

Been restoring my 74 for several years now...(had it since it was a baby...) and running out of things to do...But finally finshed entire front end...new swivels...springs...dampers...all bushing...bearings...crossmember...you name it...eveything...but it still has a front end clonk when you put on the brake sometimes...and the only thing left I can think of are the rims...thier original spokes...and the splines and hubs seem fine...but am I barking up the right tree?...Anyone?...
pete

Pete, unless you have some hidden loose socket or such down in one of the front fenders it does sound like it's probably a loose spline. For a good photo of what good and worn splines look like I suggest Barney Gaylord's site at http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/wheels/wl104.htm
Bill Young

Pete. Bob Muenchausen asked this question some time ago and it should be in the archives. Very extensive list of what could cause a front end clonk, including loose brake pads.

Les
Les Bengtson

Hi

I remember the thread Les is talking about. It is worth searching for.
It helped me sort out my clunking problem.
I replaced the front brake clips (although they appeared to be ok) and problem solved.

Bruce
Bruce Mills

It might be the same as my clonck. Gone now , but not forgotten.
Mystified me for years, checked everything, even replaced the brake calipers and disks (a volvo upgrade).
Then I replaced the front bearings. As part of the process I had to re-shim the middle spacer. This I did and low and behold, the clunk went away. The spacing must have been a little too loose, and the bearings were able to move a tiny fraction of an inch, hence clonk.
In case you were not aware (I wasn't until I had to do it) inside the wheel hub there is a large cone shaped spacer between the inner and the outer bearing, and on the end of the spacer, just before the outer bearing, are some shims. The idea is that you shim the inner spacer so that the bearings are held precisely, with no movement. There are three shim sizes and you shuffle around various numbers and combinations of these until you feel the dry clean bearing just starts to bind. A moderately time consuming process of undoing the nut, taking out the outer bearing putting in the next thickness stack of shims and so forth. ie combinations like…..one thick, one middle and one thinnest ….or one thick, no middle size and three thinnest,.. etc.
After you feel the bearing just start to bind (be careful!) Then you substitute a stack/combination of shim sizes that is the next minimum possible thickness up. If you do it right , no more cluck. The always reliable Paul Hunt has a web page on the process. He might chime in here perhaps.

You can get the shims at most MG places. You won’t need any of the thickest ones, just a couple of the middle size and smallest. With what you already have on the car, that should be enough.. If you are thinking that this might be a good time to replace the bearings, a useful thing to know is that the inner, hard to change bearing, almost never ever wears out. The cone shape of the inner hub spins grease down onto it all the time. The outer bearing, the really easy one to replace, is the one that tends to dry out and wear.
Peter

Gentlemen...

thx for the splendid comments...I've touched everything in the front end BUT never played around with the shims...aside from preserving the order and cleaning and greasing...and I will give it a shot...its been a constant little gremlin...otherwise I'll give the hub a shot...although the shims are a whole lot less expensive...

I'm running out of things to do on this car...it's nearly perfect again...and runs better than ever...with 94000 miles...I'll have to get another one...had my eye on a '67 gt6 triumph...thats been in dry storage since 74...

Best regards to all...this is great site for we mg addicts...what a resource...

pete...
pete

Paul must be busy scoffing easter eggs

http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/


click on 'Spanners' left hand side
contents
steering and suspension
front bearing end float
Peter

Hi Folks:

I had front end clunks with my 67B, and after numerious attempts to correct, I found my problem(s).
* Clunk with V8 bushings, found out you can't use the original thrust washer without modification. Had to open the washer hole diameter to allow washer to nest against shoulder of V8 bushings. Problem was resolved. I didn't like the feel of the V8 bushing, so I installed Moss black poly bushings.
* Had clunks with poly bushings and found that the Moss bushings had an undersize shoulder thickness; added additional shins on bushing shoulder, and now no clunks. The poly bushings make for a bumpy ride, but that is the nature of sports cars.

Good Luck: Rich Boris 67 B roadster
Rich Boris

hello ive got a front end clonk when its left hand down in full lock .ive replaced all the bushes and has it checked on a ramp but i cant find the problem .theres no marks on the tyer and wheels thanks daren
daren

Daren, I had the same noise in my front end, a clonk only when I rolled forward on full left steering lock. Upon inspection, I noticed the nuts and bolts holding the wishbone pivot were almost completely unscrewed. I tighten them fully and all has been fine for the past three years.
Robert Stafford

This thread was discussed between 06/04/2007 and 15/04/2007

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