Steering Gears & Linkage: Overhaul: Disassembly

Measure and record distance from spanner flats on tie rods to each ball joint lock nut. Slacken ball joint lock nuts and unscrew ball joint assemblies.
Hold rack housing over receptacle to catch oil, release bellows clips, and remove bellows. Remove hex cap adjacent to oil nipple on housing and withdraw cap with washer, pad, and spring.
Remove damper pad housing from pinion end of rack housing. Withdraw pad with plunger, spring, and shims. Extract bolts securing pinion lower bearing and remove bearing and shims. Withdraw pinion complete with bottom thrust washer.
NOTE: Top thrust washer is trapped behind rack teeth and may be removed after rack is withdrawn.

Fig 1: MG Midget Rack & Pinion
Courtesy of NOT AVAILABLE
Secure housing in padded vise and tap back lock washers from tie rod ball housing. Remove ball joint cap.
NOTE: In some cases this operation will release ball seat housing from ball joint cap; in this case, difficulty will be experienced in removing ball housing from rack. It is therefore essential to release ball housing from rack before ball seat housing and joint cap are separated.
Remove lock washer and withdraw steering rack from housing. Remove ball seat housing from ball joint caps. Shims and ball seats are now free to be removed. Note position of shims and mark for replacement.