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MG MGB Technical - Read Diff - Fixed Knock

Well, I'had Steve's thread and others comments printed out for a year now and finally with the help of an English friend, put in thrust washers and fiber washers this weekend.
The thread was perfect to walk us through the process.
The trick of using 2 sockets length wise wedged between hub and bearing housing worked great for pulling the half axel. Got it pulled to within about 1/8", then a soft mallet against the back of the hub brought it on out.
For ametures like me, you should have 2 fiber waskers and 2 copper looking thrust washers. When you look inside diff, their are four small gears, two top and bottom, two side to side. The fiber washers go behind the sides gears, thrust washers behind top and bottom gears.
We put our finger behind main pin and rotated the end available to us to the top at last point we could tap on it. Put a small ~7/16 socked on top of pin to be able to tap it down and get it started. One of us held our finger behind big pin in back and held the socket with the other tapped. This let us know we wouldn't get the darn thing trapped in casing. We were able to tap about 1 inch of large pin out back side and still have finger behind it. Rotated it around, put a punch through the hole we knocked the roll pin out of and removed the larger pin safely.
Put side gears in first with new fiber washers behind them. Then took a small film of gease and applied to thrust washers to stick them to planet gears top and bottom to help keep parts together as we rolled them in place. Missed the bottom gear holes line-up by one tooth on first try, but rolled evrything back out slowly to adjust bottom gear by one tooth. When rolling the gears back out, need to hold top gear so it doesn't slip out of position.
We found left fiber washer missing completely, other fiber wash 1/3 tickness of new. Found both thrust washers 1/3 thickness of new. Once we got everything back together, the gears all moved very smoothly and looked good. Total job took about 4 hrs. Broke the rear brake line that ran over top of diff, it was very rusted. We to Auto zone and they had in stock British brake line 51# length with end connectors already in place. Good thing line broke, it definitely needed replaced anyways.
Job well done, knock is completely got and I am very happy.
Could not have done it without the tech board.
Thanks so much gentlemen for you time to post all these tricks in common language us ametuers can understand.

Best regards,
Doug
DT Toms

Good to hear you fixed the clunk. Good explanation of how you did it.

Clifton
Clifton Gordon

Rear Diff

Just wanted to say that so that once this thread is archived I can find it with a search! Your title of read diff means it could just disappear with some valuable information!

Cheers
Iain
67 BGT
I D Cameron

Doug-
Note my comments on Geoff's thread, "MGB Back axle"
FRM
FR Millmore

Sounds very familiar. I just did this two days ago! Every time I put the spider gears back in I am off by one tooth also. :)
Steve Simmons

Great post. Do you think you could have done it on your own? I need to do the same thing and am wondering if I can hack it by myself.
Philip

You can do it alone. there is no room for a second set of hands in there anyway.
Steve Simmons

I think it makes it easier to have 2 people. If your mechanically inclined, sure by all means. If your an ametuer, I would get the threads posted, pictures and an extra set of hands to help tap, pull 1/2 axel etc.
Best regards,
Doug
DT Toms

Doug- An effort worthwhile, eh? I'm surprised we don't hear from a slog of MGers on this subject. The difference in driving and sound was huge for me. I've now completed all 4 cars and "the clunk" is something I readabout here, with a satisfied smile. Cheers, Vic
vem myers

I cheated and went to my very good friend Dave Pymmes garage on a Saturday. Getting the pin that the spider gears live out, and back in was not easy. I have seen posts where it has been done with the car on axle stands but I do not see how I could do it that way.
Stan Best

Yes, a good job to get done. This job was put on-hold since last year. The results were great and no clucking! I traded my skills to replace my British friends breaker box in his house for help with the differential. It was a great deal for both of us and the "B" is more ready than ever for a fun summer together :-)
Also a good excuse for me and my buddy to spend the day turning wrenches and having a couple cans od good Old Speckled Hen draft in the can!

Best regards,
Doug
DT Toms

This thread was discussed between 02/04/2007 and 08/04/2007

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