Jon,
It depends on whether your car was built prior to car #15545 or after. The
factory modified the steering rack at car #15545. MG used shims between the
cast ears on the rack and the mounting brackets on the crossmember (Thick &
Thin - early 186566 thick/186567 thick, late ACH6109 thick/ACH6108 thin) to
ensure that when the rack was bolted up tight to the crossmember that the ears
on the rack were not subjected to bending stresses to bridge the gaps created
by manufacturing tolerances. For the early cars, they bolted the rack to the
crossmember using HZS0507 (Zinc plated 5/16"-24 UNF x 7/8" long, threaded full
length - technically referred to as "screws"), 5/16 lock washers (LWZ205) and
5/16'-24 hex nuts (FNZ105). The rack was a hard mount to the crossmember with
no soft rubber shock isolating bushings.
Starting at car #15545, MG inserted some rubber shock isolating bushings into
the mix (probably to address some vibration/ride quality issues). These
bushings were very nicely replicated in Polyurethane by Ed Sweeney a couple of
years ago, and may still be available on Ebay (or by contacting Ed directly).
Ed now has two very lovely young daughters, so may not have had time to build
up more sets! Lou and NTG both carry the standard rubber bushes, and it is
rumored that the rocker box/valve cover bushes from an MGB are close. At this
transition, MG went to longer bolts (HBZ0510 - Zinc plated, 5/16"-24 UNF x
1.25 long - with a shoulder - hence "bolts" not "screws"), PWZ205 (zinc plated
5/16" ID Fender washers), a distance piece (ACH6093), the LWZ205 lock washers
and FNZ105 nuts. The fastener/isolator stack was bolt, shoulder washer,
bushing, crossmember mounting bracket, shims (as required) rack mounting ear,
bushing, shoulder washer, lock washer and nut. The distance piece went over the
bolt and inside the bushings, crossmember mount, shims and rack mounting ear.
this distance piece was there to allow the nut to be fully tightened on the
bolt without over-compressing the bushings. The bushings (ACH6092) were
originally made out of rubber similar to that used as shock absorber mounting
bushings. This assembly isolated any vibrations from the car/engine/crossmember
from being transmitted to the rack and up to the driver's hands. The soft
mounting also reduced the chance for the cast mounting ears on the rack to
fracture because of shocks ("enthusiastic" use on less than optimal road
surfaces...)
With their position directly under the front part of the oil pan, these rubber
bushes get oiled pretty well in service (What?? MGs Leak oil??? surely you
jest...) and oil/grit/road schmutz have a not very helpful effect on the life
of the rubber bits, so they do tend to go away after a decade or so... This
will give the rack a bit of wiggle room in relation to the crossmember and a
less than secure feeling to the steering.
This assembly stack is illustrated in the Factory Parts Book (AKD 688) on pages
88 through 93. In case you don't have a parts book (Waaaay more helpful than
the repair manual IMHO), Cecilia at Scarborough Faire (800/556-6300) has
reprints for about the very best 50 bucks you could spend on your car.
Alternately, you can hunt for an original on Flea-Bay or through one of the
vintage book-sellers out there (books4cars.com, Vintagemotorbooks.com etc.)
Barney Gaylord (mgaguru.com) as a very nifty BMC fastener decoder booklet that
is a downloadable/printable .pdf file which will turn all of the Nuffield/BMC
part numbers into standardized nomenclature that you can take to your favorite
local fastener vendor.
As long as you are mucking about with the steering, I would strongly suggest
that you take a look at your lower tie bar (ACG4022) where it mounts to the
body. The arrangement of bushings that MG used here are a well known corrosion
point. When (not if) the end of the tie bar rots away, the lower control arm
becomes free to move fore and aft when the road wheel encounters rough spots on
the road or under braking. This plays bloody hell with the handling and
steering. The upper tie bar (going forward - ACH4001) also has the rust
trapping bushes, but they are more protected from the elements and tend to rot
out more slowly.
For a "belt and braces" approach, either of the bolts (HZS-0507 or HBZ--0510)
can be replaced by Grade 8, though that is not absolutely necessary. At my
fastener vendor, the difference between grade 3 (standard strength), grade 5
and grade 8 aircraft hardware is just pennies per fastener. This is strictly a
matter of personal preference as MG felt that standard strength fasteners were
well up to the task. This is also a fine place to use some anti-sieze between
the shoulder of the bolt and the inside of the distance piece and with the
treaded end under the nuts... you will be a hero to the next Magnette loving
soul that has to renew this assembly! (may even be you if you keep the car long
enough...)
Safety Fast!!
Steve H.
On May 30, 2014, at 4:31 PM, "Jon Marino" <jonnyprecious@comcast.net> wrote:
> Happy Friday, folks.
