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MG MGB Technical - New Steering Rack

The rack in my '72 B Roadster seems to rattle at speed, which I initially put down to front wheel balance, but despite getting wheels re-balanced, swapping set of wheels with existing tyres, buying new tyres, new track rod ends etc, still got issue. This BL rack has probably done well over 100K, and the spare original rack (that was in car years ago)likewise.

I know this has been covered before, but I wondered if anybody has had any recent experience of one of the new racks. As I understand it, new rack runs in grease (as does one in my old Riley!), which there's been an issue with in past as it doesn't follow original arrangement. So:

a) are new racks any good?
b) if new rack purchased does one replace grease with oil?
c) any other top tips?

Many thanks,

Peter
P A Allen

The new racks, which are manufactured in Argentina, don't have oil return channels like the original racks did. They're lubricated for life with grease instead. They tend to bit stiff when first installed, but loosen up with use. I have the original rack, in my '67 B, which I've owned for over 44 years. It has absolutely no play in it whatsoever and functions like new. I would try to repairyour old rack one more time before deciding to go for a new one.RAY
rjm RAY

We've used a few of them and they've been fine.
The main thing which kills a rack is wear in the teeth of the rack bar itself in the straight ahead position. This makes it impossible to remove lash in the straight ahead mode without it becoming over-tight towards the end of either lock.
Of course a new rack bar would solve this, but apart from the odd NOS they don't seem to be around.
Paul Walbran

Is there free play when turning the wheel back and fore? If so are you sure it isn't the UJ?

If it's a regular rattle, that starts at 60 or so, then it could well be wheel balance. I had no end of problems with steering wheel wobble on my V8 until I had the wheels balanced on a Road Force balance machine. The rack on that has done 220k.

But if it's an irregular rattle, as you go over lumps and dents in the road, it could be the rack, but it could just as well be king-pins, trunnions etc.
paulh4

Thanks, chaps.

UJ has been replaced, as has top bush in column. Everything else well greased/seems fine; new polybushes in top fulcrum points. Rack seems a bit noisy, wheels off deck, lock to lock. Kind of like the sound of a roller coaster at a fun fair.

Ray and Paul W. Heartening that the new racks seem to be good.

However, I think I might need to re-visit this as I've got the regular 60 or so rattle that Paul H describes.

Why I'd eliminated a wheel balance issue is that I'd same probs with both Revolution alloys and original RoStyle steels, same tyres swapped between them and now a set of Uniroyal Rainexpert 3s back on the Revolutions (amazing wet weather grip after previous budgets). Got them re-balanced every swap, by three different outfits.
P A Allen

If the passenger's side bush is worn, there will be a clonk/rattle - doesn't take much. However, this is repairable with a new bush.

If the inner tie rod ends are worn, machinging a few thou off the female ballhousing will take out the play. How much of a few though depends on how much play, and is determined by either experience - or pationce combined with trial & error.

If these inner joints have worn too much then they'll bind up at the limits of movement before the play has been removed in the neutral position. At that stage a new rack starts too look a possibility if you can't secure any good second hand tie rods.
Paul Walbran

If your rack is worn, you could try talking to Kiley Clinton.

http://www.steering-racks.co.uk/

They rebuilt my (Sprite) rack with a new rack bar. It cost more than the then available re-con racks, but I was confident that they would do a good job...and they did.
Dave O'Neill 2

This thread was discussed between 07/10/2016 and 09/10/2016

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