Thanks for the replies to my "Hot Running Midget" question. There are no
noise/heat dampers on the underside of the hood (bonnet), so I think that
explains the heat. Feeling (ouch) the hoses after a 20 minute run at
speed tells me the temp is probably ok. But on to other matters...
Took Ruby (newly bought/named '79 rubber-baby-buggy Midget) out for her
first real run. Engine purred from 0-65mph. I can do 60mph steady at
just over 3000 RPM, so I feel pretty good about carburation, etc.
After about 40mi on the bloody bumpy Minnesota freeways, I reached my
destination, a fish-your-own trout restaurant (interesting). Walking
back to the car, looking at her straight on, I spotted trouble. The
right front wheel was 1) toed out from straight-on (mis-aligned) and 2)
farther out from the car on the bottom than the top. That is, it looked
like a divide (/) sign, though not as severe. I limped home on country
roads (avoiding the freeway and possible death). Next morning, I yanked
the wheel off and took a look. Excuse my lack of terminology, but I'll
try and describe:
The ball joint between the steering rack and the steering arm (between
king pin and rack) was sporting a loose nut. I tightened it down, then
got the entire front end on stands so I could compare the left side. The
right suspension has been re-done (poorly). It has a new upper arm
(shock absorber arm) and a new king-pin assembly.
When I grab the steering ball-joint on the left side, I can move the
steering from end to end, but everything feels tight and firm. But when
I do the same thing on the right (new) side, things are loose. The
kingpin jostles around. The upper (shock) arm wiggles. The junctures
between kingpin and upper-arm and kingpin and lower (wishbone) arm seem
poor. Obviously, this play explains the wheel's odd positioning.
Whoever did the suspension went kinda cheap on the rubber bushings. That
is, he didn't buy them! I think the joint where the (lower) A-arm meets
the kingpin is missing the double "washers" I see on the other side.
More importantly, the top of the kingpin, where the upper arm/shock
connects, is missing one of the two rubber bushings (the putz used a
metal washer, duh!). Also, the little pad that goes between the frame
and the upper-arm isn't there (it is supposed to keep the suspension from
going "whack" when the spring is fully extended).
My questions to the group are these: 1) will filling-in the gaps with
rubber pieces solve the problem (nothing else seems bent or busted)? 2)
what do I need to do the job, other than the bushings (i.e., do I need a
spring compressor, or special tools to get the rubber in place? etc)? 3)
what's the procedure? I've got the COMPLETE OFFICIAL MG MIDGET book,
which contains the shop manual, and the Chilton TUNE-UP book, but a
dumbed-down version from a voice of experience might be helpful.
Finally, after I mess with everything, am I going to need to do some
alignment of the right and left sides? If so, would someone give me an
idea of what's involved?
Thank you in advance, and sorry for the length. As I build experience, I
hope I can provide more input and less help-seeking.
-Kosti Hennighausen
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