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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Steering Rack and Column

The steering on my 1500 midget seems very heavy and I think the rack is incorrectly set up. It's only been used for about 3000 miles and is well lubricated and in good condition.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to where I might get the rack checked out and over-hauled?

Also, the collapsable steering column has play in it at the two joints between the solid end sections and the tubular middle section. The plastic 'plugs' are in place - it's just that the end of the solid sections and the tubular section are worn.

Can this be fixed, and if so how, or by whom?

Thanks

Michael
M Davies

Are you sure it's the rack and not seized track-rod ends or king-pin?

Have you disconnected both TREs and tried the rack?

A
Anthony Cutler

Hi Anthony

Both TREs and king-pins are fine. I tried disconnecting them and the steering still felt heavy...

Thanks

Michael
M Davies

Michael
Remove the rack and check how stiff it is when it's off the car. With vice grips lightly clamped to the pinion shaft you should be able to move the rack through its range with one finger spinning the vice grips.
When that's OK, remove the mounting brackets from the car, attach them to the rack and sit the assembly back in position and attach the column. Observe where the brackets want to sit relative to the cross member, then pack the brackets with shim(s) so they will be in that position when you bolt them to the car. This will ensure no sideways load to the pinion from the column and should result in normal light steering.
Mike Allen

what Mike said!

the manual gives some more details (either Haynes, or Bentley): clamp one side to the body and measure the clearance on the other side for shims (the Triumph racks are shimmed on the left). Then, after having that sorted, you loosen the clamps that grip the rack to the brackets and let it rotate so that the pinion is orientated right in line with the steering column in both axis.

if the rack is stiff with the column removed, then it is either bent, or needs an overhaul. As a lazy alternative, replacement racks are relatively cheap from the usual vendors. Sorry, no, I don't know a repair shop either.



Norm
Norm Kerr

Hi Michael

Your stiff steering may come from the problem you mention with column. Can you move the steering wheel back and forth? Does the whell rub against the cowling sometimes? These where the symptoms I once had along with stiff steering. It turned out to be caused by the fact that the plastic inserts which form the collapsing mechanism had failed, this meant the column was slightly shorter and the column was no longer spinning smoothly in its upper and lower bushes. If this proves to be the case you can reset it to the correct length and then replace the shearable joints.

Cheers Carl
C Bintcliffe

Hi Mike, Norm and C,

Thank you very much for your clear and helpful advice. I'm going to check everything you mention this weekend and see where I get to...

The weather is just too nice to have the car in pieces in the garage!

Michael
M Davies

Just to add another theory, check to see if you have a problem with the engine mount on the left side. If it collapses, it can allow the engine (specifically, the air pump bracketry) to rest on the column.

Just a thought, having been there myself.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

Still struggling a bit with the rack...

I've checked the rack as Mike suggests, and it's fine, which leads me to conclude that it is an alignment problem. The manuals (Haynes and BL) are rather confusing on this point as they mix up UK and US racks, which are different.

There is some sideways movement available in the rack between mounts.

How do I set this correctly?

And/or should the packing between the bracket and the front face of the cross member (if required) be on the passenger side (according to Moss catalogue) or the driver side (according to the manual)

What also puzzles me is that the sideways movement in the rack should have a similar effect to the adding or removal of packing, in that it opens or closes the angle between the rack and the column, does it not?

Yours, confused

Michael

M Davies

Hi
instead of "early rack" and "late rack", they probably should have said, "aluminum mounting brackets" and "steel mounting brackets", since that is, as far as I can tell, why there are two different shimming methods.

But because our cars have energy absorbing columns fitted, the procedure gets added to (this is another reason why there is possibility of confusion).

Here is the link to the Bentley, section Ja.3 (page 174):
http://www.spridget-tech.com/service_manual/Section-J.pdf

The gist of it is to leave the proper fasteners loose enough to allow the rack to find its own alignment, then rotate the rack one full turn right and left, and then measure and shim the resulting gap.


Norm
Norm Kerr

Michael
Have you checked the column for tightness with it disconnected from the rack? Is there any for and aft play in the column? I didnt think that the midget alignment was as sensative as an MGB. With the column disconnected you could also check the rack by turning the road wheels from lock to lock, if that is stiff disconnect the trackrods and check the individual kingpins to make sure they are not binding. Not to bad a job now that the weather has broken!!

Good luck Carl
C Bintcliffe

This thread was discussed between 05/07/2010 and 16/07/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.