Subject: Re: [Mgs] 57 MGA Coupe

From: Max Heim <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 13 Jun 2026 23:08:23 -0700

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I would suggest that the oil/grease in the steering rack has congealed. =
Possibly the kingpins are in similar straits. You could disconnect the =
tie rod ends to see if the rack moves independent of the wheels, or vice =
versa.

--
Max Heim
'66 MGB

> On Jun 13, 2026, at 10:12=E2=80=AFPM, dave northrup <[email-masked]> =
wrote:
>=20
> A friend just picked up a 57 coupe, not running, not doing much, been =
sitting for a long time.  We are in Nevada, so shouldn=E2=80=99t be too =
bad in terms of moisture/rust damage
> =20
> The steering wheel won=E2=80=99t turn, even with the wheels in the =
air.
> =20
> We are trying to figure out where to even start on this.  Could use =
some suggestions.
> _______________________________________________
>=20
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation  $12.75
>=20
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/mgs =
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>=20
> Unsubscribe: =
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/mgs/[email-masked]

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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Dutf-8"></head><body style=3D"overflow-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">I would =
suggest that the oil/grease in the steering rack has congealed. Possibly =
the kingpins are in similar straits. You could disconnect the tie rod =
ends to see if the rack moves independent of the wheels, or vice =
versa.<div><br id=3D"lineBreakAtBeginningOfMessage"><div>
--<br>Max Heim<br>'66 MGB

</div>

<div><br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div>On Jun 13, 2026, at 10:12=E2=80=AF=
PM, dave northrup &lt;[email-masked]&gt; wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><div><meta charset=3D"UTF-8"><div =
class=3D"WordSection1" style=3D"page: WordSection1; caret-color: rgb(0, =
0, 0); font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; =
text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
text-decoration: none;"><div style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; =
font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 11pt;">A =
friend just picked up a 57 coupe, not running, not doing much, been =
sitting for a long time.&nbsp; We are in Nevada, so shouldn=E2=80=99t be =
too bad in terms of moisture/rust damage<o:p></o:p></span></div><div =
style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, =
sans-serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: =
11pt;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></div><div style=3D"margin: 0in; =
font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span =
style=3D"font-size: 11pt;">The steering wheel won=E2=80=99t turn, even =
with the wheels in the air.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style=3D"margin: =
0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span =
style=3D"font-size: 11pt;"><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></span></div><div =
style=3D"margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, =
sans-serif;"><span style=3D"font-size: 11pt;">We are trying to figure =
out where to even start on this.&nbsp; Could use some =
suggestions.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><span style=3D"caret-color: =
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; =
font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; =
text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: =
normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; =
text-decoration: none; float: none; display: inline =
!important;">_______________________________________________</span><br =
style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana; font-size: =
13px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; =
letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; =
text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><br =
style=3D"caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Verdana; font-size: =
13px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; =
letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; =
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_______________________________________________

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Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/mgs http://autox.team.net/archive

Unsubscribe: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/mgs/[email-masked]

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From: Douglas Shook <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 14 Jun 2026 12:02:11 +0000

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From: Simon Matthews <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026 20:10:12 -0400

A '57 MGA should have oil in the steering rack, not grease, although
it's possible that a former owner looked at the zerk fitting and
thought that it should be used to put grease in the rack.

Simon

On Sun, Jun 14, 2026 at 2:12 AM Max Heim <[email-masked]> wrote:
>
> I would suggest that the oil/grease in the steering rack has congealed. Possibly the kingpins are in similar straits. You could disconnect the tie rod ends to see if the rack moves independent of the wheels, or vice versa.
>
> --
> Max Heim
> '66 MGB
>
> On Jun 13, 2026, at 10:12 PM, dave northrup <[email-masked]> wrote:
>
> A friend just picked up a 57 coupe, not running, not doing much, been sitting for a long time.  We are in Nevada, so shouldn’t be too bad in terms of moisture/rust damage
>
> The steering wheel won’t turn, even with the wheels in the air.
>
> We are trying to figure out where to even start on this.  Could use some suggestions.
> Unsubscribe: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/mgs/[email-masked]
>
>
> Unsubscribe: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/mgs/[email-masked]

[email-masked]

---

From: Max Heim <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026 17:30:12 -0700

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Yes, that=E2=80=99s right. You are supposed to use oil, but you hear =
about POs that used grease, which would certainly solidify.

