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MG MGB Technical - Steering column bearing

I'm looking for a source on the upper bearing for the steering column. It's a '75 or a '80, can't see any number on it and can't find referance to it in Moss or VB. Ideas anyone? Thanks, Philip
P.A. Smith

Ok another question I forgot to ask. As you can tell I'm rebuilding my steering column. It's completely disassembled and I'm now trying to understand how to replace the plastic between the lower and upper steering shaft. Are these two pieces of plastic used as bushings or are they there to keep the unit rigid? Surely they are not used to over come the lower spring force.?? I surmise that the plastic is injected through the lower shaft holes. Does anyone have any knowledge or ideas about this? What kind of plastic can I use?
Regards; Philip
Philip

Philip,
I think you're referring to the plastic parts that keep the two column pieces together. They shear upon a front end collision that wants to compress the steering column, allowing it to collapse. I feel that the pins are there primarily for convenience on the assembly line, to allow installation without the two pieces coming apart; maybe I'm wrong. If there's lots of slop between the two shafts, you may be in for replacement; they shouldn't bang around a lot, the one inside the other. As for the bearing, if it's like the one in my '68, it seems to be unavailable, at least in the U.S., and is a nonstandard size according to bearing houses. I had to have upper and lower bearings made out of oilite material by a machinist, then secured them with two allen set screws apiece. Had two each, upper and lower, made for $80.

Best, Joe
Joe Ullman

Hi Philip

Just been there - done that. IMHO I agree with Joe, the plastic pieces are there to hold everything together during assembly at the factory.

Th inner and outer sections of the steering column should be a sliding fit with no rotational slop.

In the advent of a collision, an (unrestrained) driver would hit the steering wheel, the top brackets of the outer housing slide out, and collapse is controlled by the expanded mesh section on the outer housing between the upper and lower mounts as the steering column telescopes.
Thats the theory anyway.

Cant help with the bearing sorry, mine was ok, and is now back in place.

Cheers
Ian F

Ian Fraser

Philip, you didn't say if your problem is that you don't have the bearing or if it is the pretty common problem of it being loose. If it is the latter, then peening the housing around the bearing seems to firm things up nicely. The thing gets loose from our using the steering wheel to climb in and out of the car, putting side force on the shaft. If you have side to side play, it probably is not the bearing, it is that the support has gotten sloppy. Bang on it uniformly around the periphery with a hammer and you'll see that it firms right up.
John Hubbard

Thanks for the input folks, I had to search around for a serviceable bearing, but I finally found one from another column. John, my original was rusted and almost frozen, although it hasn't been in the rain in 10 years (its been stored all this time, last driven 3 years ago). The lower bearing was easy to cleanup and reuse.
As for the shafts, the are so tight I can't slide them together with the plastic stuck in them, without it seems just right. The column that I got the upper bearing from also had the lower shaft loose, so I guess this is just the way they are.
It just seems like the plastic should have more purpose that just to hold things together. Oh well...as long as every works when I put it back in.
Thanks everyone...now if I can just get this lock to work!
Regards; Philip
P.A. Smith

This thread was discussed between 01/12/2002 and 02/12/2002

MG MGB Technical index

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