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MG TD TF 1500 - Pulling up steering shaft

Getting ready to reinstall the rebuilt engine. Can someone either describe or point me to an archived thread on how to go about removing or "pulling up" the steering shaft? I see that it is recommended to do so, but can't find a step by step description anywhere. All the threads just say "do it"... can't see a "how to do it" thread :)
Thx in advance
Geoffrey M Baker

Starting at the steering box. There are 3 rubber mounted shoulder bolts in a Y shaped spider. They screw into a mating spider on the steering box and are further secured with castellated check nuts and cotter pins.
Remove these.

At the outside fire wall is a clamp with 1 or 2 distance pieces. Loosen the bolt. (You may or may not need to do this step depending on how much room you need. It will allow about 1" more room.)
If the rubbers are old, now is a good time to renew.


Inside the fire wall is a leather draught excluder. This is secured by a clamp. Loosen the clamp. If the excluder is broken or stiff now is a good time to replace it. (You may or may not need to do this step depending on how much room you need. It will allow about 1" more room.)

Under the dash is a clamp. Loosen it but do not remove. (You may or may not need to do this step depending on how much room you need. It will allow about 1" more room.)

You should now be able to slide the steering shaft up into the cockpit.

It will still have the steering wheel attached. If you wish to remove the steering wheel, there is a chrome clamp and locking nut under the dash that must be removed.
Sliding the flexible chrome steel cover will uncover a Key. About 1/4" square with rounded edges. You can remove this with a magnet. Put it where you will remember you put it. I have made about 4 of them now.
The wheel will now slide out of the shaft.
Note there are felts seals inside the outer shaft. Both at the top and the bottom of the outer shaft. Try not to allow these to come out, unless you wish to replace them.

I would suggest that you grease all sliding joints before moving the shaft or you will be refinishing the shaft.

Jim B.
JA Benjamin

Thanks Jim,
I removed the 3 rubber shoulder bolts. The entire shaft then slid easily up into the cockpit. So this tells me, I'm probably missing the firewall clamp and the draught excluder and possibly the underdash clamp. I'll check that later.
Still, the shaft is up out of the way.
The problem is, the oil pump still seems to be unable to get past the lower steering arm and that "spider".
Advice?
It's hot out, I'm covered with sweat and cranky :)
Geoffrey M Baker

OK I got the engine more or less in. Thanks for the help!
Geoffrey M Baker

This thread was discussed on 24/09/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.