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MG MGA - Stiff steering rack from Moss or not

I just purchased a new steering rack from Moss for my 60 Coupe body off restoration. The rack is made in Argentina like the one from VB. The new rack is fairly stiff to turn and I don't want to install it because it's a one piece rack and so in order to remover it you'd need to dis-assemble the front end or just cut the rack out.

Is there any way to test the stiffness of the rack. I've put it one the car, not connected the track rod ends, aligned the steering shafts, and it take 40 inch-pounds to turn the steering shaft at the steering wheel. My old rack takes 25 inch-pounds to turn the steering shaft, but is almost 50 years old. I'd use my old rack but the inner track rod ends are fairly free. Has anyone installed a new Moss rack and had good luck with it. At a car show last weekend someone told me that Moss had a shipment of "bad" racks. Anyone know anymore.

Many thanks

Andy
60 Coupe under restoration.
Andy Preston

Andy
You can open up the inner ball joints, remove a shim, and then they will be like new.

Look to the workshop manual (relevant section is here, page 5)

http://clancy.ch/Workshop_Manual_files/Section%20J%20Rear%20Suspension.pdf.PDF

The hardest bit is unscrewing the joint.

Then you can return the new rack and save the money, and still have an original rack
dominic clancy

I have trouble with Dominic's link. I have attached an image file to this post and the next.

Mick


M F Anderson

Image of the next page attached.


Mick


M F Anderson

OK, go to http://www.clancy.ch/Workshop_Manual.html and hit the link for section J

dominic clancy

If it took 40 lbs to turn the steering wheel. What will happen when you take a corner. Will you need to turn the steering wheel "back" as you come out of the turn? At 40 lbs, I doubt if the steering wheel would ever self center after a corner.
If you have the old rack out, I would suggest to dismantle it and remove a shim as Dominic said. Barney's site shows the special tool he made. It looks very similar to the one my neighbor made for me years ago.

Ray
Ray Ammeter

This thread was discussed on 21/10/2008

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