1971 MG Midget Rear Wheel Bearing Replacement

This video shows the removal and and installation of the rear hub, inner seal, wheel bearing, O-ring, and paper gasket on a 1971 MG Midget.
I should have noted that you should drain the gear oil from the differential before starting this job, or some will pour out when you pull the half shaft out.
The kit used is part number: GHK1143
Purchased from: MGOC Spares
Link: www.mgocspares.co.uk/cgi-bin/...
All parts installed and fit correctly, like the originals.
If you watch the video, you may notice that part way through the hub nut changes from the original one that the previous owner removed and installed with a cold chisel, to a brand new one. This is because when I followed the first torque values of 150 ft.lb that I found on several forum pages the nut began to strip at what I estimate to be around 100 ft.lb. So I stopped, removed the nut, cleaned up the axle threads and bought a new nut.
The new nut was installed, and torqued to 80 ft.lb, and the new lock washer was bent over. I also used red Loctite 277 on the nut as an additional measure as I have no intentions of ever disassembling this hub ever again. The car will likely never see more than 1000km/year for the rest of it's life.
I am not a mechanic, so use this information at your own risk.
Hopefully it's helpful to someone.

[@rogerking7258]

I literally just did this job on my Frogeye yesterday afternoon, along with fitting new drums and shoes. Job went smoothly, but I'm intrigued by the packing of the bearing with grease. Obviously, it's normal & essential practice with unsealed ball and roller race bearings, but in this case the unsealed bearing is exposed to the rear axle oil. When I stripped the bearings out all the grease had long since been flushed out by this oil, but the bearings were nevertheless still well coated in oil and in not bad condition. I have an original 1958 works manual for the car and it mentions that the axle oil can reach the bearing so I can only assume that this is a satisfactory long term lubricant for it. I did nevertheless pack the new bearing with grease in the conventional manner so that there would be lubricant there until the axle oil found its way along to the end of the axle casing. I fit the seal with a special rubber lubricant (not rubber grease) that makes it almost possible to push them in by hand. I then lay the old seal on top of it before tapping in with a large socket (it's just a little protection for the rubber from the steel socket).The lubricant is made for fitting suspension bushes and the like and it really excellent because it goes off in the absence of air meaning that the seal is firmly held once fitted. It used to be an embarrassing product to order because it was called "rubber lube" and you always got a lot of innuendo from the supplier when you said what you wanted. Fortunately, they changed the name; unfortunately they changed it to "bush lube". They couldn't have made things any worse if they'd tried! If "bush lube" means nothing stateside, look it up for the British meaning.

[@jameswelsh5672]

Absolutely fabby information.

[@sierrafoxtrotgolf3638]

Another informative video. Thanks!

[@roselh1]

Nice job!

[@jplacroix461]

Great video thank you!

[@mandog8061]

Very good and easy to follow video. Good for MGA as well!

[@midgetmakeover]

Happy to hear it was useful.

[@patmohney2486]

Great video! Thank you!

[@midgetmakeover]

Thanks for watching.

[@danbowman1637]

Great video. Thank you!

[@midgetmakeover]

Glad you liked it!

[@jeremyclarke4883]

thanks. I can use the same process for my MGA.

[@azz902011]

Ive currently just done my rear hub bearings. I felt everything went far too easily (I don't mean that in a good way 😅). I didn't need to press the bearing into the hub it just pressed in with my thumbs. I didn't though use the washer trick so I'm going to go back and see if it's all sealed correctly. Great video that I'm sure I'll be watching again

[@midgetmakeover]

I think I’d be looking for replacement hubs. The bearings shouldn’t go in quite that easily. Maybe someone more experienced than me has an opinion. Good luck with your car!

[@connorhodge2449]

I’m also in the process of taking apart the rear hubs for the brake adjusters. When taking the backing plate off of the axel. What side is the bolt holding the backing plate on? And what size is the socket please? Did you film this bit? Thanks !

[@mike130557]

Thanks for a very informative video! I’m doing the half shafts on a 1973 Midget with wire wheels, so most of what you showed here is the same and I will, hopefully, get everything back together properly! One question, what grease did you pack the bearing with?

[@midgetmakeover]

That's just high temperature wheel bearing grease. It just happened to be red.

[@mgbgtguy]

@@midgetmakeover My question is, why did you pack the bearing with grease? It gets lubed by the gear lube from the axle housing.

[@midgetmakeover]

@@mgbgtguy I read as much as I could find on the subject before I began and found several suggestions that it couldn’t hurt. I hope never to see those bearings again, and figured a little extra lube could only be a good thing.

[@jimmygeorge8955]

Great info! Thank you - QUESTION: you mention at 14:13ish that you flattened the lock washer. What does that mean and how did you do it?

[@midgetmakeover]

The lock washer goes behind the hub nut and gets bent on one side to stop the nut from spinning off. To remove the nut you must first flatten the lock washer so the nut can be turned.

What's the reason to grease the bearing with grease, wouldn't it be lubricated by the differential oil? I know it's not much but I wonder how the mix of bearings grease and EP90 differential oil would be. Very nice and clear presentation almost exactly the same as my Morris Minor

[@midgetmakeover]

Thanks for taking a look. I read as much as I could find before starting and several posts included this step. So far so good. Good luck with your project.

[@lightowler111]

I missed the bit where you put the 'O' ring on

[@midgetmakeover]

Hi, I mention and show it at around 10:52, and you can see it in place just after that. The “O” ring pushes on very easily. Good luck with your project.

[@windmill1965]

Interesting video. I have to do the similar job, but on an MGB. Would it be easier to cool down the new seal and bearing in the freezer overnight? And mount them when they are cold?

[@midgetmakeover]

I wouldn't put a plastic/rubber seal in the freezer and then pound on it. It's not difficult to drive in the new bearing or seal when they are at room temperature. Just go slowly and make small adjustments to keep it all straight/level as you go.

[@windmill1965]

@@midgetmakeover Thank you for your reply. I ended up doing the job in a car shop, where I could use their press. I didn't use the "freezer trick".

[@johnwessels2932]

that half shaft looks remarkedly dry...

[@garthtomlinson2570]

Great video. What sizes of sockets did you use?

[@midgetmakeover]

I bought a four large-socket set on Amazon which included one for the hub nut. The outer diameter of your socket is more important though, so it matches the race as closely as possible while still being slightly smaller so it lets you drive the bearing or seal all the way in.

[@lightowler111]

Hi at 4.15 what is the size of that socket thanks

[@afhostie]

What was the discrepancy with the torque rating? Was the manual incorrect?

[@midgetmakeover]

It may have been correct, but I found several comments online about successfully using a lower torque value. Also, they sell a wrench for this nut that folks use and I can’t see how torque could be measured with that tool. I was happy with the lower number and a new nut with perfect threads. Maybe if the axle was new, and the nut was new it could take the torque value listed in the manual. I’ve been driving the car for a year and the wheel hasn’t fallen off so I’m confident this will work for me. Mine isn’t a race car. Good luck with your project.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

Curious why you ordered parts from mgocspares rather than US sources such as Moss?

[@midgetmakeover]

I order parts from both. Depends on price, availability, shipping, and exchange rate.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

@@midgetmakeover Thanks. I also deal with BPNorthwest and northwestimportparts.

[@leerobertson6940]

140 ft lbs is for the pinion nut not the hub nut. Hub nuts should not need anymore than around 60 ft lbs

[@midgetmakeover]

Thanks for the comment Lee. It certainly seemed like 80 ft lbs was plenty to me and others don’t even measure the torque for these and just guess. Some guys don’t even use the lock washer and just rely on thread locker. I used both.