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MG TD TF 1500 - Upper Steering Column Play

I removed my wheel and upper column to fix the chrome upper column cover which was twisted a bit oddly, and when I reinstalled the column and wheel, I noted a bit of up and down play in the upper steering column. It appears that one of the felt pads around the opening had slid back a bit. I pulled it outward and repositioned the pad, which is naturally worn I would imagine, but still have some play. Now as I've only owned the car a few months, perhaps I just never noted the play before. I'm not sure. In any case, how do I eliminate this play? Is it putting in new felt and gluing in place, or what? Or, is something else wrong?

All input appreciated

Larry
L Karpman

Just replace the felt affer spraying lightly with a bit of oil. No glue necessary, it fits in the expanded end of the outer column tube.
What about the bottom felt? You can slide the tube upward, extract the old felt and install a new one there too.
The felt strips are cut on an angle and fit very easily into place.
Jim Merz

Sounds like the felt... wiggle the wheel while you are looking at the adjustment bolts and the bushing (felt) and see where the play is.
I replaced the felt but there is still a bit of play (not thick enough I guess), but I also find the shaft slips 'down' over a week or so and when it is at its lowest point, it rattles a bit.
gblawson - TD#27667

Thanks Jim and Gordon. Guess it's normal then if the felt is worn. As to "top" and "bottom" felt, I guess mine have rotated a bit and its more like left and right felt. While the right felt stays in place, it's still allows movement. The left felt tends to slip back a bit. And Gordon, mine has play throughout the entire in-out range of the upper column.

The felt for the upper colums is Moss part 260-150.

Thanks again

Larry

L Karpman

I thought that free play was a feature to make it easy to get in and out.
You mean its a problem??
Alan

I always thought the "easy in, easy out" feature were the door checks that pull loose, allowing the door to crash into the rear wing :-)

Larry
L Karpman

Hi Larry,
One way to eliminate the up and down 'play' in the steering column is to replace the engineers felt 'junk' with a teflon type material. I turned up a new sleeve on the lathe using this material for the column on our current TF and it fixed the problem-probably for the next 50 years! The original felt will always end up compressing and of course the inevitable result is 'slop' in the column.

I have watched your energy in getting to all those annoying bits and pieces that need corrective attention on your TD-great stuff.In the interest of why people turn to wanting a TD/TF,were you keen on T Type MGs as a teenager or is it just a recent wish?

Cheers for now.
Rob. Grantham
R GRANTHAM

Rob: Thanks for the input and comments.

I have been an avid T Series junkie ince about 1965. I got my first T, a 1947 TC in 1971 but had to sell her when times got a bit rough. I had a 1953 MG when I lived in Alaska, but sold her when we moved back to Texas in 1991. I got diverted for about 15 years with jaguars, but returned to my "roots" so to speak a few months ago when I acquired this TD. I have no experience in restoration, but I am about to retire and I love "piddling" and fixing up "drivers" I had a go at concours with my Jags. Too much work :-)

I may, and that's an ouside chance, may do a frame up at some point. Don't really know. I just enjoy fixing things up so I have a reliable driver that I and other can admire.

Cheers

Larry
L Karpman

L. Karpman

Oh great you mean the doors swinging back all the way is a problem also???
The next thing your gonna tell me is that the wind screen wiper motor is not supposed to double as a hand warmer right?
Or that the headlight switch is not just makeing popping noise to keep me awake at night....

The switch seems to have three positions,
OFF, Sputter , and ON .
Alan

Dear Larry
At least you are member of an active internet community with your MG - just great, I think. Just look at the Jag BBS on this site: simply pathetic, no interest, no exchange. I wonder why MG drivers are so much more communicative.
Remo Peter

Because in the 50's/60's when we had to wave at other sports cars, we had to wave at them all...(except bugeyes)...made us way more friendly!!!!!
gblawson - TD#27667

Remo: Yes that's sad. I have been amember of Jag-Lovers.org for almost 15 years. That is a very, very lively forum, and much like this one. Superb technical advice and just as important, friendly helpful people. A lot of us would be lost with our T's without this.

Larry
L Karpman

I just purchased a 1952 MG TD. I am relieved to see that many of the quirks (doors not shutting completely type, minor oil leaks, decoarative windshield wipers, etc) are not unique to my car. My question has to do with adjusting the steeering column. I am 6'2" and have trouble getting my legs around the steering wheel. I am aware of the adjustment to move the steering wheel in and out -- it only helps out a little bit. I noticed that there is a clamp that holds the steering column in place. The clamp is designed so that there is room to move the column up and down. None of the books I have read or the manual suggest that theis adjustment can be made. My question is whether I can adjust the column so that it is set as high as possible in the clamp (the column would rest just below the dash). I just can't figure out wehter doing so could impact the rack and pinion connection.
mike

This may be a little off of the header topic.

There is a roller bearing replacement for the upper felt bushing on TCs but I have never seen one for our TDs and TFs. Anyone know why, considering how many more TDs and TFs there are compaired to TCs.

Tom
T. L. Manion Thomas

Mike - The amount of up and down adjustment on the steering column would have minimal effect at the flexible coupling just above the rack and pinion. One other possible solution would be going to a smaller steering wheel. A 14 inch wheel would still provide plenty of leverage. GLuck - Lou
Lou Van Koningsveld

This thread was discussed between 28/10/2006 and 13/11/2006

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