>
> So my steering rack is missing a couple of bolts. The MGA parts catalog from
> Moss doesn't seem to have what is needed in these pictures (or else I am not
> looking hard enough, which can be entirely true). The larger hole is
> actually threaded. To manage, I think the previous owner(s) put regular ol'
> nuts and bolts to hold it all together on both sides. Steering is quite
> affected (jiggly), so I am wondering if any of you know what's supposed to
> go in there to secure everything.
>
> Best and peace out,
>
> Jon
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Zmagnette [mailto:zmagnette-bounces@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of
> zmagnette-request@autox.team.net
> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2014 9:38 AM
> To: zmagnette@autox.team.net
> Subject: Zmagnette Digest, Vol 8, Issue 121
>
> Send Zmagnette mailing list submissions to
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: Test (charles durning)
> 2. Re: Test (jeffmgcar@aol.com)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 29 May 2014 11:27:07 -0500
> From: charles durning <durningcharles@gmail.com>
> To: List for the Z Magnette Group - North America
> <zmagnette@autox.team.net>
> Subject: Re: [Zmagnette] Test
> Message-ID:
> <CAF682mFRrpzyOZfhEFaXqVWT8qf83XrQrRcFh_n5NW2Gy5i79g@mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> David,
>
> we're good
>
> Charlie Durning
>
> If you are using Google or Gmail, Big Brother is watching.
>
>
>
> On Thu, May 29, 2014 at 10:41 AM, David Halliday <davidh@egopharm.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Got it.
>>
>> David
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> On 29 May 2014, at 14:53, Steve Hanegan <steve@betterwitnesses.com> wrote:
>>
>> Reading you loud and clear fearless leader!
>>
>> Steve H
>> Spelling by iPad...
>>
>> On May 29, 2014, at 6:28 AM, JEFF <jromans55@msn.com> wrote:
>>
>> *Clear & Present....Ready To Continue!* Jeff Romans
>> 1958 ZB Magnette
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> From: bachldrs@comcast.net
>> Date: Thu, 29 May 2014 07:38:49 -0400
>> To: zmagnette@autox.team.net
>> Subject: [Zmagnette] Test
>>
>> If you get this, we're making some progress....
>>
>> Allen
>>
>> ******************************************************************
>>
>> *Allen & Florrie Bachelder =iii=<Spring Creek Home for Wayward MGs*
>> *'57 ZB, '65 B, '69 C/GT, '73 B/GT*
>> *North Street, MI 48049, USA*
>> *http://www.mgexperience.net/member/bachldrs
>> <http://www.mgexperience.net/member/bachldrs>*
>> *NAMGAR GT39 - REGISTER TODAY!*
>>
>> *http://www.namgar.com/events/article/gt-39_ottawa_ontario/gt-39_get_r
>> eady_for_a_whole_lot_of_fun
>> <http://www.namgar.com/events/article/gt-39_ottawa_ontario/gt-39_get_r
>> eady_for_a_whole_lot_of_fun>*
>>
>> **********************************************************************
>> **************************************************
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________ Zmagnette mailing list
>> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html Archive:
>> http://www.team.net/archive Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
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>> _______________________________________________
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>>
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>> om
>>
>>
>>
> -------------- next part --------------
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
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> <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/zmagnette/attachments/20140529/cfbca1e9/att
> achment-0001.html>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 29 May 2014 12:29:10 -0400 (EDT)
> From: jeffmgcar@aol.com
> To: zmagnette@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: [Zmagnette] Test
> Message-ID: <8D1497240A59C3A-1D10-346CA@webmail-va043.sysops.aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Got it Allen
>
>
> Jeff Becker
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Allen Bachelder <bachldrs@comcast.net>
> To: List for the Z Magnette Group - North America <zmagnette@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Thu, May 29, 2014 5:38 am
> Subject: [Zmagnette] Test
>
>
> If you get this, we're making some progress....
>
>
> Allen
>
>
>
>
>
> ****************************************************************
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Allen & Florrie Bachelder =iii=<
> Spring Creek Home for Wayward MGs
> '57 ZB, '65 B, '69 C/GT, '73 B/GT
> North Street, MI 48049, USA
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> http://www.mgexperience.net/member/bachldrs
> NAMGAR GT39 - REGISTER TODAY!
> http://www.namgar.com/events/article/gt-39_ottawa_ontario/gt-39_get_ready_fo
> r_a_whole_lot_of_fun
>
>
>
>
> ****************************************************************************
> ******************************************
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Zmagnette mailing list
>
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
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> ------------------------------
>
> End of Zmagnette Digest, Vol 8, Issue 121
> *****************************************
> -----
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> <Steering 3 (1).JPG><Steering 3 (2).JPG><Steering 3
> (3).JPG>_______________________________________________
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