Put new "off brand" can't remember which) seals on my project car. It never
moved, but the seals were gone in less than two years!
Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Max Heim" <mvheim@studiolimage.com>
To: "MG List" <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2000 10:29 AM
Subject: Re: MGB steering rack seals
> I have "heard" that some repro seals may not last as long, but cannot of
> course say whether this comment referred to the brand you have. Capacity
> shouldn't really be an issue since you don't fill them anywhere near
> full. FWIW...
>
> Bruce Burrows had this to say:
>
> >I have needed to replace my MGB rack seals for several years. With all
> >the recent chatter here on this subject the fire is ignited and I have
> >decided the time is now.
> >
> >So today I sought and found the new seals I had bought a few years back.
> >They had been put away, out of sight and mind. Instantly upon looking
> >at them I was reminded of a problem also tucked away and forgotten. It
> >is re that problem, or concern, I now seek the wisdom of the list:
> >
> >They are not MOWOG seals. I bought these things from "ProperMG" and
> >they are not English. They were made in CA and they are not exact
> >copies of the originals. They will work, but the volume of each seal is
> >significantly less than a real MG part. At the very least this will
> >affect the rack capacity (I usually empty everything and then fill with
> >whatever volume of oil the shop manual dictates).
> >
> >I remember at the time I received these things calling ProperMG. The
> >proprietor assured me they were OK and would work. I recall being
> >unhappy but I went on to other things and forgot about the problem.
> >
> >To describe these counterfeits a bit better, the ID is roughly correct,
> >and the end diameters and overall length are close enough, but the OD is
> >smaller than it should be and the "folds" are correspondingly of smaller
> >volume. Also, very much different than standard, the final "fold"
> >iteration (small end) is very much of reduced OD. Only God knows what
> >material was used to make these things, not that the material in the
> >MOWOG seals I have seen over the years stands up all that well to oil.
> >These seals came in a package of two, and new clamps were included. The
> >manufacturer, Starmag Classic, is not known to me.
> >
> >Any experience you might have with non-standard seals would be of
> >interest and would help me. I do not know whether to go ahead with
> >these or hold off and try to purchase the correct seals. Goodness knows
> >the real effort with this job is in the labour. It would be unwise to
> >proceed with these seals if list wisdom indicates they are known to do a
> >poor job or to suffer from shortened life.
> >
> >Many thanks.
> >
> >Bruce Burrows
> >
> >'59 MGA basket case
> >'60 Daimler SP 250
> >'61 Daimler SP 250
> >'73 MGB driver
> >
> >My Dart website (not my cars!):
> >
> >http://community-2.webtv.net/guardian45/THEDAIMLERSP250DART/
> >
> >
>
>
> --
>
> Max Heim
> '66 MGB GHN3L76149
> If you're near Mountain View, CA,
> it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
>
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