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MG MGA - When To Fit New Trackrod Ends

My steering rack boots have split so I am about to replace. Since I have to remove the track rod ends for this task I was wondering if it would be prudent to replace them as part of the job, although I am not aware that they are worn out yet. They were new 12 years ago. Any thoughts on this type of preventive maintenance?

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve, if there's no play in them and you can get hold of new boots you may as well re-use them. They are so easy to replace (if you have a proper splitter) you might as well get the most out of them. The boots have probably split with age rather than use, unless you do lots and lots of miles in your MGA!
Lindsay Sampford

Lindsay

I had forgotten about the usual damage incurred while removing the trackrod ends. It's either the boot that gets damaged by the splitter or the threads get turned over with the sledge hammer!

While doing the job I will check the general condition of bushes etc. Any advice on standard rubber bushes or polyurathene for standard road use? Mine are relatively new rubber - I have an idea that they are for the RV8, but I could be mistaken.

Steve
Steve Gyles

A hammer is how I used to get them off before I got a splitter! A splitter is not an expensive tool and you can get your trackrod ends off easily and with no damage at all. My only regret is that I didn't buy the thing about 40 years ago!
Lindsay Sampford

Why do you need to split the track rod end? Are those boots split as well as the rack boots?

The V8 bushes were pushed heavily by Moss (before the poly bushes came along) and I think it was unusual not to use them. I have had mine in for a few years now and am very pleased with them and they have not worn noticeably. The previous standard bushes were totally shot.

Lindsay, agree 100% on the splitter, had mine nearly 30 years.
Neil McGurk

Steve, Neil has made me realize I didn't read your post properly (as per usual), thought you were talking about the trackrod end boot which do seem to deteriorate. As he says, you don't need to split your track rod ends to change the rack boot, just unscrew the track rod end from the track rod which you would have to do anyway.
Lindsay Sampford

When unscrewing the tie rod ends to change the stearing rack boots it helps to count the number of treads exposed on each side before removing the tie rod ends. Then when you replace them return them to the nuts to the same point. That way you don't mess up your front end alignment.
Keith Lowman

Neil

Brain in neutral when I wrote the post. I was thinking that the track rod ends had a male attachment, not female, hence the need to remove.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Fitted one of 2 new steering rack gaiters this weekend. The design has changed since my total rebuild in 1996/7. The 'original' gaiters had wide shoulders at both ends that matched the standard width of jubilee clips. The new one have very narrow shoulders and a retaining tag on the inboard side that appear optimised for heavy duty cable ties.

I have used cable ties and it all looks pretty tight and tidy, but are cable ties for this sort of work good engineering practice?

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve, the answer is no, not really, because it's oil not grease, but if they are tight enough to seal it will be OK. I have just done mine last month and found the same problem. I used the old (original style) clip on the outside, pushed through the "web" and the supplied metal clips on the inside. Very fiddly, but finally got them to squeeze into the shoulder. Another case of crappy aftermarket parts!

Didn't you have some clever modification for filling the rack with oil, I seem to recall? I couldn't get good enough access (even with my four post lift:)) so I just made a mess while filling mine through the gaiter!
Neil McGurk

Neil

I don't quite understand your "...pushed through the "web" ..." What do you mean?

The gaiter ends on mine fit neatly onto the cast shoulder (inner) and machined groove (outer), so the seal is very good even without the clips. The moulded gaiter shoulders are less than half the width for a jubilee clip. I am sure they have been made very much with cable ties in mind. I will post a piccy tonight.

My unique oiling system is stolem from the MMM cars. I drilled out the steering rack nipples so that they are straight through. I then attached piping and routed them up the side of the radiator to the top. It is then a simple task to pour an amount of oil down the tubes. I used plastic tubes so that I can see when all the oil has emptied into the rack.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve,

This is what I meant by "pushed through the web" I was mistaken its the new clip on the inboard side! As you can see, the bolt on the supplied (kit from B&G) clips is pushed through the "retaining tag" as you describe it. Interestingly, I can see from my own picture that I didn't manage to get the clip completely in the groove on this side! Anyway, no leaks.


Neil McGurk

On the outboard side I used the old (as original) clips that are narrower and so fit better.


Neil McGurk

Neil

Your first picture had me puzzled until I realised your car must be a left hooker.

Picture of my boot attached. For others benefit it shows the too narrow channel available for a jubilee clip, but okay for a cable tie.

Steve


Steve Gyles

"Your first picture had me puzzled until I realised your car must be a left hooker"???

The first picture is taken looking down the right side of the engine bay. The dynamo is in the top LH of the shot.

Has the picture been reversed on your computer?
Neil McGurk

Sorry Neil. Got myself disorientated. Must have been the pre dinner glass of wine!

Cheers

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve, I'm interested in this thread because I've been struggling with the steering rack lube. Reading Barneys site , only the nipple on the main body of the rack is filled with oil, the nipple seen on Neils picture i.e. the one on the steering column , is filled with grease. Are you and I in the wrong putting oil in there ? I was told NOT to pump grease in there as it would force the seals out.
I have been trying to put oil in both (with some difficulty I might add --- how the heck do you do it- I tried using a small single handed grease gun with 90 grade oil and covered myself in the stuff without knowing how much has gone in. I then tried taking the nipple off and used a large syringe to put the oil in the column . It was/is very slow due to the viscosity of the oil despite "working" the rack back and forth and i still dont know if its "full". I havent attempted this method with the nipple on the main body and again I will be in doubt about how much is in or needed. Barney says you will hear it sloshing about. Note your comments about the outer clip. Mine have tie wraps now because I was unable to find suitable clips - the Moss ones were fractionally too big (not too wide)and simply wouldnt tighten up enough to keep the oil in unlike the ones in Neils picture which appear to be the right ones because they would still tighten up further. Can you put a picture up of your filling system Steve.
David
D C GRAHAME

David

Photo attached. please excuse the non-concours paintwork on the radiator, small job for this winter. One of the side effects of using the car as a daily commute.

I drilled out a couple of grease nipples and soldered a length of brass tubing to each to ensure the plastic piping did not come adrift. I simply pour the oil down each tube and let it gradually work its way into the rack. You can see the new gaiter and cable tie.

Cheers

Steve


Steve Gyles

See attached picture for the "palm gun" I use for filling the steering rack. The primary requirement is the forward Zerk fitting on top of the rack housing should be a 45 degree fitting oriented to pint to left and slightly rearward where you can get your hand in aft of the radiator. This little gun holds just the right amount go oil and works a treat. The plastic model (from Moss) tends to leak in storage, so clean it out before dropping it in your tool drawer.


Barney Gaylord

Steve, I like your pipe filler idea. I just greased/oiled mine last week-end. the grease gun fell off as i could not see it because of the fan shroud and then i had grease over the chassis.
DJ Lake

This thread was discussed between 20/07/2009 and 30/07/2009

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