The engine on your car sounds really fit. I had an MG Midget many years ago with this stiff steering issue. The problem was lack of maintenance of the kingpins and the old grease had solidified. It was not possible to push new grease into the kingpins even with a garage high pressure gun. I freed them off by taking off the top joint and using WD40 over a number of days to soak the kingpin from the top whilst rotating the steering. Can't use heat due to the rubber seals. After two days the old grease softened and I could again force new grease through the kingpins and all was solved. The same could apply to the steering rack and the steering column. Frequent lubrication with new grease is necessary and it may be this stiff steering was what prompted the previous owner to sell the car to me. It was almost solid steering. The car was a daily driver for six years after fixing this, when children forced the sale. Thirty years later , I have another Midget in my collection.
The king pins may be improperly shimmed. Adding the correct amount of shims on the shoulder of the king pins (under the trunnions) should help lighten the steering.
its so weird to me(as an american) to see all those cars parked on the street and you have to go into the oncoming traffic to avoid them. and the opposite traffic is nice enough to let you over. here the oncoming cars would plow right into you and sue you for entering their lane.
The engine on your car sounds really fit. I had an MG Midget many years ago with this stiff steering issue. The problem was lack of maintenance of the kingpins and the old grease had solidified. It was not possible to push new grease into the kingpins even with a garage high pressure gun. I freed them off by taking off the top joint and using WD40 over a number of days to soak the kingpin from the top whilst rotating the steering. Can't use heat due to the rubber seals. After two days the old grease softened and I could again force new grease through the kingpins and all was solved. The same could apply to the steering rack and the steering column.
Frequent lubrication with new grease is necessary and it may be this stiff steering was what prompted the previous owner to sell the car to me. It was almost solid steering. The car was a daily driver for six years after fixing this, when children forced the sale. Thirty years later , I have another Midget in my collection.
Well done! Don't think I could ever sell mine
Sounds great!
Thanks Jason
The king pins may be improperly shimmed. Adding the correct amount of shims on the shoulder of the king pins (under the trunnions) should help lighten the steering.
Ok, ill look into that. Thank you
its so weird to me(as an american) to see all those cars parked on the street and you have to go into the oncoming traffic to avoid them. and the opposite traffic is nice enough to let you over. here the oncoming cars would plow right into you and sue you for entering their lane.
Haha, this laybe just happned to be on the opposite side
Good job getting that sorted nice midget. How much faster is it with the rover eng?
Thanks. It is quite a bit faster although i could always do with more power lol. Watch this space!
What year is your Midget? The engine sounds so smooth.
Its a 1978 with a 2004 rover 45 1.4 k series