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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Smaller Steering UJ

Can anyone tell me whether the later style smaller steering u-joint can be used as a direct replacement for the early style larger steering u-joint? I have a 68 B with a stock steering arrangement. I'm finding that the lower clamping bolt is hitting my exhaust manifold and I'm hoping to get 1/8" to 1/4" more clearance by going to the smaller unit. Thanks in advance for any help.

Scott
Scott Costanzo

I used Borgeson U joints on my GM 3800 Series II Roadster
http://www.borgeson.com/
Don Zeigler

Yes it can. BE
Barrie Egerton

The coupling on my V8 (non-replaceable spider) is smaller than that on my roadster (replaceable spider) but the centres of the two bolt holes are different so they are NOT interchangeable. If the centres are the same they should be interchangeable.
Paul Hunt

I threw the old larger uni. away when I replaced it with the smaller type, so I can't measure the difference between the bolt centres. Whatever difference there is would only be a few mm, & so all it means is the steering wheel would be a few mm nearer or further from the dashboard. My steering wheel/dashboard setup looks perfectly normal.
Barrie E
Barrie Egerton

It's more like 1/2" difference with my two.
Paul Hunt

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'm thinking of going with the Borgeson unit. On my car there is a gap of about 2 inches between the two shaft ends and the Borgeson unit requires a gap of about 1.5 inches to allow full seating of the shafts into the UJ. From the looks of things I should be able to adjust the steering wheel shaft downward about .5 inches to achieve the correct spacing, provided the flange on the end of the steering column will slide upward by that same amount.

Scott
Scott Costanzo

This thread was discussed between 09/07/2002 and 12/07/2002

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical index

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