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MG MGB Technical - steering rack seals

I am rebuilding my 72 MGB and I have the steering rack removed. Whilst sitting on the floor the oil leaked out ! Who knows what oil to put in and can the seals be replaced? If they can what seals do I need?
brian

Brian,
Use 90wt gear oil. I think it's 2/3 pint? I believe the only seals are the gaiters on the ends; maybe your circlips(?) holding the gaiters on are loose enough to let oil past. That is, if the gaiters themselves are in good shape.

Joe
Joe Ullman

Joe Thanks for your reply. Re the gaiters I have removed them and they will be replaced with new ones. But it seems to me that there must be some internal seals in the rack to prevent the oil emptying into the gaiters ! Any further info would be appreciated.
This has nothing to do with our interest in these cars ,but I am new to the internet and the amount of information and the exchange of idea,s on this site has amazed me .Thanks to everyone for their help now and in the future ( I havnt got this vehicle running yet!)
brian

>But it seems to me that there must be some internal seals in the rack to prevent the oil emptying into the gaiters !

Nope, that's why it's really important to have gaiters in good condition. They not only keep the oil in, they keep the dirt out.
Mark B.

Do yourself a favor and use the original type gaiters. They cost a bit more, but there is a good reason. They last 3 times as long, and replacing the cheap ones more often is a waste of good time you can spend driving your car in the twisty bits. Moss has the good ones on sale right now, money well spent, as Mark B. is spot on about their functions.
Paul Konkle

Also I have found even the tiwan gaiters last much longer if you use synthentic motor oil instead of 90w which eats the rubber. I use Chevron Sypreme syn 15w50 Bob Thompson/International Auto ps It will steer much better with the 15w50 to
Bob Thompson

Hi Bob

I see your note re the synthetic 15/50 engine oil, but shouldnt steering boxes use extreme pressure gear oils?

Ian F
Ian Fraser

Ian; Hope things are well your way. I think you'll fine the 15w 50 has all the film strength needed for lube of the steering rack. Hey it does the job in the non od gearbox and let me tell you thats pressure! Bob Thompson/International Auto
Bob Thompson

What is the easiest way to go about replacing the gaiters without disturbing front end alignment? Anybody have a method they particularlly like? I need to do this on my current '72B Roadster w/WW.

John in Music City
John

Working on one side at a time, center punch the tie rod and the tie rod end (on both sides of the locknut) so the punchmarks are lined up and easily seen from the front. Set a pair of dividers to the marks (a drafting compass with adjusting screw will work with points on both legs). You can unscrew the tie rod off the joint without popping it off the steering lever. If you need to replace the tie rod end, you can center punch the steering lever instead of the old joint, but it takes a larger set of dividers. Reassemble and align the punch marks to the front and set the distance apart to match the dividers.

Wayne
Wayne Pearson

Brian and others,

In addition to the end gaiters, there is a small lip seal that seals the steering shaft where it enters the rack. There are also metal plates over both the pinion bearing area and the rack tensioner, these plates are held on with 2 bolts each. Underneath the plates are gaskets and in some cases, metal shims.

The gaskets and shims should be coated with a THIN coat of gasket shellac or Gaskacinch and allowed to dry, then assemble. The lip seal should be replaced while the rack is out of the car, you can sometimes pry it out with a small awl or screwdriver with the steering shaft in place, if not, you will have to remove the shaft from the rack assembly.

There are no internal seals to prevent oil from entering the end gaiters, in fact one of the ways of filling the in situ rack with oil is to remove one of the small clamps at the end of a gaiter and pump the oil in past the rubber end with a pump oiler.

Hope this helps,
Paul Kile
Paul Kile

Paul I now have the steering filled with oil and find that the lip seal you refer to is in fact leaking ! Do you know the seal # ? I tried to get the # from my seal but can't read it. Thanks for your input.
brian

Brian,
I don't have the OE seal number, but the Moss part number is 262-035.

Cheers,
Paul Kile
Paul Kile

Brian,

I agree with Bob concerning the benefits of using synthetic oil.

However I use Mobil 1 90wt synthetic in my steering rack with excellent results.
Steven Rechter

When replacing the gaiters I put a paint mark on the
bottom of each tie rod, back off the lock nut and
lightly paint a mark on the threads right at the tie
rod.

If you are going to replace the tie rod ends as well,
why not they are cheap, then you want to measure the
distance from your first paint mark on the tie rod to
the center of the tie rod ball and swivel. Write it all
down. Sometimes the new tie rod ends are a tad longer
or shorter than the origninals, but this measurement
will help you maintain the original alignment.

I have zip cable ties on my boots. I don't know if this
is adviseable, but they seem to work.

A multiviscosity synthetic lubricant might make the rack
feel a bit loose in subfreezing temps.
Andrew in Austin

Hehehe.... this is an old argument, but one way to stop the oil leaks is to use grease instead.

I have a new rack fitted three years ago (45,000 miles) which came greased, not oiled, and there is no wear at all and gaiters are soft and supple still.
Chris Betson

Hi everybody re the seal for where the steering col goes into the rack. My supplier has given me seal # Federal Mogul 470954/ I hav'nt fitted it yet but will be doing so shortly.
brian

Chris - You are correct about the oil vs grease argument being an old one, and one that I have observed can be quite heated. I have see steering racks filled with both oil and ones filled with grease and haven't heard of any problems either way. I have stuck with oil in the steering racks in both my TD and MGB for one reason. Both use a metal to metal ball joint where the tie rods attach to either end of the rack itself. Being metal to metal, these ball joints need to have lubrication to them. For the life of me, I cannot see how any grease is going to work it's way into those ball joints, thus I keep using the messy oil.
Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

Hi,
yes, I use grease also. I like the steering to have no upper play whatsoever. I fill via fitted nipples to the shimmcover plate and to the end of housing at the other.
Just like my '69 midget has
Ray

This thread was discussed between 18/01/2002 and 28/01/2002

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