in a 1939 MG???!!
Re: the steering: I can speak with real time practical experience on the
comments that Chip Old made. First of all, Phil Marino is a master
machineist but not a racer. He drives his TC all over California and the
West and he is making some very nifty mods for the TC/TB/TA. I just this
past weekend installed one of his replacement master cylinders on my
TA...Bronze no rust. He rebuilt my Steering gear box during the rebuilt of
my TA and replace the needles bearings that I had put therein during my own
rebuild. The sector shaft had suffered the problem that Chip hypotheized,
the hard chrome had failed because of the high loading that exist with needle
bearings. Marino thought this to be because I had not line the Stearing box
shaft with needle bearings, I only put one at botton and one at top, so he
lines them up from top to botton. I doubt this will help much because most
of the load is taken at top and bottom. We shall see.
As to hard chroming, any shop that does this work and regrinds back to
correct dimention will know all about hydrogen embrittlement so that is not
the worry.
Most of the T type steering problems are blamed on the gear box but properly
are a result of improper alignment and bent front axles as Chip sez. If any
thing put that wedge into the axle/spring interface backward so as to
increase castor angle and straight ahead tracking.
I did the needle bearing thrust bearing mod but not the king pin mod and at
one point, I had to install a 74 Super Beatle steering damper to put some
friction back into the system. One can indeed make these beast too easy to
steer.
I hope you have a TB and not a TA with original engine....at least the TB had
the XPAG engine that was/is a worthy race engine. If you have an original TA
w/engine I would worry about running down to the corner store in it. TA
blocks are very weak.
If you really want to make you TB bullet proof, do the king pins, do the
alignment, and install a drop-in Aussie/Datsun steering box and shaft.
(Available from Skip Kelsey 510 8461309)....many TC's here on the left coast
have made this mod and the only complaint is that now the wives want to drive
the tours. No modifications to the car are required and the original gear
cnd be readily put back. In Western Oz, they convert back for the Concour
and put the Datsun unit back in the next day for the gymkana!
As to your Electrical problem, your cutout points are sticking closed...clean
by filing or replace or put in a diode and forget it.
Gerry Felper in So. Cal can rebuild your cutout and fuse box.
Good luck
Terry
|