Hi Group. Several people have emailed me regarding the Dale A R&P
conversion. I have installed this with the following parts.
1. R&P is a 1961 to 1972 model. It can be identified by having a
collars or ring at each end of the tube, that encases the gears. These
rings are what the adapters Dale supplies grab onto. You do not have to
cut anything on the Tiger crossmember, and if desired, you can convert
it back to the original Tiger R&P. The adapter holes the Miget R&P, and
then bolts to the bolt holes in the crossmember for the Tiger R&P.
On the R&P, look at the part to be sure that if the car was wrecked in
the front, that the R&P was not bent, or otherwise damaged, and that it
moves smoothly over its entire range of movement. Just put a vice grip
on the part that the steering shaft mounts, so that you can move the R&P
through its full travel, and you will fell if it binds, or just does not
feel right. Ask the sales person, if he appears knowledgeable, if this
is a good R&P and if it can be returned if it does not feel right in the car.
A lot of cars get hit in the front, and the R&P suffers, so take your
time on picking up a used one.
2. 2 Alpine tie rod ends. Get new ones, they are cheap.
3. MGB steering arms. These arms are modified by having the rear
mounting holes slotted, with a file or die grinder, so that the mounting
bolt will properly align with the hole in the spindle. You also have to
provide a 5/8" long spacer for the front bolt that goes into the
spindle, to properly align the steering arm. Look at the steering arms,
to make sure that they don't have damage from an accident. These are
cast pieces, so they are tough, but if damaged by an accident, can be
dangerous.
Dale A provides installation instructions, but there are missing parts
of the instructions, that you must know, or you will be scratching your
head or a** to figure out how it all goes together. The parts Dale
provides are quality, and you provide the above parts, which you pick up
locally.
I have Dale A's kit, with a 13.75" steering wheel vs the stock 15.75"
diameter wheel, and 195-50/15 tires in front. Steering at rest and 1-3
mph requires much more effort, but once rolling, you will not feel any
effort in steering. The turning radius of the Miget R&P is 2:7 vs the
3:7, lock to lock on the stock Tiger, so when you move the wheel the car
turns right away. On the highway, it is not twitchy or sensitive, but I
rebuilt the entire suspension, so I have no slop in the steering.
I put the front wheels on a turntable, so that I could measure the
Ackerman Angle. On the stock Tiger the Ackerman angle is the wrong
turning radius. On normal cars the inside radius is smaller, than the
outside turning radius, but on the stock Tiger it is reversed due to the
geometry of the Tigers suspension.
With the Dale A's kit, my Tiger measured an equal ackerman angle. This
is a 3 degree improvement in the right diction. With this change, you
are heading in the right direction, no pun intended, to correct an
inherent problem with the Tigers steering.
Of those who have made the conversion, and autocross their Tigers, that
say that it is a major improvement.
This, with the fact that it puts less stress onto the lower fulcrum
pins, which can fail if backing up, when the wheel is turned, due to the
ackerman angle problem, was enough to convince me to make the
conversion.
If you have ever backed up with the wheel fully turned, and feel what is
scrubbing of the wheels, this is the culprit that put too much stress on
the lower fulcrum pin. On the road or track, going forward, you are
also scrubbing the tires, and of course this is not good, but just waste energy.
Let me know if you have further questions, or better yet, just call Dale
A for advise. I understand he is very fast, and he is the producer of
this conversion.
Larry
Alpdavegre@aol.com wrote:
>
> Tiger listers,
>
> I have a question regarding the Dale A conversion to MG Midget steering rack.
> There is an early model and a late model rack. I need some guidence on which
> one to pursue? Also any year MGB steering arms or is one year better than
> another?
> Thanks for the air space.
> Dave Green
> B9472549LRXFE (in pieces)
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