I have perfected the method for centering the steering. Certainly none too
obvious. At the top of the steering column, under the hood is a 2 bolt
yolk that secures the first piece of steering shaft (from the dash area) to
the first piece under the hood. Remove that. Then go to the first bolt
above the steering rack and remove it. Now you can slide the shaft up and
remove it from the rack and readjust its location. I restored the tie rod
ends to their original settings giving each about an inch of thread. The
wheel is now straight and each tie rod end has plenty of thread.
Thanks to all who replied. I feel safer now, and the wheel is straight.
Jim Altman jaltman@altlaw.com Illigitimi non Carborundum
http://www.altlaw.com/metro/jaltman.html 69-TR6#CC28754L W4UCK
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-triumphs@autox.team.net
[mailto:owner-triumphs@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of DANMAS@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, December 20, 1998 6:26 PM
To: Jim Altman; triumphs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: TR6 Tie rod query
In a message dated 98-12-20 16:29:20 EST, jaltman@altlaw.com writes:
> Thanks Dan. I went out and measured more carefully, I have 1.5 inches of
> thread and lock nut so that means I have 3/8ths inch inside the end. That
> should be 7.4 threads. What'd ya think? Enough?
I'm afraid I'm not really qualified to comment on the adequacy of a 3/8 inch
engagement, but if it were mine, I'd be a little leery. On my TR6, I have
about 1 inch thread engagement on one side, and a little more on the other.
I looked at a new outer tie rod end, and noted that it is threaded for its
entire length, about 2 inches or so. This leads me to think that the
manufacturer planned on a fairly lengthy thread engagement.
As a point of reference, a standard 1/2 - 20 nut (the same thread/bolt size
as
the tie rod) is 7/16 inch thick, so anything that is being held together -
in
tension - with a 1/2 -20 bolt is relying on 7/16 inch of thread for
strength.
Dan Masters,
Alcoa, TN
'71 TR6---------3000mile/year driver, fully restored
'71 TR6---------undergoing full restoration and Ford 5.0 V8 insertion - see:
http://www.sky.net/~boballen/mg/Masters/index.html
'74 MGBGT---3000mile/year driver, original condition - slated for a V8 soon
'68 MGBGT---organ donor for the '74
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