Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Mulfab Bearings

Many thanks for the interesting links, after reading them all I think there is a chance of things going wrong with the top spring flying off so the best thing is to look for a decent set of motorcycle spring clamps . Will let you know how I get on.

Ken

They really are not that powerful, once you lower the pressure off with the lower plate removed and the kingpin withdrawn it’s more knack than strength. I have done over 30 pairs and never had a problem. Seriously to remove it’s just grab with both hands and pull towards you, to refit you sit the stub as low as it will go on the lower crosshead lug and pop the spring over then one hand grips the middle and the other the top and the knack is to ‘banana’ it as much as possible by pulling the middle hand towards you as the other hand tucks the top of the spring under the top lug. It’s a 99% confidence job, once you have done it you will wonder what the fuss was.

Where are you? If your within an hours drive of Solihull once shielding is over I am more than happy to come to yours and talk/coach/bully you through it ;-), if I am having a good day I will pop one side in for you..... in exchange for a bacon butty and a cuppa of course.

BR
Colin

Sorry forgot to say and don’t think anyone has answered in theory the bearings don’t need pre greasing as king pin greasing lubes them but to me that’s daft and I always pack them with grease before fitting , it’s just good engineering practice so you know they are full.

BR
Colin

Hi Ken,

What an offer. Colin is a wealth of knowledge and for a bacon butty what’s not to like?.

(As a near neighbour I hope the offer still stands when I again do mine cos I’m a weakling without “the knack”).

Blushing here, as soon as isolation/shielding is over get your kettle on and let me know ;-)

BR
Colin

Colin,
Many thanks for the advice and offer. All the stuff I read was talking about things going wrong. One said keep a hammer ready to hit the spring back in case it starts to pop.out, then talk of putting padding under the wheel arch to stop damage if it comes out.
From what you say should be ok. Couple of questions please. Is it easier to completely take the shock absorber off or just disconnect at the bottom like one method suggested. Plus does the hub have to come off and disc backplate.
I will treat myself to a bacon and egg sandwich as an incentive to get stuck in, plus usual mugs o tea.
Ken

As Colin says, its just simple engineering. Two threaded rods and patience. I tried motorcycle spring compressors and it's easier without.

When refitting, make sure that the top of the stub axle slides cleanly inside the dust tube. It can catch on the edge and stick.

I've got three pairs under my belt now!

Hi Ken

All this hammer and padding is none sense, honestly I wonder sometimes if the author of these things has ever actually done the job? Use the threaded rod method as Dave suggests, some studding from a B&Q type place, nuts and washers (lock 2 nuts together trick above the crosshead lug and long nuts on the bottom and a ratchet spanner makes life so much easier).

To your specific questions
For ease of space take damper completely off, don’t have to but makes much more room and easier to put on lock
If your just fitting springs and steering bearings disc and hub can stay in place... However, my advice is to get a pair of inner hub seals (Cain at Wolf Performance keeps stock as I sold my big bag of them to him along with the kingpin business ;-)) then pull the bearing races out, clean inspect and repack with fresh grease. You can then forget the front end other than greasing fir many years.
Just as a footnote there is no disc backplate (AKA sh*t shield) on a Morgan ;-)

BR
Colin (if you get stuck just shout me)

I used the above stud method when fitting SSL's RS front suspension kit, on the first side at least. For the second I used a small scissor jack carefully located on the slightly loosened bottom kingpin nut to release spring tension in a fraction of the time, and as recommended by SSL. Found more control using studs again to compress new springs into place though.

BTW agree with Colin comments regarding the quite undramatic release of residual tension on main spring. Doubt if it was compressed more than a half inch on my Roadster once stub axle is resting on bottom mount. With regard to latter do support this or caliper itself to avoid strain on brake pipe flexy couplings when removing kingpin.

To be honest Richard after a few I stopped using the jack underneath method ;-). I don’t recommend it unless people are used to ‘mechanics shortcuts’ but I take out one nut and bolt and clamp with Mole grips. Then I do the same on the other side. Then I let down the mole grips one side at a time, backing off to just take the reduced tension. A couple of steps a side and 30 seconds later the tension is off.

To rebuild I made a long threaded bolt with a nut and large washer in the upper lube bolt hole and drawn the whole thing up as I found that way I could align the stub inside the dust tube more easily by moving the stub a little if resistance is felt when aligning.

All a matter of preference but I could get the strip, clean, bush, ream, and rebuild down to under 4 hours for both sides and that’s for an old bloke sat on the floor 😂.

BR
Colin