CHECKING STEERING ARMS

(From the Bristol Austin Seven Club - see LINKS)

Fix the steering arm in the vice so that the inside radius is uppermost and so that you can work on said radius with a rat tail file. File the radius with a rolling action until you have removed the forging ridge and the area either side is smooth. Now you need some emery ribbon about 200-240 grit, some 12 inches long and about 1 inch wide. Tear the width in half and with the steering arm still fixed in the vice, hold­ing the emery ribbon at each end, rub the inside radius until it is smooth and free of file marks. This should take about 3-5 minutes. Inspect the radius to see that it is smooth and has an even, flat finish. You might use the other piece of emery ribbon to achieve a good result.

Now pick up your aerosol can of CRC or WD40 and spray the radius—a good 10 second blast should do the job. Remove the arm from the vice and through the hole that normally takes the ball joint, insert a screwdriver, as long as you have, that will fit through the hole. Holding the screwdriver by the handle, so that the shaft is horizontal, the steering arm should now be able to swing on the shaft of the screwdriver. Now, holding the screwdriver in your left hand, pick up a steel hammer with your other hand and strike the outside radius of the steering arm with a blow sufficient so that it will rotate a few times. Repeat this 2 or 3 times always on the outside radius. Now look at the inside radius, the one you have just filed and emery papered and sprayed - what do you see?!

Hopefully, you will see nothing, but in my 50 odd years with A7s—9 out of 10 steering arms were cracked.

 John Bowring