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MG TD TF 1500 - Oil leaking from steering rack

I just filled my rebuilt steering rack with oil. I have a leak at the tail bearing. There doesn't appear to be a gasket between the tail bearing and the rack in the drawings I've seen. Anyone else had and fixed this leak?

Tim
TD12524

TW Burchfield

I never had a leak there,, try some permatex gasket goop,,
SPW Wincze

Thanks SPW. I know how to stop the leak. My concern were whether there was a gasket there that I was missing and the fact that there are shims installed. Any sealing material will throw off the gap. I'll probably try a very thing coat of permatex. The worst part is having to fill the darn thing again.

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

usual parts people only show shims, maybe wellseal might be a better/thinner sealing choice.
mog

mog, thanks for the suggestion. Had to look up Wellseal. Only found one US seller. At $22 for 100 ml it had better be good. :-)

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

Horrid stuff, gloopy and sticky. Pre war guys use it on their cylinderhead gaskets, so if you know such a chap?
mog

Tim,

If it was apart and cleaned, then filled, it will be lubricated for ten years or 50,000 miles. Many TD are run for extended periods with no attention to the rack. Remember the relative motion between the rack and pinion is slow, not much force involved, and not much above ambient temperature.

Regards,

Jim Haskins 1953 TD
J. M. Haskins

Jim, if I understand your post, you are saying the shims at the tail bearing are not that critical to the proper function of the steering rack. Is that correct? I'm thinking a very thin coating of permatex would not throw of the clearance that much. My main concern is why is it leaking when no one else seems to have the same problem. I'm not looking forward to refilling the rack. I spent a considerable amount of time dribbling oil into the rack damper hole.
TW Burchfield

like the distributor etc, the shims are there to ensure the gears mesh together with little movement, or lash. so yes important. if you jack up the front so the wheels are off the ground, undo the damper nut and lift out , you should be able to pour in the oil whilst moving the rack to and fro and the oil will suck in quicker. its still a messy job, but once full you should not need to do it again until the gaitors split!
mog

mog, that's the way I filled it the first time. Still took forever. I guess I could treat the steering rack leak like I have my house plumbing: just hope it stops after a while :-)
TW Burchfield

Just put it on full lock, undo the small gaiter clip and fill with an oil can. Less messy if you release the track rod end from the arm and tilt up, but still easy.
Ray TF 2884
Ray Lee

Ray, that sounds like a plan. Certainly faster (even with releasing the tie rod end) than using the damper hole. Thanks

Tim
TD12524
TW Burchfield

I use a small pump I got for fill outboard motor lower unit gear cases with oil. It fits right onto the oil jug and I stick it in through the gaitor. I then fill till it oozed and the work the rack back and forth to load and distribute. Still a bit messy, but goes pretty quickly.

Alex
Alex Waugh

Tim,
No, I said nothing about the shims. Proper assembly is important. I was referring to the need to keep the rack full of lube. I just checked and refilled mine after 13 years of driving and found no measurable wear and no significant amount of lube in the rack. However, the rack was well coated with lube from some previous filling.

Regards,

Jim Haskins 1953 TD
J. M. Haskins

This thread was discussed between 06/07/2015 and 08/07/2015

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