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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Steering Boxes

Guys..I probably know the answer already but am gonna ask the question anyway:

Are there any differences in the turns lock-to-lock of any of the MGB steering boxes?

I know there are differences in the chrome & rubber bumper rack & pnion assemblies thermselves but think that's just how they bolt up to the car (angle of steering pinion)...
...I'm ready to stick a steering assembly up under my car & am wondering if there's a particular one I should rebuild & use that will give me quicker handling...
anthony barnhill

The RB ones are slower -- I think 3.5 turns lock to lock whereas the CB ones are 3.0. Use the slower one on a V8!!! The car gets going so fast that the regular CB rack will be awfully twitchy and less fun.
Ted

Your choice of rack and pinion may be dictated by factors other than personal preference.

When MG produced the V8 they lengthened the pinion shaft to reach the smaller U-joint located more rearward and the rack that was mounted more forward and lower via the changes in the cross member. When forced to raise bumper height, MG utilized the taller V8 style cross member to cut development costs. Because the cross member mounted the rack in a different location, the longer pinion shaft was required and that pinion shaft was so long that the smaller U-joint and shorter steering column were required as well.

Somewhere along the line the steering ratio was changed, apparently to decrease steering effort. The result is slower steering response. My impression of the difference is this; I loved the steering in my ’71. It really contributed to the fun factor of driving, but it was labor intensive at slow speeds. That didn’t bother me, but I could understand how women or some other people would find it too difficult. The steering in my ’77 may not be as light as power steering, but it is dramatically lighter than in the ‘71. It’s still fun to steer, but it doesn’t standout to me as much as in the older car.

When this question came up in the past, I said I thought the ratio change coincided with the change in ride height, but someone else said he swapped parts through different years, which would not have been possible if this were true. So perhaps someone else can narrow down the date of change.
George Champion

I'm thinking there were changes also...I'm planningt on using the later rubber bumper steering assembly on my rubber bumper car but I can build whichever 'guts' I want & put them in that box...
anthony barnhill

Tony,

You need to call Towery. He rigged up my CB with a hybrid RB steering setup and I think he chose the slower ratio rack. It originally had a CB rack and it was just a hair-trigger affair on a V8. The RB rack is a bit easier to deal with when you really get going, IMHO.
David

Tony,The slower ratio racks were used on the later rubber bumper cars.Cars with what I call the "late" dashboard(larger instruments,center warning light stack,etc..),which I believe started in the '77 model year.I used the pinion shaft and rack gear in my '71 GT(the only reason I used the early rack body over the original '77 body is that it was already glassbeaded and painted).The pinion shaft must be cut down 5-6"to match the length of the chrome bumper shaft.Then machine two flats on the shaft opposite each other and you wind up with a 3/4'-DD shaft end.Them call Borgeson or Flaming river for a u-joint or vibration-reducing u-joint for 3/4-DD on one end and 3/4-48 spline on the other.U-joints range from $50 for a regular type to $150 for the vibe-reducing type.Overall not a very complicated project,only rating 2 out of 5 stars.Have fun--Dave Deerson
David Deerson

Guys, Clausinger says, "A steering rack with a lower ratio was introduced on 1977 models..." That means the early MGB GT V8's had the 'quicker' steering...Tom Bedenbaugh tells me you can rebuild the earlier stuff & put it in a later rack thus getting quicker steering & not have to worry with all the hassles of changing out the entire assembly....
...Glenn does some neat tilting of different assemblies to make them fit the 'other' car...I figure: rebuild quicker pinion & stick in later & slower '79 assembly to make it handle like early cars...thoughts?
Tony Barnhill

The MGC was also 3.5 turns lock-to-lock.
Paul Hunt

David D.
Does that vibration reducer really works? i have been playing with that idea my self, i want to reduce the steering kick back.
Romney
Romney

I bought a brand new rack for my rhd '66 a few years back from the MGOC. After I installed it, I discovered the ratio was wrong as it was the same as my '77. I miss the quicker ratio. Too much trouble for me to remove send it back to the U.K.
David

Got a 'quick' rack out of a '75 car to use...that solves the problem as its a rubber bumper rack & I'm still using my '79 suspension beam even though I've lowered car to chrome height...I think most people don't like the rubber cars' handling because of the steering difference...the lower center of gravity of a chrome car may be a part, but the steering is a major factor, IMHO
anthony barnhill

This thread was discussed between 28/08/2002 and 06/09/2002

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