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Remanufactured 4.3 Axle

Thank you for your interest in the remanufactured 4.3 axle.

 

I'm in central Arizona in the winter and in Washington State in the summer. I only build axles in AZ. As for the axle here are a few testimonials and a description:


I bought a rebuilt axle from the seller for my MG TF in the spring of 2010.
Every aspect of the transaction went smoothly and professionally. The work
done was thorough and neat. The end result was fabulous, making my car much
more fun to drive. Overall, the car was quieter and smoother, besides the
obvious benefit of being able to cruise 55 mph at about 3000 rpm, rather
than 4000+rpm. Even the cost of shipping was less than I expected. The seller uses well
constructed wooden boxes, easy to use. Highly recommended!!!”
Tom in Oregon
.

"Dave, after having driven 250 miles now with the 4.3, I am very happy with it, and agree with you that it is one of the best things I could have done to improve the car. Thanks for a great job!

Rich in Florida

 "Dave, Thanks so much for the conversion. Everything you stated was exactly precise and as promised. It not only arrived in a highly crafted crate, but looked probably better than new from the factory and installed as easily as the directions indicated. Got the 4.3 conversion finished last Friday and took a short drive between rain storms. What a different car! Much longer 3rd gear and can cruise at 55 at only 3500 RPM. Such a pleasure to drive now. THANKS!"

Gary from CA

“PS I am a so-called gear expert and specialize in gear technology and manufacturing/trouble shooting so when I say this is a good gear set , assembled correctly as far as it is possible to tell on only 20 miles of test, I mean it."
Geoff in Florida axle#43

"I am quite impressed with the axle and the whole exchange process. Super Nice!" (John in CA)

Description:
If there is one thing to make a huge difference in drivability and enjoyment of your MG "T" it is the 4.3 axle conversion. Just think, a usable first gear AND higher highway speeds. This conversion uses the original TD-TF axle housing so it is externally the same. Internally an MGA ring and pinion set is installed which gives you about 3.2 mph increase for every 1000 rpm over the most common 5.125 gearing. It is a very popular conversion. Here is your opportunity to make your MGTD or MGTF a great driver with a professionally re-manufactured axle at a very reasonable price.

 Other ratios may be used to suit your cars performance level and driving conditions. I usually have the 4.55, 4.1, and 3.9 gears on hand and build those as presold units only. Feel free to call to discuss what might be right for you.

 My goal is to provide a remanufactured axle holding tight tolerances for longevity and quiet running
and that has all the custom modifications at a reasonable price.

Here's what I do: The exterior of the core axle is cleaned and stripped before breaking apart. I bead blast the housings to near white metal before assembly. Some shops use a dip tank for the housings however that removes the factory paint inside the tubes and the sealant paint inside the castings. I prefer to leave that corrosion protection in place. The internals are cleaned and inspected. The MGA pumpkin is disassembled to remove ring and pinion. The TD-TF axle is then re-manufactured using the Carl Cederstrand method. This method entails a lot of precise fitting and some machining. There are some 12 sizes of spacer washers in .001" increments the factory used to bring the shaft within the .001" tolerance. I have had tooling built similar to the factory tooling that allows me to do the conversion in a precise, repeatable manner ending up with placement of the ring and pinion to factory specifications. I have a
surface grinder that allows me to build the axle with a shim in only one place and that is a thick one so it will last. The pinion flange and the new 4.3 gear from the MGA are checked for run out and size prior to assembly. The pinion flange for the MGA has a "dust cover" to minimize dirt and moisture around the pinion shaft seal. I do some lathe work on the pinion flange to allow the dust cover to be fitted with clearance from the MGT gear case casting to incorporate the dust cover improvement on the conversion.

 New Bearings and races are used along with a number parts and seals. I drill and tap the vent hole to accept the MGA vent fitting. That is a great improvement over an open hole that allows dirt and moisture inside and plugs up easily. Once the final assembly is complete the axle gets a good chemical cleaning, two coats of Rustoleum red primer, and then two coats of Rustoleum semi-gloss black topcoat. 

There is a lot of precise fitting and measuring involved doing this job correctly. Several of the steps require repeated assembly and some machine work to get the fits correct. There are other lower quality methods but this has proven to be the best.

I provide a complete package with all the necessary new parts to install the axle including the rubber spring mounts, MGA breather fitting, and MGA u-bolt buffer plates. I also supply on an exchange basis refurbished axle collars and painted axle retainers with new seals installed so that the installation goes easier and quicker for you or your mechanic. Your old collars and retainers must be returned as exchange items.

Half shafts are not included. I have the exclusive marketing rights to the new improved design that have been sold by Jerry Austin over the past ten years. There has been no reported breakage of these compared to the known weakness of the stock axles. I've sold a number of sets to the vintage racers running much higher horsepower than stock engines and they tell me that none have broken. They sell for $300 a pair less 10% to my conversion customers and they will fit in the shipping crate. Although I recommend the new style for peace of mind when away from home and avoiding damage to your new rear end you could use your existing half shafts if you’re on a budget.

The installation can be done in a day by anyone with a little mechanical ability and if one does not get involved in other items and things go smoothly. I include instructions.

“Remanufactured: A properly rebuilt automotive part. The item has been completely disassembled, cleaned, and examined for wear and breakage. Worn out, missing or non-functioning components have been replaced with new or rebuilt components. It is the functional equivalent of a new part and is virtually indistinguishable from a new part.”

 

The axle will ship in a wooden crate UPS ground. This is an exchange sale with a core deposit of $250 and crate deposit of $60. Upon return of your old axle to me I will pay the $310 deposit back to you less freight once I inspect the core. Your core must be reusable but very few are not. I would like the core returned within 60 days unless other arrangements have been made at time of purchase. I need the cores to keep the production running so if you are not ready the best thing would be for you to reserve an order for delivery at a later date. If you intend to keep your core please talk to me before your purchase.

 

Your net price for the 4.3 conversion after the core return is $1400 plus freight both ways. If you already have the MGA gears then you can return that pumpkin with your core axle and I’ll credit you for the going rate that I’m paying. Give me a call to discuss this option. I put the UPS freight on my business account and only charge the actual cost. It's much cheaper that way. Freight examples one way including insurance is approximately $105 to Wisconsin, Florida, $90 to Los Angeles, $120 to Maine, so the shipping is pretty reasonable. The return shipping is less due to lower insured value. I would be happy to provide an exact quote for you if you send me your full ship to address.

Thanks for the interest. Feel free to call. (MST)

Dave Clark
360-317-4775
daveclark4.3conversion@gmail.com

[Please note: these prices are as of 4/10/2017 and are subject to change.  BK]

Dave Clark 4.3

Here is the information related to the 4.3 rear axle conversion offered by Dave Clark.  This has been provided by Dave Clark and Ttalk has no financial interest whatsoever.  BK