Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing The Kingpin Job - Autumn 2014

This is the link to the fitting of the replacement speed sensor.

http://www.talkmorgan.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/234513#Post234513

Hi Dave,
About to embark on winter project and the kingpins are up for changing.... Regarding the reamer - I can get hold of a 1" unit but it's only 12" total length. Would you think OK? Thx. Kevin

Kevin you really need a pilot on the end to keep it straight. Is the reamer adjustable or just a 1" non-adjustable?

The difference is that with an adjustable, you can make a few passes with it set to clean off the swarf left in the spiral grooves first, before slowly increasing the diameter, with each pass. A non adjustable means that you get one chance to get it straight and the action of turning will be so much harder.

If you get the bore slightly out of alignment between the two bushes, the pin won't pass through, and then you have to widen the bore to get it through which means more play from the outset.

Good luck!

I've had both front hubs off simultaneously for what I suspect is the first time in the 23 years I've owned the car and noticed I've got different bearing retaining thrust washers on each side. The right hand one in the photo is a Morgan part that they used to make by belting a plain washer with a fly press. The trouble is that if you apply any pressure to it it's possible to spin it on the wheel spindle. The kind people in the spares department managed to find me one of the left hand type, but otherwise a little research showed that one from a Mark 1 Escort will do.

I've never really understood why these thrust washers have the tangs on them anyway, it's not like they are in contact with any rotating surfaces. The tang on one of mine has long since disappeared, but I've not noticed any issues with it, there isn't a trace of any rotation.

The tag locates in the groove in the wheel spindle and is meant to stop the washer rotating. I can see evidence of rotation on mine on the spindle that had the dodgy washer. If it was allowed to rotate for any length of time it would presumably get pretty hot.

Yes, I understand the purpose, but I can't figure out how this rotation is supposed to be able to occur. The inner face of the thrust washer bears against the inner ring of the bearing, which doesn't rotate relative to the stub axle.

If the thrust washer was tightened so much that it was contacting the outer ring, then the bearing would have been horribly overtightened (they are supposed to have around 5 thou endfloat) and the bearing would overheat.

I suppose it's a belt and braces thing, in case the bearing hasn't been installed properly?

Maybe it's more to do with a fail safe, so that if the bearing 'seizes' and the inner ring starts turning, the washer holds firm?

Obviously a turning inner will write off the stub if it turns for long enough.

Coincidentally, when doing the after-Scotland service on my car, I decided to replace the front wheel bearings. The NSF wheel has been squeaking for a while and as they've done something over 110,000 miles I figured it's better to replace them before they give trouble.

I ordered the new bearings from Wych Bearings yesterday at 13:00, had an email to say they had been despatched at 13:35, and they were waiting for me when I got home from work today - excellent service.

Re the tanged washer - To keep the road wheel torsion away from the hub nut and safeguard the nut from undoing. If a bearing seizes and the inner rotates, any side load from cornering would apply a turning moment to the fictionally locked washer and nut (if there was no tang). This could undo the nut. All that would then prevent the wheel from coming off would be a meagre soft steel split pin that could be sheared.