King Pin End Float

With the jack under the jacking point, lift one front wheel clear of the ground. Try and move the front wheel up and down, if there is any up and down movement and some "knocking" noises, you have king pin end float. Remove king pin shims to tighten.

Lower Outer Wishbone Pin

Place a chassis stand or jack under the lower wishbone and raise one front wheel clear of the ground. Again try and move the front wheel up and down, if the kingpin moves up and down relative to the wishbone, the "lower outer" pin and wishbone bushes will be worn. It is not uncommon for the "lower outer" pin to waer through the top of the wishbone! If you remove the allow plug and grease nipple, the extent of the wear will be obvious. This wear is dangerous and needs urgent attention!.

A less common problem is loose or missing cotter pins. Up and down movement of the kingpin relative to the wishbone will again be present because the "eye" of the kingpin has has been worn oversize.

King Pin Bushes and Wheel Bearings

Hold the wheel top and bottom and rock the wheel in and out. Any movement suggests worn king pin bushes or worn wheel bearings.

Have an assistant apply the brakes hard. If the movement dissappears the wheel bearings are worn, if not, it's king pin wear. If you can see no movement in the lower kingpin bush, check the "upper outer" shock absorber arm bushes for wear. Also, while the brakes are still applied try and rotate the wheel backwards and forwards. If you get a "floppy" sort of rotation movement, this confirms your "upper outer" shock absorber bushes are worn, and even worse, your shock absorber lever arm may be lose on its shaft. Both of these items need immediate attention, especially if your car is twitchy under brakes.

Ties Rods and Steering Rack

Remove the road wheel and rotate the outer tie rod end (i.e. tilt the rod end fore/aft). It should be stiff but not notchy. There should be no in and out movement.

Check the rubber gaitors on the steering rack and replace these if there are any splits or cracks. If you don't, you will soon be up for a replacement steering rack!

Brakes

Check the front rubber brake hose. They often run on the tyre when steering is on full lock. Check brakes for wear, shock absorber bolts for tightness, also check for fore/aft movement of the shock absorber arm, especially, on the inside end. Check the metal hydraulic brake line on the chassis for kinks. Look for leaking hydraulic joints and cylinders.

Check wheel studs for stetching, check steering arm to kingpin bolts for tightness.

Front Shock Absorbers

Refit wheel, drop car back onto the road and bounce the front muduard. If it bounces freely, reco shocks are in order.

Gillspeed is a specialist Spridget and MGB supplier (new and 2nd hand parts) and workshop here in Victoria. Bob Gill started Gillspeed back in 1974 and offers overnight service throughout Australia.