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Car Forum / UK Car Forums / Classic Cars (UK group) / January 2009MG midget steering dilemna
So today I was driving around in my 67 MG Midget. Made a sharp turn and heard a lound tearing crunch come from somewhere up forward in the engine compartment. Kept on cruising thinking everything was fine, then went to turn again. This time the steering wheel slips for half a rotation with no movement from the wheels before grabbing. Got out and inspected. Shaft turns with the wheel, but slips in the rack somehow. So what do you think I need to fix this before I tear it all apart? Thanks for any suggestions. I'm kinda new to all this. > So today I was driving around in my 67 MG Midget. Made a sharp turn > and heard a loud tearing crunch come from somewhere up forward in the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > So what do you think I need to fix this before I tear it all apart? > Thanks for any suggestions. I'm kinda new to all this. I don't know the Midget, but a lot of the steering linkages of that era had universal joints in the path from steering wheel to rack. Those joints didn't last for ever, and it was not unknown for the pinch bolts to work loose either, slackening the grip on the splines. If the problem isn't that, then it will be in the rack itself, and you will need a new one. Half a turn of slack implies a couple of teeth missing off the input shaft. Jim In article <2f20b5e9-5331-4d70-b0bf-00542d2ef86a@i18g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, > So today I was driving around in my 67 MG Midget. Made a sharp turn > and heard a lound tearing crunch come from somewhere up forward in the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > So what do you think I need to fix this before I tear it all apart? > Thanks for any suggestions. I'm kinda new to all this. If the actual pinion shaft is turning in the rack assembly but the rack not moving you've lost some teeth - or the pinion shaft sheared. Either way a reconditioned or new unit is the way forward, since trying to get the spares necessary for a home repair is likely to be difficult. If getting a re-con unit, buy from a reputable source like say one recommended by the MG car club. Don't just buy on price alone as these things can be bodged. But as Jim says, check the *actual* pinion shaft is turning - ie it's not a problem with the coupling between steering column and pinion shaft. They use a splined pinch collar and if this comes loose can slip.  Signature*Few women admit their age; fewer men act it. Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. > In article > <2f20b5e9-5331-4d70-b0bf-00542d2ef86a@i18g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > a problem with the coupling between steering column and pinion shaft. They > use a splined pinch collar and if this comes loose can slip. Had a smilar problem on the E one time. Metalastik mounts on the rack failed and one end fell off. Exciting! Geoff >> In article >> <2f20b5e9-5331-4d70-b0bf-00542d2ef86a@i18g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > Geoff That's what it sounds like to me the rack moving and needs remounting or the universal joint has worn. Its unlikely that there are teeth missing never seen any before, these things take a heap of stress. Some need to be re shimmed to take out the slack because of the wear but you are better off with a reco unit as they become tight when you access the unworn rack sections. > >> But as Jim says, check the *actual* pinion shaft is turning - ie it's not > >> a problem with the coupling between steering column and pinion shaft. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > > > Geoff > That's what it sounds like to me the rack moving and needs remounting or > the universal joint has worn. IIRC, there's no universal joint. Later cars - possibly export only - had collapsable columns - but still no universal. > Its unlikely that there are teeth missing never seen any before, these > things take a heap of stress. Some need to be re shimmed to take out the > slack because of the wear but you are better off with a reco unit as > they become tight when you access the unworn rack sections. Indeed. The inner ball joints might also be worn. Signature*Some people are only alive because it is illegal to kill. Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. >>>> But as Jim says, check the *actual* pinion shaft is turning - ie it's not >>>> a problem with the coupling between steering column and pinion shaft. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Indeed. The inner ball joints might also be worn. Now you mention a collapsible steering column - has that been damaged at any time? If it has one? needs more inspection to actually reproduce where the actual noise is being generated from. My failing memory just recalled that my brother had a Sprite many years ago, similar age to this, and his rack literally snapped cleanly in two inside the casing, luckily at slow speed and close to home. ** Some days I feel like the dog, other days I feel like the lamp post** > So today I was driving around in my 67 MG Midget. Made a sharp turn > and heard a lound tearing crunch come from somewhere up forward in the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > So what do you think I need to fix this before I tear it all apart? > Thanks for any suggestions. I'm kinda new to all this. Sounds like the imperalator bearings have either seized or about to, get it checked immediately > So today I was driving around in my 67 MG Midget. Made a sharp turn > and heard a lound tearing crunch come from somewhere up forward in the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > So what do you think I need to fix this before I tear it all apart? > Thanks for any suggestions. I'm kinda new to all this. > Sounds like the imperalator bearings have either seized or about to, get > it checked immediately You mean it's bungled and you should zippy along to get it fixed fast? Signature*Forget the Joneses, I keep us up with the Simpsons. Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW To e-mail, change noise into sound. |
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