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MG TD TF 1500 - Lost the Plot

My objective is to centralise the steering rack and steering wheel.
Having centralised the steering rack, by going from lock to lock, and then turning the steering wheel back half way, I find the steering wheel is about 1/4 turn of centre. ie the bottom spokes are not in the 6 o'clock position.
Taking the steering wheel off, yes it came off with no real problem, I find the wheel is keyed to the inner shaft, and the inner shaft with the splines, is keyed to the outer shaft. Hence no adjustment to centralise the wheel?
Am I missing something here. I have noted Greg's suggestion of adjusting the tie rods in either direction, but this would apply to fine tuning of the steering wheel?
Henry

Henry,

The tie rod adjustment will correct your porblem. Just make sure you turn both the same number of turns. This will preserve your current alignment.

Good luck,
Evan

Evan Ford - TD 27621

Harry - Did you do your own toe in adjustment or have a shop do it. Most shops (if they are not specifically an MG shop) don't pay any attention to the tie rods being the same length since modern cars don't depend on such things. Another question comes to mind. Did you disassemble the rack for any reason (like to clean it out, etc.), or did you take the three lobed ends off of either shaft? If you have not disassembled the rack or had the ends off of the shaft, then Evan's suggestion of making sure that the tie rods are the same length, should centralize your steering wheel. If, on the other hand, you disassembld anything, you could have the pinion back in one or two teeth away from where it was originally. If you had either, or both ends off of the shafts, then they could have beed displaced when you put them back on. Regardless, the easiset way to rectify the problem is to remove one of the shaft ends (this will require a thin wall socket - I made mine from a regular socket and ground the wall down with a bench grinder, and some kind a puller). Once the end is off, rotate the steering wheel to it's proper position and then put the end back on to suit the new position. Good luck - Dave
PS. If you are a third of a turn off of center, then you just need to break the connection between the two ends and move their position by one lobe.
David DuBois

Hi,

When I bought my TD, it came with the steering wheel upside down, and now that I have dismantled the steering mechanism completely , am worried about the proper alignment too.

I started two threads on that subject, and got very helpful hints, which can complement the present discussion. You may look up those links:

http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=archiveth&subject=8&subjectar=8&thread=2004020212331520332

http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=31861566807008&mode=archiveth&subject=8&subjectar=8&thread=2002091218130823117

Regards.

Jesus
J. Benajes

Disconnect the bottom end of the shaft where it attaches with the aid of three bolts and castellated (or lock) nuts to the short shaft emerging from the steering rack, rotate the shaft 1/3 of a turn in the appropriate direction and fine adjust using the tie rod ends.
G.E. Love

This is all very interesting, as they said on that old comedy show.
I have never dismantled the steering rack, but it seems a PO may have done.
With the rack in the car, how easy is it to remove the end plate and push the pinion shaft out enough to rotate it.
A dead easy option to me seems to be to file another slot in the plastic MG motif, so it can be aligned with another set of spokes on the wheel which are closer to the 6 o'clock position.
Henry

Do it right-like the guys above say to do! The tie rod end threads can fine- tune, but if off almost 1/3 turn, need to unbolt the coupling and turn. The tie rod end threads should be approximately the same lenght exposed on each side. You could center it totally that way, but may end up with one side screwed in too far, and the other with only a few threads caught. A good alignment shop will make sure the wheel is straight when setting the toe-in- after you have it about where it belongs. Many years ago I filed an extra slot in my original center piece- I still have it as a reminder never to do stuff like that- fix it right the first time. Just my opinion.
George Butz

Set your stering wheel in center and turn the tie rod ends the same number to strait ahead wheels. I use the string method on the sides to align front. A friend uses measurments of center of wheels to align. If the stering wheel in centered properly,and the alighment is done, it will come out correctly. I have had to do this twice in restoration.
Ellis
Ellis Carlton

This thread was discussed between 27/04/2004 and 10/05/2004

MG TD TF 1500 index

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