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MG MGB Technical - Rear end bumper rubbers

Hi again,

Whilst greasing my rear springs I noticed that the rear axle bump rubbers were missing. When I went to replace them I found that the plate on the car they attach to
and the hole in the rubber were of significantly different sizes. As the rubber is quite hard and the hole quite small I can't see how to get the rubber over the fitting.

The photos are roughly to the same scale, so you can see the problem of getting that hole over the round head of the fitting, which, by the way, is welded to the chassis.

Has any one done this and can give some tips?

Thanks

Herb

Herb Adler

Herb. I used some silicone grease on the metal studs before installing the rubber pieces. The rubber pieces were heated in water to just below the boiling point of the water, quickly removed (wear gloves) and installed on the metal posts. I have a common screwdriver with the blade end rounded and polished (so it will not dig into the rubber) and use it when installing rubber parts which need to be installed into holes/over posts.

Les
Les Bengtson

Clean up the stud, lubricate with something that doesn't eat rubber. Measure the gap between the axle and the rubber and get a block that will fill the gap. Put the rubber in position and jack the axle up so the rubber is supporting the car's weight. Might take a few minutes sitting, but it will pop on.

FRM
FR Millmore

Fletcher - like it!
PaulH Solihull

Thanks guys, now I have some ideas about how to do it.

Herb
Herb Adler

That's the way that I did mine in fact I think I used a bottle jack between the axle and the end of the rubber. I certainly can't remember any difficulties with the job.
Iain MacKintosh

Hi,

Well I tried the suggestion of letting the weight of the car pop the rubber on. Unfortunately it didn't work. The rubber has an impression of the mounting stud, but after leaving it sitting with the car's weight on it for 15 odd hours nothing happened.
Inspecting the rubber more closely shows that the inside circumference is about the same as the stud's head, so there is nowhere for the rubber lip to "distort" to to allow it to slip on.

Next I will try with a conical adaptor over the stud, such that it will force the hole in the rubber to expand and, hopefully, slip over the stud head.

Herb

Herb Adler

I replaced these on my 77 Roadster about 8 yrs ago.I smared a light coat of brake fluid on the stud placed the rubber at a small angle on the stud,and while pushing up with a screwing action turned the rubber until it slipped on.


Hart
Hartley Mayers

Hi,
After having tried all the suggestions, I still got nowhere. After thinking about it a while I decided that I needed a tool that would expand the rubber over the metal stud. Well I had a cone turned up, as below, making sure that the recess in the top is just big enough to locate on the holding stud, to retain its correct location whilst the rubber is being pushed on. It worked a treat, after several axle movements up and down. A photo collage is attached showing all. (I hope)

edited to add

P.S. When you do this be very careful when fitting the extraction strap that you don't get it around the brake line or handbrake cable, only around the axle.

Herb

Herb Adler

This thread was discussed between 21/01/2011 and 26/02/2011

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