MG Sports Cars

I have some old arms stashed away. Some time when things slack up a bit I'll pull them out and look up some bearing numbers and see if anything matches up.

Jim

Hello all

We seem to be discussing two separate issues - the king pin bushes that are pressed into the steering hub through which the king pin operates when the steering is moved, the second issue and the one I am interested in is the thrust bearing located in the top steering trunion

The trunion thrust bearing effectively carries the weight of the car, and with the assistance of the steering hub permits the wheels to steer the vehicle.

The roller bearing are manufactured to replace the flat bronze bush in the top steering trunion, they come with two hardened steel washers that provides the operating surface on both sides of the roller bearing.

My query is to establish the value of this system in reducing the amount of effort in steering the car. - RB MGB,s have very heavy steering


Have we a member who has fitted these roller bearings and can indicate the success or failure re the steering effort

No experience with an MGB, but as I mentioned, I have them on the Deuce in addition to the roller bearings on the kingpin. It's a torrington thrust bearing that fits between the axle and spindle on the Ford to allow it to pivot easier. It's the same idea as the MG bearing. Picture below.

They do reduce steering effort over a plain bushing a little, but they certainly won't be like power steering, if that's what your after.

[static.speedwaymotors.com]

Hello Jack

You are on target, the rollers in web page above are the items I seek advise on re their application on my MGB. It's not a big job to fit them(' about a mornings work). Conversely if reports are negative re their application they will just stay n the box.

What web page?

I'm guessing the website named in MustangSix's (Jack Collins) post right above Wilcat1's (Wiliam McCullough) post.

There is a Teflon kit that I think is perhaps the best solution to needle bearings, it also absorbs vibration.
The kit is manufacture by Gerry Masterman who frequents this forum. We do sell his kit and it is awesome.

For the heavy steering; the 6-7 degrees of caster in the MGB, which is needed to keep it stable at speed.
Heavy cars use very little caster, Cadillac uses 1/2 - 7/8 degree of caster, a very light car such as the Fiat Spyder uses 8-9 degrees of caster.

5 degrees of caster should be the minimum for the B. The B is narrow and light.
One area that is forgotten by many and it is the cause for increase caster, is the forgotten rubber insulators between the crossmember and the body. When this insulators are of age they collapse thus in many cases increasing caster on the front end.
Replace this insulators with Moss part # 264-907 mount pad. We include this pads with our front end kit.

Worn out king pins, misaligned steering shaft to steering column, tire pressure, wheel offset just to mention a few can cause heavy steering.

In my B which I have our IFS (no king pings) I used 9-10 degrees of caster, caster is not a bad thing. The geometry of the spindle allows me to add more caster with very little extra effort .

There are high perfromance cars tha tuse 10-15 degrees of caster, caster means stability at high speeds.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/2014 04:51PM by classic conversions.

Bill meant Gerry Masterman. He hangs out over at that other MG website. ;)

That is what it said, Gerry Masterman Carl.

Right, Bill. ;)

Check it out :-) LOL