Propshaft spins but wheels don't

[jgoss]

Hi all,

It was a balmy 55 in Atlanta yesterday morning so why not take the Sprite to work.
I named her by the way. the Breeze. I was 17 when I first had a lust for a Sprite and I remember then I would call mine the Breeze.
Anyway got about a half mile up the road and stopped at a stop sign and then no go. It felt like the drive shaft was spinning but the wheels wouldn't turn. Got a little in reverse but none in first.
After a sad tow home and getting her up on stands I started her up and put it in first and the wheels would turn then with basically no load. But won't turn on the ground.
It seems to me like a differential issue. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts as to what various things it could be. I've been reading this : https://www.mgexperience.net/article/mg-midget-differential-rebuild.html
and the more I read the scarder I get. You mean I'd have to clean off my workbench? e gad man.
And any suggestions for the Atlanta area for a reliable rebuilder if anyone knows of any.

Thanks in advance

jgoss

 

[Bayless]

I think the most likely thing is a broken axle. Those diffs are known to be tougher than the axles. Had a '46 Chevy years ago that did that on a too often basis.

 

[Mickey Richaud]

Stab in the dark: Are you sure the driveshaft is turning when it's sitting on the ground? Could the clutch be grabbing just enough to power the diff. when there's no load, but slipping otherwise?

 

[Billm]

Could be the clutch but my bet is the broken axle. Axle is also much easier to fix.
BillM

 

[Spridget64SC]

Start at the back and work forward. Pull axles and see what you find. Broken spider gears in the diff, broken ring or pinion in diff, prop shaft joint broken, gearbox internal problem or some kind of clutch problem. Axles and diff problem pretty straight forward to fix.

HTH,
Mike Miller

 

[Guest]

My guess is an axle but like Bill said, could be a clutch. If the axle is broke, make sure you clean out the diff housing well. Don't forget the axle tubes. The end of the axle grinds up into shrapnel while you're trying to figure out what's wrong. The axles are weak on these so don't beat on the car or do burnouts. ( not that you have, just sayin'.)

 

[Roger]

Busted half-shaft, for sure!

 

[jgoss]

Thanks for all the replies.
Yep the driveshaft turns when it is on the ground.
I guess that points to a broken half shaft.
It needs to come out to get the pumpkin out if I need to do that anyway.

I have thought of dropping the whole rear end assembly as I want to replace the rear springs.

Maybe 55 was too cool for her? I'll have to be nicer to her!
Thanks again,

I'll post updates.

 

[Spridget64SC]

Some of the early Sprite type axles were rather low on the Brit steel specification scale. Around EN15 IIRC. The later axles were better as power increased, EN17 IIRC. If replacements are required, look for the BTA806 variety. The best stock material that I'm aware of came in the later models. Later 1275's and MG1500's from 75 on for sure. FWIW, The factory race axles (BTA940) used EN19 materials. Wire wheel axles can be modified to work on the disc wheel cars, but access to a rather heavy lathe, hydraulic press and possibly some TIG/MIG welding as well. Wire wheel axle housings are about 1" shorter and the axles have to be lengthened by pressing the axle shaft out a bit more in the hub.

Keep us posted, always need experiences to base future diagnoses upon.

Mike

 

[MikeMcKay]

Hmm. My first experince after rebuilding a MK II Sprite in 1975 was in Atlanta and it was a broke axle. I drove all the way from south Georgia(4 hours) with no problem. Next time I went to drive it was no go. I looked underneath and saw the axle spinning. Try changing one out in a parking lot at Georgia Tech in the winter!
This year my wife backed out with her Midget in the drive way. She said it would not go. I told her no problem; you broke an axle. She was amazed I knew so much. I had to tell her I had been there before.
Hope yours is not a wire wheel car. They aren't cheap.

Mike

 

[jlaird]

Heh. way back about 1974 my wife broke an axle in a Bugeye. Boy was she upset till I told her it was prob from my heavy use not her. Fixed in about 15 min along side the road and off she went to the commissary.

 

[Guest]

How you gettin' the broken piece out in 15 minutes?

 

[jlaird]

I broke at the outer flange and I just pulled it, came right out. Was no trouble at all, heck I didn't know I thought it was suppose to come out that way.

Biggest prob was getting the new axle spline in the gear, but even that only took a min.

Guess I was about 35 years old, that helped too. LOL

 

[v8mgbal]

J,if you need a good brit car mech. in the atlanta area I have two that are very good. one is Ric Cline at 770-778-0843 who will pickup and deliver for fuel cost. and Barry Roesenberg at 770-689-7573 they both have many years experence working on LBC. P.S. forgot to add that I have about 5 or 6 shafts if you need one for cheap.

 

[glemon]

I like the comment about draining the oil and claining out the diff when you break an axle. When I drove Sprites in high school and college I broke axles on a regular basis, I only remember one time the stub getting stuck in the differential, I think I poked it out with a long stick from the other side, not that big of a deal.

Never thought to drain and flush the diff when we broke the axles, maybe that is why it whined a little bit...

I think maybe they would break and the axle only spun after it pushed the stub out of the way enough to spin free, because I remember several times if not all it just went away on a nice easy takeoff, but I had been driving the con "con mucho gusto" a short time before. Others stories here seem to match that scenario.

 

[Guest]

I think I poked it out with a long stick from the other side, not that big of a deal.

.

Musta pulled it out and forgot. You can't push it out from the other side 'cause the the shaft for the other two gears is in the way.

 

[glemon]

Been a long while (30 years!) so I could be mistaken

 

[jgoss]

You guys are good! Yep, the left axle is twisted off at the diffy. I got that far this weekend and almost have the pumpkin out to clean out the case.
I'll try to get a pic of the sad shaft tonight.
Thanks for the info on mechanics v8mgbal. I am going to look into new axles but I may take you up on it.

Thanks again guys!

 

[jlaird]

Not only are the folks here good but they are fun to hang with. LOL

 

[sim]

yes snapped a half shaft. I have broken a few my self.
Usually at the diff. Have to fish out the parts. Buy the new type. much harder and will never drake again. Cannot recommend moss as I still getting over the high shipping charge on a thermostat. Will take a bottle of Vaseline to the phone the next time I order