A really bad day...... need some advice

[77_MG_Midget]

Well, while rebuilding the front suspension and brakes, I found the wishbone cracked and had to replace it. Bad enough, but then the king pins, fulcrums, etc needed rebuilt. Ok, after waiting a week for parts and 5 more days for the machine shop to do the kingpins and bushings, I finally started to put everything together.

So, here's the new problem. The wishbone mount on the right side of the car has cracked and needs to be replaced (see pic please). Has anyone ever done this, and if so, what do I need to be cautious of?

Also, when I bought the kingpin rebuild kit, it only came with 5 kingpin shims, all .011 or .012 in thickness. So, I can't get the kingpins put into the trunion as I don't have the proper thickness shims. Moss and Vic Brit don't even list the shims in their catalogs? Anyone know where I can obtain them in like .003 - .010 thicknesses?

Thanks!

 

[Morris]

Ouch! Sorry for your troubles, friend.

I can't offer you advice on fixing that porblem... but as for your king pins, I would just reuse your old shims if they are still available and not totally thrashed. That's what I did for mine. Seemed to work fine.

 

[tony barnhill]

Is that part even available? Or will a machine shop have to fabricate it?

 

[Morris]

Could you find a junk car, cut the part off, then weld it to your car?

 

[77_MG_Midget]

i believe it is available through vic brit. They show part # 18-172, Bracket, Susp. Link - Rear RH. Cost is cheap, only $14.95. Looks like a lot of weld cutting to get the old one out and to weld in a new one. Otherwise, not really sure how to repair at this point. If for some reason the part is not avaialable, there has to be a method to fix the one on the car.... I hope.....

 

[tony barnhill]

Believe he's working on his front suspension....& may have to fabricate the part.

 

[77_MG_Midget]

yes, front suspension. This is the part that the wishbone attaches to the car. the fulcrum pin goes through the front bracket, into the wishbone, then into the rear bracket. Everything is locked in place with tabbed washers.

 

[jcatnite]

You are going to have to weld a new bracket on. You could probaby make that if you have access to some sheet metal. As far as the shims, the book says keep adding them till you feel some resistance on the swivel axle. I needed about .025" on one side and .030" on the other. Your kit should have come with two .012" and two .008". Hopefully you saved the old ones. If not, you can cut some out of shim stock with a set of gasket punches. I made some .002" for mine when I rebuilt the front end a while back.
JC

 

[jlaird]

We have Wishbones, Swivel Pins, and Swivel/Stub Axles, trunnions and Inter Fulcurms.

I know about A arms (wishbones), but which part is the King pin (is that the Swivel/Stub axel?), so where do these shims go?

I saw no shims when I took these apart nor are any seemingly listed in Moss, VB, or Hanes.

 

[jcatnite]

The kingpin is #4 in the attached drawing Jack. I'm not sure what you would call it but years of working on Old Ford Pickup trucks left me with only the term kingpin to label this. Course to me a trunk isn't quite yet a boot either...lol
JC

 

[Bugeye58]

Jack, the shims go on top of the swivel pin, kingpin, whatever you call it. If you didn't notice any when you took it apart, they often stick up inside the trunnion cavity.
Jeff

 

[jlaird]

Okies, yep noticed but only one. and yep they are still on the pins as the whole works gets replaced. Wishbone, trunion, and Swivel pins and all the bits, both sides. This stuff being tight and right is vitle to the handeling and safety.