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MG MGB Technical - Another Steering Gear Question

It is Spring - Finally. Yesterday I started my Spring clean up and check on my 73 MGB - change oil, anti-freeze, check brakes, etc.

The question I have concerns the steering gear on my car. The main gear unit - is it supposed to be oiled? The books show that it "might" have a grease fitting, but mine does not. There are two bolts holding n the top cover. Two bolts holding on the bottom cover. One additional lone bolt on the top - which is to big for a grease fitting.

So, if it does need oil, is it grease or oil? How dow I put in it?

Thanks.

Robert
Robert Browning

Early cars did have what looks like a grease nipple, but it was for oil - 90 wt same as in the rear axle. There should only be 1/3rd Imperial pint (0.4 US pint, 0.2 litre) in the rack. Too much can burst the gaiters, so the only way you know you have the right amount in is to disconnect the big end of the gaiters from the rack, drain out anything that is in there, then put in new. Hardly worth the effort. Both my cars leak the oil out, only discovered when I had to replace a gaiter on each and so put the correct amount of oil in. As the rack was wet with oil when I took the old gaiters off, and the leaks aren't from the new gaiters I wasn't too bothered. Some say you can remove the top cover of the pinion damper and squirt oil in there, personally I don't like disturbing things I don't have to so when replacing the gaiters I fastened the small end then pushed the end of my oil can under the big end at the top and squirted while I gripped round big end of the gaiter with my hand. Whichever way you use, you have to put some in, then work the rack from side to side slowly to distribute the oil, then put some more in and work it some more, in about three cycles.
Paul Hunt 2

I have always removed the top cover and damper to add oil. The damper may need a dab of grease to keep it in place when the domper is installed.

Clifton
Clifton Gordon

Try semi-fluid grease I use to be a dcevelopment engineer for a steering gear company it won't leak out of gaiters and stays on most of the working parts
hope this helps I also run a 66 roadster.
Keith Smith

Clifton - Can you translate your response to English? "Domper in place?" What does this mean? :)

Paul, as usual - thank you so much for your time and expert knowledge. I also agree that I do not like disturbing things if I do not have to...

Keith - where would I find semi-fluid grease?

Thanks,

Robert
Robert Browning

Robert; Look at the photo in this link. It shows the damper assembly. The copper colored damper pad rests on the rack when assembled. There is a spring under the pad and when turned upside down to install in the rack after adding oil the pad and spring may/usually fall out of the assembly. A dab of grease on the pad will keep the parts in place when installing.
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/flash1929/album/576460762322196742/photo/294928803249727355/1

In this Moss plate the pad is item #10, the cover and damper piston aren't numbered.
http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29018

Procedure I use; Remove the cap screws in the top cover, remove the cover and shims. Use a magnet to trmobe the piston, the plunger and spring may not come out, but can be removed by hand. Add oil. Assemble the damper assembly and install as discussed above. Install the shims and cover and install the two cap screws.

Clifton
Clifton Gordon

I do not know where in the US you would find it but it is a shell oil product hope this helps!
Keith Smith

Those who advocate grease in racks are missing an important point: The inner track rod ball joints are lubricated by the oil that sloshes about in the boots, and grease won't do that, and it also will not necessarily transfer to the critical contact area of the rack and pinion teeth. It is not uncommon to dismantle this and similar assemblies to find dry and rusty areas of constant contact despite the presence of large quantities of useless grease. The inner ball joints are one of the few parts you can't get, except by buying a whole nonstandard and questionable rack assembly.
A further point that once nearly got me killed is that while the oil moves back and forth in the rack (from boot to boot) as it is turned, grease won't, and can restrict the self-centering of the rack, especially in cold weather. The system serves as a pump to distribute lubricant to all locations.
In my near "incident", someone had greased the rack on an MGA I had assembled with oil, and which I was very familiar with; I cranked it into a tight turn on a cold morning and it didn't return as it always had - not good.
Oil is the specified lubricant, and serves well - I even use it on the later racks that spec grease, with excellent results and noticeably better steering feel.
FRM
FR Millmore

FRM semi-fluid grease is like runny honey or thickish oil Gulf oils also supply this its been uesd in steering racks for a number of years I did a lot of the product testing! with no problems we would cycle steering racks from lock to lock for anything up to a million cycles at a time.
Keith Smith

Keith-
I'm not arguing with you at all, but I would call that a "heavy oil" - still OK in all probability. The limiting factor would be that it can "pile up" high enough to drip over/into the inner ball joints when the rack is turned lock-lock. Cold weather could still be a problem, not that many cars today venture out in sub-zero F temps. I still don't quite know why folk don't just use the specified oil - if it leaks the boots are bad and water/dirt gets in, and that kills racks. After all, we all have 90W, and why search for something exotic that is no better?
FRM
FR Millmore

This thread was discussed between 31/03/2007 and 01/04/2007

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