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MG TD TF 1500 - Changing steering rack rubber gaiters; advice !?

Hello,

"Vera", my beloved TF, has dumped nearly a pint of gear oil on the garage floor - the RH steering rack rubber gaiter has split at the bottom. age related rubber decay seemingly the reason. I have decided to change both and I realise I will have to remove the outer ball joints, and then there will probably remain some fiddling with getting the new gaiters in place before tightening the clamps.

As easy as that - or caveats that I need to be aware of?

PS: New gaiters are on their way from MOSS, i will change the grease reaining rubbers on the outer links at the same time.

regards

Jan
Jan Kristoffersen

The archives contains a wealth of information on topics such as this, and it is always helpful to look there first. There was a thrad a few months ago about the best/easiest way to separate ball joints.

Tom
t lange

Hi Jan,
make a split ring of thin metal which will just fit over the rack end where the gaiter is clamped.Slip this inside the gaiter and put in place then remove by opening slightly and slipping it over the gaiter.This will save you a lot of trouble trying to stretch the rubber in a confined space.
Ray
TF 2884
Ray Lee

Thank you Tom,

I have studied the archives, and no one has really said anything about the actual assembly of the gaiters, apart from the facts that some are using MGB gaiters, which are said to be longer but a tighter fit over the larger diameter inner end.

The WSM says nothing about this either. Maybe because it is easy.

- and thank you for the tip about making a thin metal ring!

regards

Jan
Jan Kristoffersen

Jan
I changed mine recently and it is a bit of a knuckle scraping exercise working in the confined space around the rack end. Make sure when fitting the large end of the gaiter that you have turned the steering wheel so the gaiter is compressed rather than stretched in length. Otherwise the gaiter will be trying to pull off as you are struggling to fit it over the rack end.
Dave
Dave Williams (TD10254)

I marked the nuts with liquid paper so I could return them to the same position.

Matthew.


Matthew Magilton

Yes, Jan, it is as easy as you describe.
G.E. Love

Gents,

Since so many modern vehicles use rack and pinion steering has anyone tried to identify a suitable replacement for the poor quality gaiters currently available for our cars? After all, CV joints rotate flex up and down and bend with steering input, all at the same time and outlast our gaiters at least 10 to 1.

GOOD material is obviously available.

Best regards and safety fast

Jim Haskins

1953 TD
J. M. Haskins

Maybe a dumb comment, but as most steering racks were introduced to grease instead of proper oil, it may be a good time to remove the rack, clean out the grease, rebuild and so easy to install gaiters. Only 4 bolts and three on steering column, tie rod ends that have to be removed anyway. Good winter project.
I just did this on naked frame so it was really simple, so maybe I am over simplifying the project.
Bob
R.AF. Robert Finucane

My MOSS TF gaiters were delayed in Norwegian customs so I found a pair of MGB gaiters from a dealer locally. They came with new jubilee clips and seem to be a good quality rubber. Price: 25 USD for the pair.

Installation was fairly easy. Dropped down the dual Lucas windtone horns to improve access to the rack housing ends and cut one cm thick rings off a plastic aerosol can lid of appropriate size. These were forced inside the housing end of the gaiters and voila - they slid easily on to the rack housing, whereafter the thin plastic can lid ring could be pryed out and cut in two before removal. Filled the rack with oil by removing the nipple and using a 60 ml disposable syringe with "catheter tip" that fits snugly into the nipple hole.Inner and outer ball joints tested and found to nice and tight all four of them.

regards, Jan

Jan Kristoffersen

This thread was discussed between 10/08/2011 and 25/08/2011

MG TD TF 1500 index

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