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 MGA - Should I be worried about my steering?

Two things that I won't try to overhaul myself are the brakes and the steering, for obvious reasons. I was looking at the steering and I noticed that the rubber covers on the steering on both sides is ripped. I took a picture of one of them. Should I be concerned, or is this just a dust cover?

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7156/dsc07894lg1.jpg

The steering works fine, by the way, it's even well aligned.

Darian Henderson

Darian, those will need to be replaced. The steering rack is filled with oil for lubrication (80-90 wt gear oil if I remember). Those rubber gaitors keep the oil in and the dirt out. The gaitors on your car are doing neither, which means your steering rack does not have proper lubrication.
Andy Bounsall

Thanks, Andy. Is this something I can do myself, or should I take it to a mechanic? Like I said, I'm willing to try anything else but brakes and steering.
Darian Henderson

It is a very easy part to replace. Just unscrew the tie rod from the rack & pinion. The only thing that you have to worry about is wheel alinement. The wheels have to run straight and true. If not, you will wear out your tires. This can be done with a alinement tool you can buy from Moss for about $40, or take it to an alinement shop, or use a tape measure to make sure the front of the tires are the same as the rear in distance from each other. If I were to do it, for a starting point, I would mark the original spot the lock nut was on the rod by using a felt pen or some tape wraped around the rod to show me where the nut was originaly. With the car up in the air, it should take no more than an hour. ( HA, if everything goes right and that never happens!!!)
JEFF BECKER

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Darian
Darian Henderson

This thread was discussed on 08/04/2007

MG MGA index

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