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MG TD TF 1500 - Steering torque?

I notice that when I take my foot off the gas, at speeds of 35mph or more, my wheel has a tendency to pull slightly to the left (left-hand drive TD), as the engine rpms suddenly drop....
Is this something that is due to some sort of gyroscopic effect or torque effect? Or, is there something abnormal, that I should be looking at....
Car does not wander, and my suspension and brake parts are new....My car has correct camber and toe-in.
I am using a 14" steering wheel, and wonder if this is more noticable with the smaller wheel.
Thanks
Edward
E.B. Wesson

Ed, Could be a loose rear suspension that shifts a little as the power comes off. Check the 4 double nutted axle clamps on the rear springs, rear end steering!
Dick Lambert

Edward
One thing to look at is the rear end. Make sure that you retightened the U bolts. This is something that must be re-done. after the car has been driven.

Tom
T. L. Manion Thomas

Loose diff is twisting one way as you accellerate, and the other when you let off - most noticeable on the latter. Check condition of the rubber bits on the springs (use Moss black poly bushings in the eyes), put buffer plates underneath the U-bolts (Moss 267-560 @6.75) to fix wear, and tighten down U-bolts VERY tight, double-nutting them when done.

Tom
t lange

While you're looking at the U bolts check to see if your car has "saddles" between the upper section of the U bolts and the axle. T-types don't normally have them, they are fitted to MGAs. With out them you may find grooves that have been worn into the tops of your axle.


David Werblow

Mine did it on acceleration and deceleration.....tightened up the rear end and fixed it....
gblawson(gordon- TD27667)

David, hate to but in but what is that shock you have and how do you like it?
Ed
efh Haskell

Ed,
I can't recall the manufacturer of the shocks themselves, but I got the conversion parts from Butch Smith <bjmga@verizon.net> He's a member of NAMGAR. I have never driven a TF with the factory shocks, but I had the original shocks on my MGA when I first put it on the road and I like the way it handles a lot better with tube shocks.
David Werblow

Thanks , guys for the info....
The rear axle is one area that is going to be serviced this Winter, when I pull the body....I have already ordered a rubber-replacement kit from Moss, but won't be installing until then....
Meantime, I will tighten all the bolts on the rear, so at least I will know if that is the cause of the problem....
The PO did really nice job on the front suspension and brakes, but , I guess he neglected the rear axle.
Edward
E.B. Wesson

Well, thought I was done...Put the car up on the lift, and loosened the lock nuts, and discovered, after breaking one of the "U-bolt" legs, that the bolts were already at maximum depth....
In other words, there was no adjustment left....
In addition, a previous PO (unknown), had cross-threaded almost every nut....which made things even worse.
So, I have ordered new bolts, pads, nuts , saddles, etc...and will be spending the balance of the week replacing these worn items.....
The good news is, that this Winter, I won't have to replace them again......
Edward
E.B. Wesson

Ed,
FYI, There is a good chance that they have warn into the axle housings,,,,If that is in fact the case, it will take a few times of tightening the "U" bolts, drive a fwe miles and thighten them again untill you get the Saddles to seat into the grouves in the axle housings..
Untill they are seated properly, you might get what would be improperly diagnosed as clutch chatter...

SPW
STEVE WINCZE

To Steve and others, I had an axle with deep grooves when I rebuilt the car. So I had a shop weld the grooves and then grind the welding to the diameter of the housing. I have driven the car at least 12 years with no problems from the grooves.

The only problem with this fix is that the welding must be done a bit at a time, so as not to warp the housing.

Then put the MGA parts on to prevent further wear.
Cheers,
Bob
Bob Jeffers

After 3 out of 4 U-bolts , broke, trying to remove the lock nuts, I , of course realized that this was a good thing....Obviously the bolts were on their last "legs" (pun intended).
Anyway, the good news, is there is no groove in the axle housing, on either side...But the rubber buffers are completely disintegrated....
Pretty obvious that over the 60 years, no one ever thought of removing and replacing the buffers...Always the solution was tighten more, until there were no threads left, and the nuts became completely frozen on the legs of the bolts.
I have ordered "saddles" from Moss, that will help guard against future chaffing of the axle, and would take up any slight depressions in the housing.
Thanks again for the suggestions...
I will post, when all is back together and working again.
Edward
E.B. Wesson

This thread was discussed between 29/07/2011 and 02/08/2011

MG TD TF 1500 index

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