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MG MGF Technical - Steering alignment and Hood issues

2 Questions.....

Firstly, I have an issue with my steering, the tracking seems perfect, and has been in and out of the garage numerous times for this, it looks like it is the steering wheel that is slightly out... Is there any way to just adjust the steering wheel, we are only talking a few degrees out but it is noticable and annoying....

Secondly, I need to get my hood re-tensioned, the garage has said that this cannot be done, I have seen numerous threads saying it can, is there any technichal documentation on this that i can present at my dealership...

Thanks in advance....
Danny

Danny,

Just out of interest, where are you taking it for alignment?

paul weatherill

The car has been going back to the dealers,
Shields Rover in Glasgow.
Danny

Does anyone think that it is too much to ask that when my steering wheel is straight the car does not drift to the left.. or is it one of those thinks you just have to live with???

Cheers
Danny

I have had this conversation many times, with suprisingly many different views.

I don't think its too much to ask, and believe that the car should go straight when the wheel is straight.

Other opinions I have heard, state a slight drift to the left is a good thing. As it puts the car into the curb if you fall asleep at the wheel.

I had problems with mine as when I got my wheels balanced, the didn't center the steering wheel when aligning the wheels.

Hence I had to drive straight with the wheel at about 30 degrees to the left. As this was very obvious, they sorted it out.

I haven't used Shields, myself so I can't comment.
Had a few problems with Machargs (near SECC), so I now use Morrison's in Falkirk.

For wheel alignment, there is a great wee place in Sighthill, just at the end ot the M8. Called CLC Tyres, that will do a full 4 wheel laser alignment for £36.


paul weatherill

When the tracking is set they should lock the steering wheel in the streight ahead position. With the power steering is is sometimes difficult to get the wheel preciely straight.

Take it back and get them to correct this as it is meant to be set when they do the tracking. This is simply that they did not ensure the wheel was in line when they set the tracking.

this is an advantage of a while you wait tyre place is that you can stand next to the guy while he does it so you can make sure these things are correct as they do it. It is simply a clamp that fits between the seat and the wheel to hold it in place while the tracking is being set. This is not a big problem....
Tony Smith

Hood, according to the manual there are two wires running the lengh of the hood one on each side. These can be tensioned as you would a bicycle brake cable. Undo the fastening, pull the cable tight and tighten up the fastener.

Have a look on the FAQ for more details, it must be on there somewhere.

The Rover MGF manual says, under service repair no - 76.61.25 (this number may have changed by now).....

1. Partially lower hood
2. Loosen cable locking screws
3. Raise hood fully, but do not secure catches
4. Using pliers, pull cables taught and tighten locking screws
5.Secure hood catches and check cable tension.
6. If necessary, release hood catches, slaken cable locking screws and adjust cable tension. Tighten locking screws
7. Secure catches.

The locking scres are above the frame joint by the rear screen if I rememer correctly. In the manual it's under the HOOD part of the BODY section. This again shows that some dealers can't even read the manual.......
Tony Smith

Thanks Guys,

I think try the dealership again. I have a good look at the FAQ again to....

Cheers
Danny

I had my tracking done while I waited at ATS for about £20. Also - mine goes to the left slightly when I brake - I just assumed that it was supposed to do that - is it not then?
Emma

When the tracking is set -the lazy way to do it is to adjust one side and not the other - this pulls the other wheel in - so the alignment is correct - however because you have made the full adjustment on only one side the steering wheel goes out of line!

On older cars this is understandable as the bolts you need to undo to adjust are generally seized and hard to undo - not so on a newer car!

Emma - if your tracking has been set and pulls to the left or right it hasnt been set up right !

However make sure your not driving in the camber/dip created by a lorry - ie dual carraigeways as this will naturally pull the car left or right even if the tracking is spot on!

TONY

Going to the leftwhile braking, if this is that sudden twitch to one side you get as you apply the brakes in the wet. If this is the same thing the effect should not be felt as you apply more pressure to the brakes. I think after the last discussion on this BBS the general opinion this was caused by water between the pads and the disk at the front.

I had this problem when I first got the car but it never does it now. If however your car is going left or right continuously as you press the pedal down further then I think it is a more serious problem that the Dealer really has to sort out.

You could try new pads and see it that cures the problem.
Tony Smith

I remember on some of the older cars the link rod used to have left hand and right hand threads so you adjusted by releasing the locknuts at both ends then turning the link rod - such sophistication!

Ted
Ted Newman

Well these are my last issues to get resolved with my car, hopefully!!!!

The car does pull to the left on braking sometimes, but it is very slight and not all of the time....
not sure if it is when it is raining, ill have to check on that....

Oh and it feels far better with its new 16" square spoked wheels on..... :-)
Danny

Not sure that you should accept any drifting to the left, wheel out of alignment, brakes pulling. These seemto indicate that there is still a problem either with the accuracy of the tracking or with components. Bear in mind the car would not have been like it from new I'm sure as any one who spend 16K+ on a car and accepts problems like this would bea fool. I had a tracking problem with my 99 1.8i and it made the car a pig to drive, drifting to the left acting scittishly etc etc. Tracking did solve it. I have been told that to do it properly takes quite a long time, so I can't see that for £20 it is beeing done right. Can I suggest you take advice from Mike Satur as he offers a service where he tracks the car to different settings which alledgedly makes the handling much better.
Jas

I tend to agree with you Jaz

I would only have the car adjusted at a specialist from now on - and that doesnt include MG rover :)

Digestives anyone ?
tony

Can anyone recommend any specialist up in Glasgow?
Danny Rivers

It actually only takes around 20 minutes to do the job of four wheel alignment, 30-40 quid should be about right. If they only checked and adjusted on the front wheels it has not been done properly as the front has to be set releative to the back.

To do it perfectly you would need top leave the car on the ramp for two hours before checking and adjusting but perfection is not guarenteed and not usually required to get it pretty damn close.

The main thing is to not change the height every five minutes, when dealers were continuously changing my cars height I could not get the tracking right. I think the tracking on the F should be checked every six months or so.
Tony Smith

This thread was discussed between 08/11/2001 and 09/11/2001

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.