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MG TD TF 1500 - Rack and Pinion thrust washers

Good day to all,
I am beginning to reassemble my rack and pinion steering and have a question. I couldn't find the answer in the archives, but I might have missed it.
1) There is a top and bottom thrust washer on the pinion shaft. Unfortunately, I did not note which was which on disassembly. Abingdon Spares has different part numbers for the washers, implying that they are not identical. Can anyone tell me how to differentiate between the two? The two that I have are pictured here. one is .125" and one is .127" thick. In addition, the .127" has a wider "face" that you can see in the photo. Also, the .127" washer looks like it has had another chamfer "mauled" on the opposite side (photo 2).

Can anyone shed some light on the thrust washer configuration?
Thanks for all your help,
Jim TD17744







JV Smith TD17744

Get a magnifier and try to match up the wear marks and ridges. Otherwise no idea.
George Butz III

Just from memory, I don't think you can mix them up
If i remember correctly they have different inside diameters and the larger one goes to the top
William Revit

William, you are absolutely right. It is obvious when I look closely at the photo. I guess I was always arbitrarily putting them in correctly each time I fitted them. Feeling a little foolish right about now, but thanks so much for the help.
Jim
JV Smith TD17744

I'd like to add a followup question here instead of starting a new thread. I'm at a similar spot and did recognize which washer fit each end. BUT there's a felt seal and thrust washer that needs to go BEHIND the rack before the pinion shaft is inserted. I'm having a devil of a time getting those in. Concerned that the felt seal will get twisted and the pinion shaft is difficult to slide in. Suggestions?
RS Scardamalia

I had exactly the same problem today. After several tries, I realized that if the upper washer slips into it's seat in the housing, I can't get the pinion shaft past the rack. But if I I slid the upper washer(behind the pinion) then carefully slid the felt seal on. Then slide the pinion shaft into the housing, being careful not to allow the upper washer fall all the way into it's "seat", you can slide the rack past the pinion shaft because the shaft has enough play without the upper washer seated to get the rack past. There may be an easier way, but this worked for me today.

I would be interested in hearing other comments. My way was definitely a "trial and error" solution. I knew it came out, so I knew I could get it back in.

Hope this helps,
Jim
JV Smith TD17744

Since we are on the rack and pinion, I have another question. Should the felt seal be installed on the pinion shaft "dry"?
Jim
JV Smith TD17744

That's a good question Jim. I've been tempted to soak it to see if that helps keep it in place. Dry is proving to be very difficult.
RS Scardamalia

Jim-RS
A light swipe of grease in the housing is the go with the felt to stick it in place, leave the felt itself dry,you sort of have to fold it in a bit to get it in place then smooth it out into place against the grease then sit the washer in,chamfered side facing back out towards the pinion, If you can find a piece of 3/4" wooden dowel or similar, make sure it has a smooth end, oil it up and poke it in from the outside to set the felt and washer in place-- then fit the rack shaft,-
- then oil up the splined end and shaft of the pinion shaft so it will slide through the felt without catching up and wrecking the felt--then the tricky bit, start the end of the pinion shaft into the thrust washer pushing the dowel through as you go and roll the rack over so that you're pushing the pinion straight upwards and gently push and twist it through being gentle to start with making sure the oiled up spline doesn't catch the felt, -if you keep turning the pinion as you slowly push it up with the rack sitting up like this, then this and gravity letting the washer stay down against the rack shaft will stop the thrust washer jamming on the shaft as it goes through, if it jams just pull it back a bit and twist it in again-it'll go
William Revit

Thanks for the detailed description and tips William! Good project for today.
RS Scardamalia

Thanks William,

I installed the pinion shaft with felt and washers and all seemed well. However, as I rotated pinion shaft, I noticed about a 1/16" runout on the shaft. The shaft is tight in the housing, but when you rotate it there is a very slight wobble. It appears to be slightly bent. I don't think it is bent in the housing. I think the shaft is bent after it leaves the housing. I am assuming that this is unsatisfactory. It seems like even a small wobble like this would be magnified by the time it gets to the steering wheel.
Advice?

Jim
JV Smith TD17744

I've had that a few times before Jim,sometimes I think it was a std feature-- The first time , i pulled it apart again and pressed it straight and was surprised how soft it was and easy to push straight
The pinion shaft is actually hollow and quite soft
If you leave it assembled and find a piece of pipe to slide over it and pull it by hand accross to where it has to go and get someone to give it a little whack down near the housing with a block of wood and a hammer to set it while you're pulling on it you'll get a win, you might not even have to hit it ,it might just pull accross but be CAREFULL and go gentle it will bend easy
willy
William Revit

Thanks Willy,
That is great information. I didn't realize it was hollow.

Jim
JV Smith TD17744

Bit of a surprise to me too when I realised
The hole is quite large too ,probably 10mm or so
Here's a pic of a piece of an old one i cut up


William Revit

This thread was discussed between 11/11/2020 and 16/11/2020

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