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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - RACK AND PINION STEERING

I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY '53TD FOR 2 YEARS NOW AFTER BUYING IT IN 1969 IT WAS JUST AN OLD CAR THEN AND THE RACK BOOTS HAD BEEN TORN FOR A WHILE THE CAUSING WEAR AND RUST ON THE RACK AND PINION TEETH. NOW THE CAR HAS SOME WANDER
BECAUSE OF THIS PLAY, I READ WHERE THE RACK HAD BEEN RE-CONDITIONED. IS THIS POSSIBLE AND COST EFFECTIVE TO
TIGHTEN THE STEERING OR ARE THERE GOOD USED RACKS STILL OUT THERE?
don wallenius

Dear Don,

Let me unofficially welcome you to the board. This is THE place for answers to all things TD/TF. My own personal, limited answer to your question concerns eBay, which I shop a lot and there are, from time to time, racks made available. Hemmings is a good resource for the other option, I think. More answers are quickly forthcoming. A friendly plea, if I might, for not using all caps in your posts. It makes reading a lot harder.

John, '52 TD/C
John Redman

Don,

Andy King web mgsparesandrestorations has made up new racks. You will be able to pick a LHD rack up easilly in the UK. There are quite a few TDs and TFs over here that have been repratriated from the States and the owners have converted the steering to the correct side making the LHD rack redundant.

Jan t
J Targosz

Jan,

I don't want to stir up a tempest in a teapot, but the correct side is the LEFT side, because as everyone knows, the right side is always the right side, and that never changes!

That's why Sweeden changed - to be correct!

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.

Gordon A. Clark

Well Gord,
You are sure to raise some comments on this. I suggest the TC had it RIGHT, it was dead right with the steering wheel only available in the right place. Remember the Colonies were granted the use of this fine language on trust, it still belongs here in the right place.
[only joshing]
Graham Smith
TD/C 7822 (converted from left to right!!)
G.D. Smith

You can thank Henry Ford for Yanks driving on the left with the steering wheel on the left. When the Model T hit the market cars in the Colonies were being built with steering wheels on both right and left but they were for the rich only. Henry is quoted as saying, " I drive my buckboard sitting on the left and I want to drive my car sitting on the left." He then proceeded to flood the market with so many left drive cars that local munincipalities had to deal with making laws to control the traffic. I'ts also known as "majority rules".
Nuff said! Greg & Grimm
G.J. Cenzer

It seems Henry was only following the practice already established by wagon drivers, who sat on the left rear horse.
Here is s website with more than you wanted to know about the subject.
http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/driving%20on%20the%20left.htm#anecdotes
Dallas Congleton

You might try: http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/driving%20on%20the%20left.htm
gordon lawson - TD 27667

or maybe

http://users.pandora.be/worldstandards/driving/20on/20the/20left.htm
gordon lawson - TD 27667

Dear Don,

And now you know something else about this BBS. It's more active members have the "largest" senses of humor. The biggest laugh I have had was a recent thread on "glovebox flocking". Look in the archives for it.

John
John Redman

sorry about using caps lock, typing is not a strong point
re left side right side /

namgar had an article about napoleon being left handed
and forced his armies to meet with left hand ready so
his armies marched on thr right.. also read about flicking
the bird.. geuss you know i am a lefty

as to mg's i am in northern ont and have been driving one
for over 25 years either my 59 coupe or my 61 mkii or one
of the 'b's
now i would like help on the TD if i can. but so far living
in the north there is no asistance readly available
it is nice to be able ot use the net
tksa all
don
don wallenius

Dear Graham (Smith),

I am reminded that while I was working in California, I encountered a chap who had converted his TC to LHD. I didn't believe him and went the first chance to see it.

That's right, it WAS LHD. It cost him a fortune. He tried to enter the car in a couple of shows and was laughed off the lot.

Before I moved back to Québec, he offered it to me for $2,500 and it was drop-dead lovely. Fortunately wisdom prevailed.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.
Gordon A. Clark

Gord....Meaning you were wise, even in hindsight, to have not purchased it? Or that you have had a TC with steering on the "correct" side for a long time now? Let them laugh, at least you can see the road to pass that old woman weaving dangerously in front of you..

I'm sure someone can tighten your rack, Don W.
Tom

Don... how far north are you... have you looked at the Ontario M.G. T Register website?
http://www.omgtr.ca/
gordon lawson - TD 27667

Don, I have a good used LHD TD steering rack in my shed, pay the freight from Western Australia and it is yours.
Gordon Wright

Make sure the slack is indeed in the rack and pinion gears themselves, if so check the damper and spring. Also, the inner tie rod ends also develop slack, and can be adjusted to tighten up. George
George Butz

Don,
Your situation brings out all of the good points about this BBS, the humor, the help and the shirt-off-their-backs generosity. Especially this SECTION of it.

John
John Redman

"with steering wheels on both right and left but they were for the rich only"

Typical: only for man that has everything: a car with two steering wheels?




<<There are quite a few TDs and TFs over here that have been repratriated from the States and the owners have converted the steering to the correct side>>

Jan, I did read in a Classic and Sportscars "market review" that converted cars are worth less than original cars, yes even a LHD in GB.
I do enjoy my RHD MG in a LHD country, it adds just that little bit extra!
Willem van der Veer

Willem,

Your point is well made, in fact my postman drives a 2-steering-wheeled, 4-WD mail delivery van. (for the record, these conversions use a rack-and-pinion with 2 output shafts - one on each side)

What I have trouble with is: at a given intersection, what happens if he wants to go to Home Depot, and she wants to go to the hair-dresser? I don't dare ask him - I might never get my mail.

Don't you think that even for the rich, our man-toys sometimes get complicated?

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.

PS:- I'd love to know the final disposition of that TC
Gordon A. Clark

sault ste marie is at the hub of the great lakes (SSM) on the border to the state of michigan so i have easy access to parts shipped within the U.S.it is 360 miles north of detroit
i had belonged to the NEMGTR #9273 from 1986 to 1996 then switched to NAMGAR when finished the 61 mkii as i had it and my coupe on the road so now that the td is completed and i also have my 741/2 gt on the road i would have reason to belong to all registers i could get costly for a retiree
as for australia to canada shipping i will check into that, during the eighties i bought parts from abbingtos spares and shipping wasn't too costly then
don wallenius

i read the article on flocking the glovebox, isn't communications great!!
now that we have the internet it is possible to enjoy a common interest worldwide and have a little fun doing it.
back to my problem ,the pinion gear is definitely worn and so is the rack thru the centre section. the damper bottoms the rack well before the play is taken up
this why i fell i would have to replace the complete rack. pinion and housing to tighten my steering back up
i would be very interested in knowing if there is one available in north america
iwould like to thank gord for his offer and if i can;t find one locally (read north america) i will follow up with him.
ihave put an ad in the "parts wanted td" section to see if any are available for sale
don wallenius

Hi Don,

You can check the archives as I seem to recall there are several posts on steering rack wear and play. Another area to check is the rack housing on the opposite end of the damper and spring. What often happens is that the housing wears and there is play between the housing and rack. You can add a second damper to eliminate this.

Dave
D Runnings

Then I appologize for thinking (and acting) as if you were a newbie but the welcome is sincere.

John
John Redman

I read somewher that the TF was designed to have the steering wheel in the centre. Thats why the instruments are in the middle. The idea was abandoned when the MG designers reakised what the hand brake would do to drivers


Happy Christmas


Jan t
J Targosz

This thread was discussed between 08/12/2005 and 11/12/2005

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.