MG midget steering dilemna

I don't know the Midget, but a lot of the steering linkages of that era had universal joints in the path from steering wheel to rack. Those joints didn't last for ever, and it was not unknown for the pinch bolts to work loose either, slackening the grip on the splines.

If the problem isn't that, then it will be in the rack itself, and you will need a new one. Half a turn of slack implies a couple of teeth missing off the input shaft.

Jim

If the actual pinion shaft is turning in the rack assembly but the rack not moving you've lost some teeth - or the pinion shaft sheared. Either way a reconditioned or new unit is the way forward, since trying to get the spares necessary for a home repair is likely to be difficult. If getting a re-con unit, buy from a reputable source like say one recommended by the MG car club. Don't just buy on price alone as these things can be bodged.

But as Jim says, check the *actual* pinion shaft is turning - ie it's not a problem with the coupling between steering column and pinion shaft. They use a splined pinch collar and if this comes loose can slip.

Had a smilar problem on the E one time. Metalastik mounts on the rack failed and one end fell off. Exciting!

Geoff

That's what it sounds like to me the rack moving and needs remounting or the universal joint has worn.

Its unlikely that there are teeth missing never seen any before, these things take a heap of stress. Some need to be re shimmed to take out the slack because of the wear but you are better off with a reco unit as they become tight when you access the unworn rack sections.

IIRC, there's no universal joint. Later cars - possibly export only - had collapsable columns - but still no universal.

Indeed. The inner ball joints might also be worn.

Now you mention a collapsible steering column - has that been damaged at any time? If it has one?

needs more inspection to actually reproduce where the actual noise is being generated from.

My failing memory just recalled that my brother had a Sprite many years ago, similar age to this, and his rack literally snapped cleanly in two inside the casing, luckily at slow speed and close to home.

You mean it's bungled and you should zippy along to get it fixed fast?