Question on rear axle

[Wilderness353]

Hope someone can give me an answer to the questions below!
..... Did the MGC use the same rear axle as the MGB OR did the MGC have a rear axle that was a little stronger than the one used in the MGB?
..... Did the MGC use a 4 bolt front hub or a 5 bolt front hub?
..... Did the MGA use a 4 bolt front hub or a 5 bolt front hub? Also, if they used the 5 bolt hub, would the MGA hub, rotor and brakes set-up swap out with the 4 lug front found in the MGB?

Thanks to all who were able to offer any assistance. Your help is appreciated!

Best Wishes -- Bill

[Moderator]

MGA: 4 bolt
MGB: 4 bolt
MGC: 5 bolt
MGB GT V8: 4 bolt
(All of these models except MGB GT V8 were available also with splined hubs for wire wheels.)

MGB came with two different rear axles. The earlier "banjo" style axles have stamped housings whereas the later "Salisbury" are tube-type. In other words, the center section of the Salisbury axle is cast iron. All MGAs came with banjo axles. All MGCs and all factory MGB GT V8s came with Salisbury axles. Salisbury axles are without doubt stronger than banjo axles. I've never seen any assertion that MGC axles were beefier than the other Salisbury axles except for having an extra lug at each corner. (I believe the extra lug was just a marketing gimmick.)

[mowog1]

MGC also used three different ratios.

3.07
3.31
3.7
All MGBs in stock form had a 3.9 ratio.

You can use MGC C&P in an MGB diff casing, but there is some machine work involved.

MGC diffs are rare to begin with...and becoming more rare. I sold a 3.07 C&P last year for $500.

I would be tempted to look for a Ford 8" or a Dana diff.

[MG four six eight]

MGC front 5 lug hubs are a direct bolt-on to the MGB spindle. When using MGC 5 lug hubs on a B you'll also need MGC rotors and a set of MGB V8 calipers.
MGC rotors are 1/2" thick and 11" diameter. MGB V8 rotors are also 1/2" thick but 10 3/4" diameter.
What I did was turn the 11" C rotors down to 10 3/4" on a brake lathe, then bolted on a set of MGB V8 calipers and pads. It works well and is a nice upgrade from the standard MGB front brakes.

The MGC rotors and MGB V8 calipers are easy enough to find. It's the MGC 5 lug hubs that are almost impossible to find anymore! All MGCs imported to the states came with wire wheels. However I've heard that they are hard to find in other countries as well, because so few of them were made.

Bill

[rficalora]

sounds like you are looking to go to 5 lug (and maybe swap gear ratios too).  If that's the goal, the ford 8" is a good choice for the rear.  Light, plenty strong and relatively easy to find.  For the front, check with Bill Guzman (sponsor & regular poster here; also www.classicconversionseng.com).  He has 5 bolt hubs for the B spindle.  If you want to do your own, there are a couple of threads about hub candidates a little lower in this section of the board if I recall.

[BlownMGB-V8]

Another option for 5 lug front hubs is what I did a couple of decades back. Get a pair of MGB spline hubs. They are either billet or forged and take well to welding. Have your machinist cut off the spline extension and the flange, leaving a smooth diameter with a step where you want the new flange located. Turn new flanges from cold rolled steel, press them in place and weld. Drill to the pattern you want, and if desired, take a light cut on the lathe to true up the flanges from any welding warpage. At this point you have a pair of very strong hubs of your choice of pattern. You can also double drill them for more wheel and brake choices.

If that sounds like too much work, get a pair of early Ford or Chevy hubs, depending on the pattern you want, bore the inner bearing race journal 1/4" deeper (and the seal journal as well) and trim them off 1/4" shorter on the back side. No choices on flange location that way but it's cheap and easy.

Or if you have access to a lathe and a mill you can make your own out of aluminum, but the stock to cut them out of will run close to a hundred bucks each and there is a lot of metal to cut away. Figure at least a full day's worth of machine work and set-up, more if you are using a smaller machine.

JB

[crankshaft]

does a jeep 5 lug rear hub fit mgb rear axle?

[BlownMGB-V8]

Nope.

[MGBV8]

Unless, you mean the entire Postal Jeep rearend.

[rficalora]

Speaking of Jeep rear ends, I ran across this today.  Seller says the Dana 44 is about 48.5" wide.  Gears would need to be changed of course... https://houston.craigslist.org/pts/d/willis-jeep-cj3-axles/6844403778.html

[MGBV8]

The Dana 25 is where they got the posi that the racers used to put in a Banjo rear.

There is a Postal Jeep rear out there that is much closer to MGB width.

http://www.britishv8.org/articles/postal-jeep-rear-end.htm

[mgb260]

72-75 Jeep CJ5 4x4 rears are much easier to find. Usually 3.73 and Trac-Loc.