The MG Workshops in Melbourne Australia market a kit to fit Ford rear axels
to MGBs while retaining original brakes. Would have saved you a pile of
trouble......
Murray Arundell
----- Original Message -----
From: Slim's mail <hmfinc@mindspring.com>
To: BV-8 <mgb-v8@autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, May 07, 2000 2:20 PM
Subject: rear ends for V-8s
> Hi,
>
> I am in the process now of building my diff. I used a Ford Mustang (5
liter)
> limited slip.
> Most people probably won't want to do what I am doing but here it is for
> what it is worth.
> I cut the ford tube short. I then cut the MG tubes each at 11" from the
edge
> of the bearing housing. The Ford tubes are seemed tubing so you have to
use
> a die grinder or Dremel tool to grind away the lump inside along the weld
> seam. The MG tubes are seamless and with just a little work will just
slide
> into the Ford tubes. First I drilled four large holes in a staggered
pattern
> in the Ford tube to weld through. I forced the MG tubes about 4 " into the
> Ford tubes. by clamping straight rods across the bolt pattern of the MG
> bearing flange and one across the pinion flange I was able to align the
> tubes. welding in the 4 holes on each side and 360 deg around the end of
the
> Ford tube, I ended up with a bolt in rear end. My first thoughts were to
> make a sleve and weld the Ford axle splined end to the MG outer axles so I
> could use the MG bearing, seal brakes etc. but I decided to use the ford
> axles. so I sent them to IN and had them cut down and resplined. $85.00 +
> shipping. I now have to find a roller bearing that will come close to the
> size of the MG bearing. The deaign of the Ford limited slip uses some of
the
> side load of the axle to decrease the slip of the inside wheel in a turn
> along with spring pressure from the limited slip unit. Even though the
Ford
> axle can be cut down to the size of the MG ball bearing, there is no axial
> movement in a ball bearing and you should not leave the inner race loose
on
> the shaft. I didn't want to use the Ford outer bearing system because the
> bearings ran on the axle and each time I ware out an axle bearing I would
> have to have another set cut and resplined. Anyone interested in this
type
> of rear end can watch my progress as I am documenting it on my web site as
I
> proceed. http://hmfinc.home.mindspring.com
>
> sorry my 2 cents were so long.
> Howard
>
>
>
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