MG TC8204 - Front axle beam and Mike Sherrell's remark

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Bart Sanders
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MG TC8204 - Front axle beam and Mike Sherrell's remark

Post by Bart Sanders » Fri Nov 22, 2019 9:03 am

Hello to you all,

While inspecting our recently bought TC8204, I have seen that the front axle beam has the cast-in letters on the FRONT side. Mike Sherrell (TC's Forever!) states that these letters should be at the REAR of the axle beam.

Castor, however, is good in TC8204 and the "castor minimisers" are also installed (the two wedges on the axle beam bearing surfaces).

I have two questions:
1. Could this axle beam be re-used from an older pre-war TA/TB? Or, is Mike's remark not absolute and this is original?
2. Mike also states in his book that many beams are installed the wrong way round. But, then, the king-pin angle would be completely wrong! And thus the resulting castor.

Here comes my second question. Mike S. states in his book that flipping the beam has no effect on castor!? What is wrong here, i.e. what do I miss here?

Regards!

Bart

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timberstone
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Re: MG TC8204 - Front axle beam and Mike Sherrell's remark

Post by timberstone » Fri Nov 22, 2019 6:50 pm

The the 3 TC's that we are very familiar with all had the axle lettering for determination of the proper castor/caster of the kingpin eyes, facing to the rear.
This is illustrated in Mike Sherrell's book TC's Forever at page 111 regarding the front axle, as well as being mentioned on page 113.
His quote: "It's amazing how many axles are found to be back to front on TCs. This does nothing for the castor!" (p. 113)
Also mentioned in the book are the "taper plates" (elsewhere referred to as caster/castor shims) that came out in September 1947 with MG Service Information Bulletin number 73. The observation by Mike was that the plates did nothing for the steering or directional stability of the TC, at page 60 -- and they could be dispensed with.
Direct experience with these facts is confirmed by recent experience with attempting to rectify steering wander on the TC0820 which is a member of our family.
Octagonally yours,
Boxley (Robert and MGTC0820)
Richmond VA

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Steve Simmons
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Re: MG TC8204 - Front axle beam and Mike Sherrell's remark

Post by Steve Simmons » Fri Nov 22, 2019 7:35 pm

Every axle I've ever seen had the lettering on the rear. Installing backwards would definitely de detrimental to the car's handling and stability. You can have the axle checked by a good alignment shop to ensure camber and caster are where they should be.
1949 TC8975 / XPAG 9609
1948 TC6011 / XPEG1182 (XPAG6472)
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SteveW
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Re: MG TC8204 - Front axle beam and Mike Sherrell's remark

Post by SteveW » Sat Nov 23, 2019 1:46 am

There is no need to take the axle to a shop to have it checked. All that I did was find a long rod that fitted in the kingpin holes and then set the axle down on a level surface. If you then hang a plumb line from the rod you can measure the distance between the line (hanging vertical) and the rod (at the caster and camber angle)in each plane and work out the caster and camber using a bit of trigonometry.

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Bart Sanders
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Re: MG TC8204 - Front axle beam and Mike Sherrell's remark

Post by Bart Sanders » Sun Nov 24, 2019 4:44 am

Hi,

Thanks for your answers. Will look again after cleaning the axle beam., There is a lot (!) of debris in the vertical flanks. So, I could have mistaken debris for letters.

Castor is definitely OK, the beam is not flipped, I will take it out still and follow up the tips and measure right/left sides. Also to check if nothing is skewed.

Greetings!

Bart

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