Rear Suspension - Non-Hydragas Part Guide

This guide covers the removal of the non-hydragas components of the rear of the MGF.

I've tried to be as detailed as possible, but please appreciate there will be variances between cars especially as these are a British Leyland parts bin special I can only demonstrate what I have in front of me.

This guide doesn't cover any specific task, but hopefully will be useful as a foundation guide for people asking questions about removal of specific parts.

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Tools required:

Normal range of metric sockets
Ball joint splitter
Wheel brace
Power-bar/Breaker bar
Jack and stands.

Optional:
Release fluid of your choice (I use 'Plus Gas')
Air rifle.
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Firstly, jack up and support the car securely on axle stands:



Remove the road wheel to reveal the rear brake system, hub and associated suspension components:

(You will have an anti-roll bar, not pictured for this guide)

Removal of the brake disc requires the 2x small screws to be removed from the face of the hub, these have a nasty habit (and I can't blame BL here, all cars seem to have this issue) of welding themselves in to the hub, and as these are light aluminium screws the heads are easily chewed. I'd recommend an impact driver to remove them, or as a last alternative drilling them out.


If you are planning to remove the hub the hubnut will require loosening at this stage, a 32mm socket is required along with a large bar. The nut will be "staked" in to the cutout in the driveshaft, this will need to be gently tapped out with a small drift and a hammer. The nut will be TIGHT and may overcome the effort of the handbrake (well, it will with the useless MGF handbrake) my prefered method is to place a bar between two studs and the ground to hold the hub face in position whilst releasing the nut as such:



This should hold the face steady whilst you undo the nut. This is a conventionally threaded hub-nut.

Don't remove the nut, leave it so it can be undone with fingers however.

The brake caliper can now be removed, firstly move the two 12mm headed screws that hold the caliper to the carrier:


Release the handbrake, ensuring it is safe to do so, the caliper should then pull away from the disc and carrier. Remover the discs and any shims that may fall out.


(Apologies for photograph quality)

Likewise....

Tie the caliper out of the way in a manner as not to strain the hose, my hoses are scrap (have braided ones waiting to be fitted) so disregard mine just flapping about in the breeze.

Remove the 2x14mm headed bolts that secure the carrier to the hub, and remove the carrier:

The disc should now come away from the hub, it it doesn't just slide off tap it gently with a hammer at opposing angles using a suitable mallet, or with a hammer interposed with a piece of wood around it's circumference to break the corrosion bond.

Screw the screws back by hand in the carrier to prevent misplacing them!


What may happen at this juncture is that an over-familiar squirrel may start running around on the roof of your car and make you jump... After which the follow events will occur in roughly this sequence:
i) Stand up smartly, hit back of head on wheel arch
ii) Stagger straight in to the 'wheelie bin' behind you
iii) Cup of coffee placed on bin "out of harms way" will hit the ground and shatter

iv) The squirrel will bugger off, leaving you swearing loudly and gesticulating at the roof of your car, concerned look from your neighbour, as she hurries her children indoors, mumbling something under her breath
v) Your life-partner will come out, and become very angry that you've been shouting at a "poor squirrel"
vi) She'll notice you've broken her (unbeknownst to you) favourite mug
vii) ....this will descend in to an fifteen minute altercation ending with a comment about how you've "forgotten to wish her brother a happy birthday AGAIN this year......!"
viii) You'll try and squeeze in some sort of retort, but be hampered at every opportunity
ix)
...back inside again for a fresh cup of coffee, stand around by the car grumpily kicking things, broodily smoking a cigarette... Before the comments start, turns out the other mug was different (look at the spacing of the dots.... never noticed, I thought they were idetnical... hey-ho)
***
Strong, black, no sugar if anybody should ever make me a cup of coffee....

Hopefully this won't happen to you however...
...where were we?

Now the hub can be removed, this is anchored at four points, the anti-roll bar will require a bit of imagination:

Firstly the balljoint nut can be loosened, using a suitable drift and hammer tap away any locking tap washer, then loosen the ball-joint nut using a 19mm socket:


Remove the rear anti-foll bar from the small link, then if you wish to remove the link, using an opposing 15mm/13mm spanner/socket combination, remove the link from the hub. There is no need to remove the link unless you are renewing it. If you wish to move the plate that connects the link to the hub, this is also the time to do it (2x14mm screws).



The rear-track rod end must now be removed, mine was already off the car, but firstly loosen this screw:


(continuity error in the next photograph, just a to spare the comments...)
The balljoint must now be removed from the hub, remove the nut then using a suitable balljoint splitter remove the joint:



Now withdraw the large screw connecting the trailing arm to the hub:


Lastly, the balljoint can now be freed from the hydragas unit, remove the loosened nut and fit a balljoint splitter, release the balljoint - do not allow the hub to hang freely on the driveshaft for long!

Remove the finger tight hub-nut, DO NOT carelessly pull the hub off the drive-shaft, there is a real risk (I've done it plenty of times) of simply popping the drive-shaft out the gearbox, and the gearbox contents being emptied on to your driveway.... Using a drift and hammer gently tap the end of the drive shaft to free it from the hub, then with a bit of manoeuvring the hub will come away! Tilting the hub skywards helps to move it, it isn't difficult.




To remove the trailing arm and rod firstly remove the 17mm nut on the threaded part of the bar:


Remove the plastic plug on the subframe located towards the front of the car:


Using a 19mm socket and extension bar, slacken the screw that holds the trailing arm in to the subframe:


Remove the impossibly placed 13mm screw that holds the front track-rod to the subframe, access is pretty poor, but a 3/8 ratchet and socket should at least loosen it so you can remove it with fingers.... Be wary, I needed a bolt extractor to remove mine after slipping around rounding the bolt head off.

To locate the bolt, simply follow the front track-rod there is a sudden angle it it as it disapears up under the car to its mount. The web in the subframe and it's proximity to the car body makes it a right sod to get to:


The culprit, note the marks on the head of mine from using an extractor:


Lastly, remove the bolt holding the trailing arm to the subframe, withdraw the clip using pliers or grips:


Now, this was near impossible to photograph, but thankfully easy to find, if you look down the hole where the plug was you will see another hole about 20mm in diameter, on the sump side of the box section, you can stick a finger in here and "flick" the screw free of the trailing arm (it'll almost certainly catch in the bush on the trailing arm). It's dead easy, you'll find what I mean when you do it.


The screw is pretty long! Keep it safe, seems quite unique.



A voilà:



Comments, questions, or points of clarification welcome! Lots and lots more guides to come!

Regards,
Andy

Never done it myself but that looks very comprehensive and informative Andy: a lot of work there.

A couple of things I can comment on that would have improved things:
Stella or Kronenbourg is a better working fluid than coffee. Hide the tin from the neighbours if commencing work on the car at 7:30 in the morning.
A crumpled packet of 20, rather than 10 Benson with oily thumbprints all over works best.
A large owl or similar bird of prey tethered to the front suspension will discourage squirrels and similar rodents.

Seriously, a top job: keep 'em coming. :broon:

Excellent, Andy! :broon:

Wow! Tremendous, and often hilarious, guide. :lol: Superb job. :broon:

Excellent guide, been there myself, the rodent in question was......I'll save that for another day...great guide well done

Many thanks for the kind words, I shall update this a bit given time!

When this is reassembled I shall "MOT" the rear suspension, then I'll add all of those together to make an MOT guide as I go through the restoration of this vehicle.

Regards,
Andy