MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - Steering Rack Torture

Hi Guys,
The steering rack on my daily driver '79B needs replacing and I thought I'd change it out this weekend.
I've read the archives on alignment methods, etc. but can't seem to figure out how to fit the new rack. The pinion shaft and steering column are aligned vertically, but not horizontally. The amount I'm out is more than can be taken up by adjusting the steering column.
The 4-bolt pattern on the rack itself doesn't allow for side to side adjustment, yet it seems to me that it's the rack that has to move (not the steering column) because the pinion shaft is too far over towards the passenger side of the car, so it's almost touching the exhaust manifold. I want to pull the passenger side of the rack toward the rear of the car to 'correct' it, but the rack won't allow this adjustment.
I've removed and re-installed the rack several times now, taken my steering column apart, and cursed at the dog a couple of times. Nothing's worked, and now I don't know what to do. Any ideas?
Thanks, Dave.
Dave Butcher

The mounting holes on the rack should be oval on one side to allow that side of the rack to be slid back and forward - sounds like you need to pull the driver's side of the rack forward if the slots are on that side.

Have you compared the new and old racks to ensure they are the same??
Chris Betson

Thanks Chris,
the mounting holes on the passenger side are elongated in the side to side direction, not front to back. In order to secure the rack where it is most 'happy', I'd have to drill out the holes on the frame.
The new rack is from Argentina, and dimensionally similar to the old rack. One obvious difference is that the new pinion shaft is about 3/4" longer, but I assumed I could adjust the steering column to account for that.
Dave Butcher

I decided to start again this morning. This time I decided to start from the steering column end. I attached the pinion to the steering column u-joint. I didn't bolt the rack to the car, but just let it float. Then I turned the steering wheel back and forth until everything settled in.
The rack bolt holes line up on the driver's side only. On the passenger side, the rack is too far to the rear, by about 1/2 the hole width. It's close enough that I can force it, but that twists the rack and puts side load on the steering column u-joint.
In other words, it doesn't matter which end I start from, this rack doesn't want to align.
What am I missing?
Dave Butcher

Dave, do you know if the car has ever been hit in the front? It could be that the crossmember itself is attached a little out of square. Do the tires wear evenly? If so, a machine shop may be able to elongate the holes in the rack enough to bolt it up without stressing the U-joint. I really haven't heard of any alignment problems with the Argentinian racks, several people in our local club have used them with no mounting problems. It is, of course, possible you got a bad one. Whatever you do, don't mount it in a way that will stress the U-joint. That would result in stiff, heavy, unpleasant steering and premature wear on the rack and the U-joint.
Ken Lessig

It's in! Happy days.
There were 2 things needed to make this work. The first was the help of a friend. My arms weren't long enough to move the steering column around while simultaneously monitoring the effect on the shaft alignment.
I'm a little sheepish to confess the second, but I'll add it here for the benefit of someone else who may be in a similar situation in the future. I don't have a floor jack so I used the original jack that came with the car. You know the drill. Lift one side, insert axle stand, release jack and repeat on the other side. Well, in the end, I had the drivers side about 4" higher than the passenger side, and I think the car was flexing just enough to keep the bolts from lining up properly.
Thanks Ken (and other archive contributors) for your thoughts about front end alignment -- that's when the lights came on for me.
After levelling the car, and with my friend's help, things went pretty smoothly. (Doh!)
Cheers,
Dave
Dave Butcher

Thank you Dave for the extra information. Although I find it quite sobering to see how much movement there is in a motor car, even when it's stationary. They weren't really over-engineered were they!
Kevin
PS Please no-one take offense ... I still love 'em
K
Kevin Cornford

"They weren't really over-engineered were they!"

Remember aircraft wings? If they don't bend they snap? And the body structure of the MGB *is* very strong - pre-corrosion.
Paul Hunt

This thread was discussed between 10/11/2002 and 12/11/2002

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGB Technical BBS is active now.