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MG MGB Technical - Steering column upper bushing

I've got just enough side to side play in my steering wheel to make my turn signal not deactivate after hard turns. Other then that it will switch back to the center position after turning.

I've taken the turn signal stalk off and cleaned it etc. It seems to be fully intact with little wear on the ends of the depression tips that activate the switch back to the center location.

I have also moved the steering column bumper post that hits the turn signal depression tips back to a centered location on the turn signal stalk. As such, when it works, the signal arm goes back to it's central location after just about 4" to 6" or wheel circumference rotation during a turn.....which is just about ideal.

As I say, all works well except for in hard turns.

So, I think the problem lies in the play in the top of the steering column.

Moss and Victoria British both show a nylon bushing as a wear part at the top of the column. Problem is that both catalogs (and the tech at Moss) show it as being used only up to 1967. My car is a 1973 and there is no indication in either catalog nor my factory shop manual of whether that nylon bushing was used past 1967.

Anyone dealt with this issue in the past?

Thanks,
BH Davis
BH Davis

Dan Masters sells replacement bushes for the impact absorbing column. Check out www.shadetreemg.com
HTH,
Rufus
Rufus Pool

BH - Rufus was close. Gerry Masterman makes the replacement bushings. If you go to www.shadetreemg.com and click GEM Enterprises, you'll see all the products Gerry makes.

Send him an email and see if he has some in stock. Gerry is kind of in transition now, so hopefully he has one on the shelf.

Good Luck
PR Peterson

Thanks for the guidance!

So, the answer is that the catalogs are correct in that the bushings Moss and VB sell only go up to the 67 cars? The bushing in the photo on Gerry's site appears to be completely different from what I can see in the catalogs. Also, his description seems to indicate my 73 has a column top bearing that his bushing will replace rather then an original nylon style bushing.

Thanks,
BH
BH Davis

Gerry announced a few months ago that he's putting GEM on hiatus as other things have been demanding his time. You should probably email him to see if he's still accepting orders.....
Rob Edwards

BH, Before Gerry started making bushings to replace the upper bearing I read a John Twist tech note about how to peen the bearing housing to tighten the shaft side to side play. I followed the instructions and my steering has been tight for around six years. If Gerry doesn't have the bushing you may want to try the peening, it worked for me and did not cause binding of the steering. I used a small hammer and made gentle taps as I rotated the bearing. It required about 20 minutes to get the bearing tight enough to remove the free play. I packed it with some wheel bearing grease after finishing. I don't have a link to John's note but I have shown in my photo albums the disassembled steering column parts and where to peen the bearing. Feel free to print the photos if you want copies.
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/flash1929/album?.dir=e196&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

Clifton
Clifton Gordon

Clifton,

Wow.......that was great. Nothing like some good close up photos to show what is going on inside the steering column. I appreciate your taking the time to show me.

Regards,
BH
BH Davis

This thread was discussed on 03/07/2006

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