Corey
75 MGB 'Rags' writes
.... and I've got two little problems leftover from the steering column
glitch. First, the horn sounds when I turn the wheel. Charming little
feature, that ... sort of like an audio turn signal for blind drivers.
Second, I can still move the steering wheel in and out about an inch or so.
While the car seems to steer fine, this sort of worries me. I don't know
much
about the steering column on these cars, and I'd like any advice that can be
given.
Corey,
I assume from this letter that the car has been in a front end accident and
from the symptoms you describe is sounds like the steering column has
been collapsed partially, as it should in this type of accident. The column
is a
sealed unit on purpose. It is designed to collapse once in an accident and
then
be thrown away. I sounds like the body shop you went to took it apart and
tried to
stretch it out again. Big Mistake. From the symptoms you now have; horn
works
when cornering; 1" play in and out, the body shop has really screwed it up.
There is
either a C clip missing on the top bearing and/or the top bearing is not
secured
properly. The column is also most likely not the original length as well and
I prey
that the U-Joint is tight.
Do not drive the car until this is fixed.
I have a 70B' which is has the earlier style collapsible column. It is easy
to replace
as there are three bolts on the inside firewall (beside the gas pedal), one
of the U-Joint
under the hood and three under the dash. The rest are the philips screws
holding the plastic
around the column. You can go to a wrecker or what we have here is a
private "Buy and Sell"
newspaper were you can find someone parting out an MG. Take one from a car
that hasn't
been in a front end accident. Good luck.
Ross,
70 MGB, 50 Merc
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