Subject: [Mgs] MGA Inner Tie Rod Adjustment

From: "Robert J. Guinness" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 10 May 2012 14:39:43 -0500

I have a 1960 MGA.  I am working on the front suspension.  After 
removing the tie rod ends, I held the inner tie rods horizontal and let 
go, they fell straight down with no resistance.  I thought there should 
be some resistance to them and that they should basically hold 
horizontal (but with free motion all around when moved by hand).  Is 
this correct.  If not how do I go about adjusting them.  Is it a 
"simple" tightening of the acorn nut like an MGB, or is it more 
involved.  The ball joint connection to the rack certainly looks a 
little different than an MGB.
-- 
Robert Guinness
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From: "PaulHunt73" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 08:43:56 +0100

There should be a resistance for the MGB at least, to ensure no free play - 
32 to 52 pound *inches* on the rod to produce articulation.  The 
ball housing is adjusted to produce this, the 'locknut' flange has to be 
prised out of the indentations on the housing to allow it.

PaulH.

----- Original Message ----- 
> ...  I thought there should

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From: Barney Gaylord <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2012 11:56:23 -0500

Not so on the MGA.  The MGA has no preload spring.  It has shims to 
adjust minimal clearance.  If you manage to adjust it to have a bit 
of drag initially, it will wear in and become loose in short order 
anyway.  So being loose is normal for MGA.

If it is loose enough to wiggle endways you can (maybe) disassemble 
the acorn nut and remove a thin shim to reduce internal 
clearance.  Beware that this joint is often very difficult to 
unscrew, and the shims are usually aluminum. This may be why it is so 
difficult to open, due to galvanic corrosion of dissimilar 
metals.  If you apply heat it will most likely destroy the aluminum 
shims.  See here:
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/steering/sr201.htm
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/steering/sr202.htm
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/tools/18G312.htm

Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
http://MGAguru.com

At 08:43 AM 5/11/2012 +0100, PaulHunt73 wrote:
>There should be a resistance for the MGB at least, to ensure no free 
>play - 32 to 52 pound *inches* on the rod to produce 
>articulation.  The ball housing is adjusted to produce this, the 
>'locknut' flange has to be prised out of the indentations on the 
>housing to allow it.
>....

>>...  I thought there should be some resistance to them and that 
>>they should basically hold horizontal (but with free motion all 
>>around when moved by hand).  Is this correct.  If not how do I go 
>>about adjusting them.  Is it a "simple" tightening of the acorn nut 
>>like an MGB, or is it more involved.  The ball joint connection to 
>>the rack certainly looks a little different than an MGB.

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