Stub Axle Rebuild With Tapered Roller Bearings, Sprite & Midget

[@timbosinius3653]

Awesome video - just redid the front suspension of my MGB GT, which has some similarity with the Midget one. I wish I would have watched your video first. I measured the end-float on the car - doing it on the vice is much better. Thank you for the detailed instructions.

[@OrnumCR]

I remember working on these in the 1990’s as part of a team at an MG/Healey specialist. They could always be a challenge to dismantle if not well looked after, which seemed to be most of the time. Your mantra basically is, like ours was in our workshop-as we did restorations, was to always get your engineering correct first up. I always take my time with this stuff...that’s important. Get it right first time. Excellent video, bought back some interesting memories. These days I tend to work more on Jaguar product, but naturally, the principles are always the same.

[@ricko3k]

Great video. Comprehensive. Especially the use of the spacer and shim to take the loading off the bearings. Brilliant.

[@WHELDON74]

It's nice to see someone who knows what they are talking about working to the correct standards,

[@jptoro2007]

Excellent video. Just what I needed for my ‘70 midget. Thank you.

[@talonpilot]

I built almost the same setup a couple years ago. You did mention a few things that I did not do, so I will revisit on the next rebuild of them! Great video, thanks for the details!

[@minimania]

You're welcome!

[@tomminerich896]

Great video, very precise and complete. Can you please include where you can purchase the performance front axles. Thank you.

[@alexibrowable]

You have it the wrong way round. The shock resting on the bump stop is correct, the one off the bump stop has an issue.

[@timothyburchfield2220]

At what point in the video?

[@edkay272]

Cheers for that, I have a creeking coming from my front suspension so going to rebuild, I watched the start of this video and assumed mine were bad!

[@danbowman1637]

Nice video. Just what I was looking for. Thanks a lot!

[@rodshop5897]

Wait, what are you saying at 2:21 about the lever shocks being in bad condition if they let the lever arm go all the way down? Why would they design a lever shock that does not let the suspension travel the full distance? For that matter, of the 6 I've worked with, including new ones, they'v all allowed full travel.

[@emmajnation-emma]

RodShop Yes, exactly my thoughts. If the shock arm didn’t go all the way down, it wouldn’t need the bump stop!

[@edkay272]

I'm being told the same by the midget club as I assumed mine were bad after watching the video. That they are dampers so should be stiff to move by hand but having them all the way down with the spring is normal

[@Bristolcentaurus]

and to add to your comment the spring is captured at the top - the spring is going to try to decompress the only movement available is the a arm swings down pulling the lever down on to the stop the other side doesn't either the spring is weak or the pivots are seized

[@safwaanabed3394]

Please show how you install the calipers as well

[@johnjohnson-zp8gz]

nice - I enjoyed the good info

[@TheAdamwest29]

Why not use a little lube to help fit the bearing? The second/outer bearing press looked like it could use it?

[@has4896]

Super video Sir,,,more video's please Sir 👏👏👏👏👏👏💥💥💥💥💥💯

[@DiscWorld100]

Fantastic video! Very informative. I just have one question, I'm a little curios as to what paint was used on the stub axle and hub? It looks like has a very nice coat on it

[@rangersasc]

Great video

[@Solassurf]

Hi Tim thanks so

[@kynastonp]

Are the steering arms reversed (swapped left and right), all the ones i have seen go down at the front ,

[@minimania]

Good eye ...yeah, they're reversed. The BTA648 is the RH one, the BTA649 is the left and when installed the hole for the tie rod end does face downward slightly.

[@timothyburchfield2220]

Excellent and informative video. I just wish you had installed the dust shield in sequence instead of mentioning it at the end. Don't ask me why. :-)

[@alexibrowable]

You have it the wrong way round. The shock resting on the bump stop is correct, the one that's off the bump stop has an issue.

[@timothyburchfield2220]

@@alexibrowable What part of the video are you talking about? Can you give a time of the issue in question?

[@chevy3808]

Hi, I have a 1968 Austin Healey Sprite MKIV with the 1275cc. I am going to be rebuilding my front suspension like you are doing in this video. Replacing king pins, lower A arms and adding a stabilizer bar as my car does not have one and the A arms on the car do not have the holes for the stabilizer bar to mount to. I wanted to ask would you recommend getting the stub axles in this video. I believe the car has just regular ball bearing style wheel bearing which you say you could change over to roller style bearings? Thank you for making this video, it gives me a Good idea of what I will be expecting for this job!

[@minimania]

The stub axles in this video are much stronger than the OEM cast type as they are billet steel. Definitely an upgrade but not a necessity for a street car. However, the competition type axles are only about $40 more per side so I usually recommend them. You can still go to the tapered bearings using the stock stub axles and set them up the same way as explained in the video. If you're adding a stabilizer, I would buy new lower a-arms as new ones are pre-drilled for the stabilizer brackets and because it's almost impossible to unscrew the lower pivot pins from original a-arms that have been on cars since the 60/70's.

[@chevy3808]

A couple more questions I have are do the competition stub axles come with the wheel hubs and would I have to have the king pins reamed or do they already come reamed. How would you know if the leaver arm shocks is worn and needs to be replaced and lastly would you recommend replacing the springs or recondition them. I think everything is just about original except for the outer the rods because I replaced them and did a front end ailment. Thank you for answering my questions.

[@minimania]

The stub axles come reamed to fit the king pins - ready to install. They don't come with hubs. If the shocks are really easily to move by hand then they need a rebuild. The springs won't need replacing unless the lever shocks are shot and the car has been sitting for years on the coil springs alone.

[@chevy3808]

Could I use my original hubs or would you recommend getting new hubs along with the stub axles?

[@minimania]

I would use your stock hubs if they aren't marred up.

[@davidgraham7279]

OMG Brandon!!! I can't believe you didn't show us HOW to put it BACK TOGETHER on the car!!! :( wow...

[@minimania]

Well, I figure most folks can follow the procedure in reverse order at that point. Also, I'll most likely do other video videos later on that will touch on that.

[@davidgraham7279]

Hi Brandon. I bought some wheel lugs from you guys, a quick question, to change the front lugs, do I have to remove the hubs and separate the rotors to install them?

[@minimania]

Yeah, the hubs should come off to replace the wheel studs.

[@theonlysteve06]

I’m doing a similar thing with my 74 midget, got any tips for removing the two bolts on the back of the lower pan? Mine seem to be stuck in there

[@minimania]

The bolts that join the pan to frame rails? Probably just a bunch of Liquid Wrench and patience. Mine came off pretty easily but the rubber was in terrible shape.

[@theonlysteve06]

Yeah those are the bolts I’m struggling with. Seems like it should be easy to just get them out but they are stuck in there pretty good.

[@neilhughes5609]

hi please can you let me know where you got the front wheel bearings from cheers Neil

[@minimania]

The link is in the description. It's the first item. Thanks.