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MG TD TF 1500 - Arnolt Heater Mounted Too Low

Today I test-fit an Arnolt heater in my TF using the original-type Arnolt mount slipped onto the rear lip of the battery compartment. The heater is too low.
It sits against the gearbox cover and the dipstick cover.

> How can I raise it?
> Is this the normal position for the heater?

Details:

The front of the heater box is vertical.

The battery box was replaced last year as part of the restoration. It appears to be in the right position.

Although the toeboard is not in place, the gearbox cover is in the correct location. The front of the gearbox cover is resting on a 3/8" strip of wood between the chassis rails to simulate the thickness of the floorboards. The mounting holes for the cover are over the corresponding holes in the floorboard supports. The rear of the cover is clamped to the front of the propshaft tunnel.

Thanks for your help and insight,

Lonnie
TF7211

Top photo:
Front of heater box and mount.

Bottom photo:
Rear of the heater box sitting on gearbox cover and dipstick cover.





LM Cook

Here's another picture of the heater. Left side sitting on the gearbox cover. Mount on the lip of the battery box.

The carpet and thick padding on the gearbox cover have not yet been installed.

Lonnie
TF7211

LM Cook

Well it looks like this TF one sits in the same place. But it even has some sort of bracket that fits over the transmission tunnel if I am seeing this correctly.

See TF6793 on the TF site



Christopher Couper

Could it be that there is a different mounting bracket for a TD and TF? I don't have my Arnolt installed at the moment, but I recall that I had no trouble checking the gearbox dipstick. The bottom of the heater was not in contact with the carpet. I'll try to do a 'dry' install tomorrow and see what the TD mount shows. Bud
Bud Krueger

Chris - that's the most practical way to mount the heater, but it's not very pretty.

Bud - Good point. I checked to see how much the heater can be raised ... not much. One of the supply tubes is very close to the bottom of the battery box. When the hose is attached, it may rub against the battery box.

The previous owner had mounted the heater, but removed it before I bought the car. She used two home-made brackets attached to the "H" support under the dash. I'll try to duplicate tomorrow.

>> I'm restoring two Arnolt heaters. One for me and one for the GOF-South silent auction April 22-25. Gotta make sure the they fit and that I can explain the way to mount in a TF.

https://www.gofsouth.org/

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

Lonnie. Your diagonal bracket isn’t original. It could be that if it was lengthen between the mounting holes you could lift the front of the heater box. . But that being said , you want it close to the carpet to prevent it from bouncing due to road vibrations. If the full weight is taken up by the brackets leverage will cause stress fractures around the mounting hole in the floor of the tool box. It may also be desirable to delete the Capet on the inspection cover to facilitate removal and will likely require you to remove the toolbox mounting bolt to check and add transmission oil
W A Chasser

Lonnie

I have the same heater with the original mounting brackets and the fit is the same as yours.

It does sit on the carpet of the gear box cover just like in the photo Chris posted.

However, the heater box doesn't interfere with the gear box refill cover plate.

Frank
TF1414
Frank Cronin

I did a 'dry' installation in my TD and Frank is right on. Image1 shows the area behind the heater with the small cover plate removed to show the refill area. The bottom of the heater is just touching the carpeting on the gearbox cover. There is enough room to remove the fill cover and access the dipstick and the fill plug. Bud




Bud Krueger

Thanks everyone for your input, and thanks to Frank for calling to discuss the details. It was exactly what I needed.

I had assumed that the heater box was suspended an inch or so above the carpet on the gearbox cover. Looks like mine sits about right.

I will use the black bracket in the photo plus I'll replace the temporary bar stock diagonal brace with a new one from channel stock on the heater that will be in the silent auction for GOF-South next month.

The diagonal brace will match the bracket in a photo that Bill Chasser sent to me.

I'll make a new bracket and brace for the heater that will go into my TF. I may make the top of the bracket about 1/4"+ deeper which will move the heater a little farther into the cockpit and away from the edge of the dipstick cover. The heater box currently brushes against the edge of the dipstick cover. This will test my abilities with a 110v flux-core welder!

Lonnie
TF7211


Top photo - my bracket and temporary diagonal brace.
Bottom photo - Bill Chasser's bracket and brace.





LM Cook

This thread was discussed between 09/03/2022 and 11/03/2022

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