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MG TD TF 1500 - Steering column felt

As part of replacing the missing/destroyed steering column leather fume excluder, I had to remove the wheel, upper shaft, etc, and the bracket under the cowl that holds the shaft in place.
I discovered that the upper felt bushing has come out and was just hanging on the column, wrapped in the brass piece that (I think) is meant to allow you to slide it into place.
I spent an hour this morning searching the archives for "steering column felt" and found lots of helpful information (my chrome cap under the spring is mounted backwards and once correctly mounted should keep the felt in place.)
However, I found zero pictures! Does anyone have any good pictures of installing the felt bushing and the split copper tube that surrounds it? I want to make sure I don't damage it as I install...
While people talked about using Delrin replacements, I think the felt is in good shape but needs lubrication. What do you recommend? (Lots of suggestions in the archives, but still unsure what to use).
Thanks!
Geoffrey M Baker

I used grease mixed with graphite, i.e. graphite grease, as recommended in several places, and probably the original. The first felt replacement that I bought was the wrong thickness, it has to be thick enough to prevent any slop but not so thick that you can't insert it (obviously). I simply greased it up and manipulated it in gradually by hand with a piece of wood to push it. There is probably a more technical way, but it worked for me (on a TF).
Dave H
Dave Hill

Geoffery,

I second Dave's comments. I worked the felt into place with a screwdriver blade. On the two TDs that I have worked on there was no split brass associated with the felt. Just a chromed flanged ring that fits between the spiral shaft cover and the column. Sounds like one of those parts that disappear or maybe something that a PO added to improve the fit. Just take your time and it will all work out.

Regards,

Jim Haskins 1953 TD
J. M. Haskins

I was just thinking that Jim; I got the felt to fit perfectly but there appears to be no way the brass part would fit in.
I'll just relegate it to the unknown parts box :)
Geoffrey M Baker

Although the manual does show a part ("Distance tube") which appears to be a split shaft. Is this a copper piece or a steel one? I don't appear to have one. Here is a picture of the felt fitting snugly in the shaft.

Geoffrey M Baker

Here is a picture of the rest of the pieces of the assembly.

Geoffrey M Baker

When I did mine, I soaked the felt in oil and chamfered one side a bit to help when it first goes in. While it was soaking, I had the felt rolled up tight with an elastic band so it had some "curl" to it to make it easier to work with.

Takes some time as previous posters have mentioned with use of a wood dowl or flat head screwdriver.

I like the graphite idea though.
Frank Cronin

I think your brass part is a home made shim of some kind, never seen anything like that before. George
George Butz

That figures - it was probably a shim to make up for the wrong thickness of felt employed.
Dave H
Dave Hill

I think it's probably the right felt. My guess is that one of the most common problems with steering shafts is that if they get at all loose they can slide down, allowing the felt to work its way up and out. I think my PO didn't figure that out and just added a shim to help keep the felt in place. Didn't work well.
Having now slid the shaft forward and up pretty much as far as it will go and tightened it down, it should be no problem for the chrome collar to keep the felt in place now.
Geoffrey M Baker

Very timely this thread as I'm just assembling the steering wheel and expander etc. My question is what does the clamp actually clamp to? It looks like there has to be a tube or something.
Regards, Don TF 4887
Don Walker

Yes the clamp clamps to the tube inside the column. The short steering wheel shaft fits inside that. The clamp does two jobs... It keeps the felt from working out and it also keeps that invisible key in place.
Geoffrey M Baker

Thanks Geoffrey, I can now see the problem, I can see the part to clamp on to but it is about 1/2" inside the outer cover. Maybe my outer tube isn't far enough down to enable the clamp to 'clamp' onto the steering shaft. I hope you can make sense of this. I may have to remove the whole steering assembly to see what the problem is.
Regards, Don TF 4887
Don Walker

Don I think that's an easy fix. Untighten the clamp under the cowl that holds the shaft and see if you can push the outer shaft down and forwards, exposing the inner shaft? Watch out and make sure you have unclamped the leather fume excluder too or you might tear it.
Geoffrey M Baker

I think I have made a major mistake (stuff up) I inserted the steering and outer shaft from the top and I believe it should come up from the bottom, hence the outer tube sits too high inside not allowing me to clamp on to the correct part.
Don TF 4887
Don Walker

Not sure but it does sound like a simple problem although nothing with an MG ever ends up simple :)
Geoffrey M Baker

If you look at the first picture I posted, Don, you can clearly see the outer shaft, felt bushing, inner shaft, and short steering shaft all set up pretty much correctly (I think!!!!)
If you can't match that there is definitely a problem.
The clamp just sits on that inner shaft. You can see the "hidden" key in the picture, the clamp keeps that from falling out as well as keeping the felt from escaping.
Geoffrey M Baker

Thanks again Geoffrey, I have now r and r'd the steering assembly correctly, you photo was of great help, simple job except..... remove floorboards (not screwed in as yet), remove accelerator pedal and linkage, remove toeboard, remove steering assembly and insert from the bottom, reassemble everything.
Regards, Don TF 4887
Don Walker

The second best modification I have made to the TF is to fit a nylon bush to the top of the steering column. (first best was a 5 speed gear box) Even with a brand new felt bush I could move the steering wheel up/down and side to side. With the nylon one the wheel is rock solid but still turns really smoothly.

Jan T
J Targosz

Does anyone sell nylon/delrin replacement bushings for the steering?
Geoffrey M Baker

Gentlemen,

If I may share a very ugly and expensive experience I went through using plastic bushings in a steering column.
This is a long story that I will try to make short.

A few yeas ago I purchased a new steering column from Flaming River for one of my Mustang projects. It was supplied with a plastic bushing on the lower end of the column. Upon completion of the car everything was going well until approximately 15 minutes into the drive. As soon as things warmed up the plastic bushing would expand and make turning extremely difficult, not to mention DANGEROUS. Long story short - it took me over two years and several thousand dollars to finally discover the problem. When I confronted Flaming River with my discovery they said, and I quote; "yes, we have a fix for that and we can send it out to you today, No Charge. They new about the problem and chose to remain silent. Sound familiar...GM ignitions, maybe.

They never told be me what the original product was, but I surmised it was UHMW. It wears very well, but tends to have a very high rate of expansion. You engineers out there can check it out.

If you use plastic be careful to leave adequate room for expansion.

Dan
Dan Nordstrom

Geoff: Undo the bolt that holds the large clamp at the bottom of the outer steering column. Note that there is a step to the metal housing at the bottom. Shove the outer cover up towards the rear of the car until it rests against that step, then clamp the bolt again. Your outer steering wheel column should now just cover the felt at the top of the column.

I assume you also replaced the felt at the bottom of the column too hidden behind the plate with the three tiny machine screws and nuts?

The distance piece (#52 in the AS catalog) is just a simple steel sleeve that goes on the shaft under that chrome spring thing (spacer cover). It keeps you from collapsing the wheel down the shaft too much.

Christopher Couper

Thanks for the info. The felt at the bottom of the steering wheel is my next job :)
Geoffrey M Baker

This thread was discussed between 23/11/2015 and 26/11/2015

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