"The Tiger Ackerman Angle"
An Article by Larry Paulick
April, 2002
Page 4
Part 3 – Installing the Midget Rack and Pinion - The following text is from Dale’s instruction, and the (Bracket, like this, is my addition to the instructions for my car).
1. Place Aluminum Rack Mounts (I called them Adapters) on Steering Rack with cambered edge on the bottom. (Note the angle of the R&P pinion with the stock Tiger R&P bolted to the cross member for reference, when putting the MG R&P onto the Dale Adapter, as the adapter allows the MG R&P to rotate in the adapter. Fit the MG R&P pinion to the same angle as the stock Tiger R&P pinion. Remember you are bolting the new R&P to the steering column universals, so you want it at the same angle as the stock.)
Alignment of Steering, R&P, Dale's Adapter
2. Tighten bolts allowing rack to move. (With the adapter on loose/snug, check to see if the “ring/collar as I called it, on the MG R&P needs to be ground for the bolts to pass through the adaptor, without hitting the ring/collar. I had to grind the ring/collar, with a die grinder so that the bolts would go through the 2 halves of the adapter. Remember, you have the pinion in the correct angle, so your grinding will allow the bolts to go through the 2 half’s of the adapter to place the pinion at the proper angle.)
3. Place rack on cross member positioning pinion shaft to the same angle as the Tiger rack, tighten bolts. (Your work in #2 above will insure that the angle is correct.)
4. Remove rack from cross member, mark or note on rack to trim the clearance needed for the remaining 4 bolts. (This is really the same as my instructions on #2 above.)
5. Remove mounts from rack, grind, and reinstall rack and mounts on cross member. (Same again.)
Part 4 – Installing the MGB Steering Arms
1. The MGB steering arms are reversed, i.e. left arm to right side, so check with your supplier to see which is the left side, etc. Another way is to look at the taper where the tie rod ends mount. The tie rod ends are mounted so that the bolt is on the top, not the bottom. Since the tie rods will only go in one way with the taper on the steering arms, this should give you the proper sequence of parts.)
Reversed MGB Steering Arms, Spacers, Tie Rod Ends
2. The MGB steering arms bolt holes do not align exactly with the stock bolt holes in the spindles. The spacing of the Tiger holes are farther apart, that the MBG, by a small amount. So you will need to file the steering arm hole, oval in shape, to fit properly.
I chose to file the rear holes, which can be done with a good round hand file. Fit and file, fit and file, so that he steering arm bolt holes fit properly to the spindles. The slot, should be on the centerline of the front and rear bolt holes. Take your time, as you don’t want sloppy holes.
You can have a machinist do this for you, or you can do it yourself, by being a good craftsman.
3. The front steering arm needs to have a 5/8” spacer to position the steering arm properly. The spacer, is used to align the steering arm properly.
Steering Arm Special Spacer
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