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MG MGF Technical - Paranoia or problem?


Hi,
Not sure if this is a problem or not, having read various threads regarding self-centring steering I have recently noticed the steering wheel on my P Reg VVC (F) is slightly off set to the left, i.e. when driving in a straight line the steering wheel is turned to the left, not by a great amount but enough to notice. I have checked for adverse tyre wear and had 4 wheel alignment carried out a few month ago, the car corners well. Is this a problem that needs rectifying? Or should I leave sleeping dogs lie. I could do without another bill as the car has cost me close on £800 on spares in the last two months.
Les
Les Lewis

This is just that the stearing wheel wasn't perfectly centred when they did the 4 wheel alignment. Nowt to worry about.
Will Munns

But a smidge annoying, I agree.

It is, however, completely harmless if there is no evidence of tyre wear.
Rob Bell

Thanks guys, I assume that if I want to reset it I have to disconnect the air bag and reset it at the boss.
Les Lewis

Better would be to get the car retracked, but this time with the steering wheel properly centralised.
Rob Bell

I do not agree with Rob. I personally would reset the wheel as cheaper and easier to do. Having said that you can be still either side of central on the spindle which is very annoying and that has happened to me in the past!
Julian

Julian, I agree that resetting the wheel by removal is cheaper, but you end up with an off-set rack which does not fit the category of "great ideas" IMO.

Doing it once is unlikely to cause a problem. But if it is done on many occasions, one can foresee a situation whereby errors can accumilate if you're unlucky.

Pragmatically Les, I guess if this is only once, then Julian's right: save the cash.
Rob Bell

This image shows how your car is driving currently.
http://www.mgfcar.de/tracking/spur_links_h_0.gif

Several reasons are know to causing centre-line misalignement.
Any toe angle failure in any way.

On first hand I'd see for worn ball joints at the front.
Up to you.
Dieter

If the steering wheel is only slightly offset and you are confident that your wheel alignement is OK, you could adjust it by turning the adjusting nuts on the steering arms by EXACTLY the same amount (but, obviously, in opposite directions) to center your steering wheel. My experience on a TF is that half a turn of the nuts amounts to about 3-4 degrees of steering wheel inclination. You may have to do it two or three times to get it just right.
HTH
Per
Per

This thread was discussed between 13/09/2005 and 19/09/2005

MG MGF Technical index

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