whats the difference in rear axel types

ok so this may be a silly question but please explain difference between a banjo axel and a tube axel thanks
stephen

You can play a tune on one.


Sorry, couldn't help myself.

The visual difference is that the "tube Type" has a cover over the gears that you can remove. When you do, the gears stay in the assembly. The earlier Banjo type has no such cover, you withdraw the entire gear assembly.

Late tube types also had mounts for a rear sway-bar.

ba dump bump

Banjo axle is lighter. As mentioned the complete gear assembly can be removed from
the front of the housing after sliding out the half shafts. It's good for racing because
you can change to a different gear ratio at the track. The wheel assembly is not supported
by the axle shaft, it is supported by the hub and bearings attached to the housing.

The tube axle is heavy and has tubes/pipes coming out the the gear housing assembly.
As mentioned it has a rear inspection cover and the gear parts come out separately. It's
not easy to change gear ratios. The wheel is supported by the axle shaft.

Clifton

so if i understand correctly if mine has a removable cover than i have a banjo and if it doesn't i have a tube type is this correct?

thanks the explanes it better

Check the MOSS catalogue or go online. MOSS has illustrations of each type.

Banjo cover is round and teh entire look is symetriacl....like a banjo with two opposeing "arms"

Tube has two flat opposeing sides an arced side and an radical ogee side. I thought the gears were different but that maybe only the early AH 100 which had spiral bevel rather than hypoid....
Tube heavier and stronger....

The tube type, usually known as Salisbury type is much stronger than the earlier banjo. This is one of the reasons why a V8 engine swap is so often done with the MGB. That and the fact that rubber bumper cars have their engine compartments specifically set up for the rover V8!. The consensus seems to be that it is bullet proof to around 290 horsepower and then there are a few examples of doing damage when people do things like drop the clutch at high rev's when dragging off 911's. Orrigionaly that axle was designed for a van or small truck so the bearings never wear. It is however heavier than the banjo at around 160 pounds.
Unless someone has swapped it over your '79 will have one. 1967 was the changeover year. However like any MG part change the factory would use any left over parts ad hoc so there tends to be about 6 months leeway.