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MG MGA - Steering Rack -ever seen this?

Just took my steering rack etc. apart yesterday. The secondary rack damper pad has been worn all the way though and the spring was in contact with the rack. Where it has worn though an indetation has been worn into the rack. Any one ever seen this before? Think I can take a file and work this down so as to reuse the rack? Thoughts?

Garland
GD Glenn

Sorry.Here's the photo.

GD Glenn

I'll leave it up to someone else to comment on the reuse, but if I were to guess I'd bet someone put grease in the rack instead of oil preventing lubrication from getting down there.
T McCarthy

Your right about someone putting grease in the rack. And is a mess to get out.
GD Glenn

I'm sure that if you fill the depression with a very hard epoxy, and sand smooth, it will be fine to reuse, and the brass damper will run over the top of it just fine. I suspect that filing it will give you some rather strange effects at centre
dominic clancy

My question would be whether the epoxy would soften up under an oil immersion. If possible, remove the rack and have the depressiojn brazed up. This would eliminate any potentiality for further failure.
mike parker

Guys,

can I just ask for clarification?

Am I right in assuming (from reading the above postings) that the steering rack needs OILING, and not GREASING? And that the grease nipple on the rack is there to make me think it needs grease, but really I should be squirting oil down there? If greasing the rack is bad, I'll have to take it apart, but if I've got myself confused and missed the point, please let me know.

Cheers,

Grant (Dazed and Confused).

PS what grade or type of oil should I be using (If oil is the way to go)?
G Hudson

Grade 90 hypoid oil is what the book says. I put oil in mine. Seems to vary amongst the community. many have put grease in with apparent nil adverse effect. This thread suggests what can happen.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Cheers Steve :-)
G Hudson

I can't remember where I actually saw it in print, but yes, 90 wt. oil is what's called for. Maybe it was in the factory shop manual, as I don't have an owners manual. I have also seen a factory tool which is not a grease gun though it looks like one. It is for oiling the rack. I don't have any original tools with my car (yet). Anyone have a picture of the tool they can post?

I would also add that on disassembly of the rack, while there was plenty of grease at the gear end, there was almost none at the secondary end and none at all under the secondary plunger where my wear is.
GD Glenn

The archives has a bit on the topic. Someone said to just slacken off one of the boots and squirt the oil inside. The book says the quantity is half a pint.

I have replaced the nipples with a couple I have drilled out. Then attached some plastic piping that I have clamped to the radiator top attachment bolt. Periodically I pour some oil down the pipes. Similar idea to the pre war MG cars.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Garland,
I'm pretty confident that Dominic's suggestion about Epoxy (such as JB Weld) would work fine. Although it might be a little more prone to wear from the damper. Just be sure the goove is very clean. I'd be a little concerned trying the braze solution. Thats a faily thick cross section and would need a lot of heat. It might warp.

At GT33 there was a fellow from Georgia (whose name escapes me) that had, among other innovations (AC, electric fan, etc), a rack oiling system installed on his MGA. Has anyone else seen this? As I recall it was a syringe with some tubing that went into the rack, I think at the location of the fitting. Wish I'd taken a picture.

GTF
G T Foster

Just my opinion - epoxy is not going to fix this, it is far softer than the surrounding metal and probably won't adhere under motion. It will break loose. You could possibly file the length of the rack that rides under the damper. Steering is so critical that this seems like time to replace rather than repair.
Steven B

Probably time to replace but.... I think I'll have a go with my MIG welder first to see if I can build this up. Seems reasonable. No heat build up as would occur with brazing. Thoughts any one before I try it? Any body have a good rack or full rack and pinion they want to sell if I need one?

Garland
GD Glenn

I don't know about welding, you may want to wrap the rest of the shaft with a wet rag while you weld.
In the past, I have had quite large shafts brazed where a bearing failed, and there was no real worry about warpage.
mike parker

This thread was discussed between 05/10/2008 and 09/10/2008

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