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MG MGA - Steering Column Clamp?

I found this odd looking clamp gizmo on the steering column of my new 58A...what is it?...what does it do?
-Joe


Joe Walck

Over 90% of the cars left the factory with the adjustable steering shaft. It was meant to be adjusted once and tightened with a spanner to the position preferred by the owner. It was a chromed clamp with a chrome carriage bolt with an (acorn?) nut on the end. This looks like it may be a aftermarket or owner-made variation of that clamp with a toggle lever for adjusting on-the-fly.

At least that is what the inset photo appears to indicate. I can't tell what the tab is on the LH side in the larger photo. Could it be some sort of pivot?

Chuck Schaefer

Quick release steering wheel maybe? Push the button and see if it comes off.
Barney Gaylord

Joe,
The clamp Chuck mentions is on the 'downhill' side of the spring cover. It looks to me as if your plate is acting as a stop to prevent the steering wheel from sliding down the steering shaft as if the wheel hub or shaft has lost whatever the stop was. If not it could be some kind of accessory holder but it would rotate with the wheel which would be kinda odd.
A.M. Leyva

I think Chuck might be right. It looks like it might be a quick release steering wheel adjust mechanism. Is the knob on the right pivoted on a cam? Like a bicycle quick release wheel hub or saddle. The two halves would also need to be hinged (maybe behind the wheel). No idea what the clip is for!

I can imagine this as a '50s solution to two different height drivers in an endurance competition!

Looks like an interesting discovery!
Neil McGurk

The Healeys adjustable steering column does not require any type of wrench. It uses a mechanism that is adjusted by hand. Something you wouldn't use every day but a very nice feature.

John
John Progess

It is a type of steering wheel adjusting clamp! Although the spring is compressed fully and now the clamp doesn't grab the shaft, that is what it was made to do. It rotates around the shaft, even tightend. The screw adjuster is a cam type device. The tab on the other side looks like just a place to hold while adjusting the other side. Thank you for ID'ing for me. I'll change out the spring and re-attach. It scares the heck out of the wife when steering wheels move in the "wrong" direction.


Joe Walck

Nice looking quick adjuster, but even if it works it doesn't seem to be very useful. If you clamp it down at the midpoint of travel on the splines, it will lock out or eliminate the forward half of travel in the adjustment. That is, travel could go from half out to full out. Meanwhile you still have to work the original clamp bolt with wrenches. If you leave the original clamp bolt loose (or absent), then the spline would be free to move at all times within the set adjustment range. The only way then to stop free motion of the splines would be to lock the quick clamp full down with splines full out, in which case it does much the same thing as the original clamp.
Barney Gaylord

After looking and fiddling with it, I agree with Barney...it really doesn't do anything! I'm getting it out of my way and locking the the original clamp(it was loose)at a comfortable position. That tab on the one side is to hold the unit together when installing/removing acting as a spring/pivot.


Joe Walck

I have to ask, what if it were assembled differently. If it replaced (somehow) the original clamp, it should work. It may need some sort of spacer to keep it in the correct position. And it may need to be reamed out to clamp the outer steering tube. Obviously, clamping on the spined shaft as it was, is just poor style:>)


I have seen this piece on some other car somewhere before. I just can't remember where. It is tough getting old!
Chuck Schaefer

This thread was discussed between 23/09/2010 and 25/09/2010

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