--
Max Heim
'66 MGB

> On Jun 24, 2026, at 5:10=E2=80=AFPM, Simon Matthews =
<[email-masked]> wrote:
> On Sun, Jun 14, 2026 at 2:12=E2=80=AFAM Max Heim <[email-masked]> =
wrote:
>>=20
>> I would suggest that the oil/grease in the steering rack has =
congealed. Possibly the kingpins are in similar straits. You could =
disconnect the tie rod ends to see if the rack moves independent of the =
wheels, or vice versa.
>>=20
>> --
>> Max Heim
>> '66 MGB
>>=20
>> On Jun 13, 2026, at 10:12=E2=80=AFPM, dave northrup =
air.
some suggestions.
>> Unsubscribe: =
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/mgs/[email-masked]

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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Dutf-8"></head><body style=3D"overflow-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">Yes, that=E2=80=99=
s right. You are supposed to use oil, but you hear about POs that used =
grease, which would certainly solidify.<div><br =
id=3D"lineBreakAtBeginningOfMessage"><div>
--<br>Max Heim<br>'66 MGB

</div>

<div><br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div>On Jun 24, 2026, at 5:10=E2=80=AFP=
M, Simon Matthews &lt;[email-masked]&gt; wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><div><div>A '57 MGA should have oil =
in the steering rack, not grease, although<br>it's possible that a =
former owner looked at the zerk fitting and<br>thought that it should be =
used to put grease in the rack.<br><br>Simon<br><br>On Sun, Jun 14, 2026 =
at 2:12=E2=80=AFAM Max Heim &lt;[email-masked]&gt; =
wrote:<br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><br>I would suggest that the =
oil/grease in the steering rack has congealed. Possibly the kingpins are =
in similar straits. You could disconnect the tie rod ends to see if the =
rack moves independent of the wheels, or vice versa.<br><br>--<br>Max =
Heim<br>'66 MGB<br><br>On Jun 13, 2026, at 10:12=E2=80=AFPM, dave =
northrup &lt;[email-masked]&gt; wrote:<br><br>A friend just picked up =
a 57 coupe, not running, not doing much, been sitting for a long time. =
&nbsp;We are in Nevada, so shouldn=E2=80=99t be too bad in terms of =
moisture/rust damage<br><br>The steering wheel won=E2=80=99t turn, even =
with the wheels in the air.<br><br>We are trying to figure out where to =
even start on this. &nbsp;Could use some =
suggestions.<br>_______________________________________________<br><br>Mgs=
@autox.team.net<br>Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html<br>Suggested =
annual donation &nbsp;$12.75<br><br>Archive: =
http://www.team.net/pipermail/mgs =
http://autox.team.net/archive<br><br>Unsubscribe: =
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/mgs/[email-masked]<br><br><br>____=
___________________________________________<br><br>[email-masked]<br>D=
onate: http://www.team.net/donate.html<br>Suggested annual donation =
&nbsp;$12.75<br><br>Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/mgs =
http://autox.team.net/archive<br><br>Unsubscribe: =
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/mgs/[email-masked]<br></=
blockquote><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>=

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From: Paul Hunt <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:34:52 +0100

Grease is the new oil!  New racks come greased, and I've had a rebuilt 
the same.  It would have to be left a very long time to 'solidify', and 
given the gearing I can't imagine it would ever lock the rack solid - 
very stiff maybe.  Something else in this case, I suspect, a few minutes 
work to narrow it down.

PaulH.

On 25/06/2026 01:30, Max Heim wrote:
> Yes, that’s right. You are supposed to use oil, but you hear about POs 
> that used grease, which would certainly solidify.

[email-masked]

---

From: B H <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2026 07:16:33 -0400

Tech editor of NE MGT Register checked a number of TD racks that had been greased instead of oiled. 	We can reduce our worry—he saw no difference in wear.  
	Still, the folks at Abingdon built some 500,000 MGBs, 20,000+ MGAs, and 13,000+ TDs. I believe they knew what they were doing, and they specified oil. 

> On Jun 25, 2026, at 12:12 am, Simon Matthews <[email-masked]> wrote:
> 
> Unsubscribe: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/mgs/[email-masked]

[email-masked]

---

From: Paul Hunt <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:00:13 +0100

They did - probably millions of just BMC/BL cars - but it leaks! It's a 
lot easier to use grease than fix those leaks.

[email-masked]