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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Steering self centring

Back in December I had a post about my 71 midget failing its MOT due to a lack of self centring (excessively rough steering on the failure cert) and promised to post the solution. It's taken a while as it finally passed the MOT today!
What it wasn't:
King pins; steering rack incl alignment to the column and spacer, end float etc, steering arms; track rod ends, tracking, body shell mis-alignment (had been told it could be the Heritage shell)
What it was - the steering column! A second hand one from Andy Jennings did the trick and it now self centres with the best of them. The original when disconnected at the steering wheel end and rotated, spun eccentrically and when everything was tightened up resulted in tight steering and no self centring. The only explanation I can think of was due to an earlier accident on the earlier shell - image attached - which may have caused the column to twist even very slightly - although it's a big lump of steel - may be on the weld?
It drove me mad at times and thanks are due to friend Rob who continued to persevere until the solution was found!
Hope this may help anyone else with a similar probelem but then again probably not!
Now to enjoy it.


Jeremy 3

Glad you passed your MOT and I hope that is the "before" picture! Would really like to see the "after" one.
Clive Reddin 76 Midget

Jeremy, sort that out in a jiffy with a tub of filler


Seriously, thanks for coming along and telling us the result

And you got the MOT, so what a result well done

Have you booked for Spridget 50 yet?

Time to hurry!

:-)

And as Clive says, it'ld be nice to see the "after" picture


Bill
Bill

Thanks guys,

after picture attached and will book for Spridget 50 -thanks for the reminder Bill, see you there.
(And yes the indicator lamps are on the wrong way round - got to have something still to do haven't I!)


Jeremy 3

That's a nice "afters" Jeremy

super sheen on the bonnet and wings

see you there!
Bill

This thread was discussed between 04/04/2008 and 06/04/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.