Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all is this the proper steering key for a series 11 steering please?

http://www.morrisminorspares.com/front- ... es-p830554

does not seem to fit well and on the MM manual looks different any help appreciated!!

If you've got the one in the link you've posted, I does say it may need a bit of fettling to fit.

This is how it should like i suppose (38) any one has a spare one to sell please?

Almost coffin shaped. I had a look at one today. I could make one, if you get stuck. You can file down the one that they sell if you want one sooner.

You seem to be confusing 2 completely different things. The woodruff key in the ESM diagram is for the steering arm (which fits into the swivel pin) and you want one which fits the steering wheel to the steering column. It doesn't look the same because it isn't.

Imperial Parallel Keys Round Ended:

https://technifast.co.uk/parallel-keys

Dooh! I should have twigged that ESM wouldn't sell a half-round one as 'self assembly, some work required'.

oh thanks Many Minors!! hope technifast could supply this one then!!

does anyone has the exact dimensions of the key please cause technifast asked for them!!
thanks!!

To get the dimensions of the parallel Woodruff key which fits between column and wheel:-

Height - measure the depth of slot in the column and multiply by two. The depth is or should be the same in the column and the steering wheel.

Width - measure the width of slot in the column. The width slot in the wheel will be the same.

Length - measure the length of the slot in the column including the round ends.

You may have to fettle but that is easy.

Any good agricultural engineering outfit would have boxes of keys, although if imperial some may not stock the right sizes. Bearing suppliers will also hold stocks. You do need to know the dimensions of the keyway - or take your parts along and they will supply from their stock. You really need an engineering caliper to measure up.

I was astounded to get an 8A fuse of 31.8mm x 6.4mm from my local repairer of domestic appliances recently. 50p to fix the machine with the correct fuse.

The last time I urgently needed a parallel key (lost in a 20ha field, but I had the sprocket that had fallen off) the local stockist sorted one out for me inside 5 minutes. Machine was back in work in about an hour and a half.

Made a parallel key tonight to fit a pulley to a motor shaft - standard width but non-standard height. Took longer to cut the tool steel than alter the size.

philthehill wrote: ↑Mon Aug 13, 2018 7:31 pm To get the dimensions of the parallel Woodruff key which fits between column and wheel:-

Height - measure the depth of slot in the column and multiply by two. The depth is or should be the same in the column and the steering wheel.

Width - measure the width of slot in the column. The width slot in the wheel will be the same.

Length - measure the length of the slot in the column including the round ends.

You may have to fettle but that is easy.

Thanks Phil the Hill however I dont have the engineering caliper to measure the keyhole if anyone has a spare one by any chance please let me know!! cant drive my car before i get one

There is a way around this. Apart from the depth, you could press a piece of thinish paper round the perimeter of the keyway to give an impression, depth could be measured without special gear to an acceptable degree. The paper template could then be sent to company. A certain amount of filing may be needed for final fit.

You do not need an engineering caliper.
The measurements can be determined using a set of imperial twist drills and a ruler.
Use the drill to determine the width of the slot, the size of the drill should be on the shank of the drill
Use a drill to determine the depth of the slot by laying a drill in the steering wheel slot & multiply by 2.
Use the rule to determine the length of the slot in the steering column.

thank you guys super helpful hints!!!

philthehill wrote: ↑Tue Aug 14, 2018 6:52 pm You do not need an engineering caliper.
The measurements can be determined using a set of imperial twist drills and a ruler.
Use the drill to determine the width of the slot, the size of the drill should be on the shank of the drill
Use a drill to determine the depth of the slot by laying a drill in the steering wheel slot & multiply by 2.
Use the rule to determine the length of the slot in the steering column.

You are right, Phil. I was thinking, at the time, of the key I just knocked up. It was an 8mm key, not a 5/16” one. Although the difference seems minimal, one would not want a sloppy fit, even for the use mine was put to.

For some drill shanks, differentiating between 6mm and a 1/4” may not be too clear. I use an otherwise unused set of 125 drills as test pieces but I always check with the caliper/micrometer for accuracy if the part is requiring a good fit.