I wanna get 'em back in....

there's gotta be a trick to it...

this is with the subframe in the car btw...

ta

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Stupid question. How did you get them out??

Hold the rack in place with something thin through the hole. Like cotton so you can cut it away and it wont interfere with the bolts.

Come in through the wheel arch with the bolt facing the middle of the car. Turn the bolt when the threaded ends are before the hole so that the the bolt is now at a 45 degree angle. The threaded end should go through the hole before it is straight. Finger tighten the bolts and cut the cotton. Make sure the u-bolts slot into thir grroves on the rack.

Let me know how you go.

Whoa funny you ask. On saturday, i replaced my entire steering rack. So that involved lowering the rear of the subframe etc. They (u-bolts) didn't seem hard to put in, but I had help from my dad. I shoved a screw driver through the top hole as to see where they are, then whilest supporting the rack (with help) they were just shoved in. Then whacked a bit. When there was enough thread to put a nut on they were tightened in. Wasn't too hard at all.

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1964 Morris 850, 1330 Supercharged - 81.8hp atws.
1975 Leyland Mini S 1100S powered - Nice and reliable.
1977 Leyland Mini LS - Project LS-T

right... i'm guessing i haven't dropped the frame enough... hmm....

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me thinks you need to try harder

Very very important to trial fit the U bolts from the inside through the same holes. That way you can adjust them to slip right in when you get there from teh outside, it will save you about 20 minutes of frigging around if you do.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

somtimes the bolts get all out of shape, so make sure as mick said try from the inside first.
Not a fun Job

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speed costs....how fast do you want to go...

When I did mine i frigged around for an hour with the bolts just not lining up, thinking 'of course they should fit they came out fine" before I trialled em from the inside.

Don't know how or why, but the bloody things (taken off 1 week earlier), were about 8mm too wide.

A few minutes in the vice and they slipped in easy as pie!

Oh, a helper to put at least one nut on once you have the u bolt in place is a great frustration saver

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68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

Dont nip the 'U' bolts up tight until you have the steering shaft on and if the steering shaft doesn't slide on easily then it may need the rack to be rotated slightly (either up or down) until it does slide on easily.

Do not whack it on with a hammer because you will simply strip the spline on both the rack and the column.

i dropped the subframe about an inch and half and got therack/ubolts out.. but putting it back in i dropped it about 5 inches!
(undid all subframe bolts though)

How many joints did you dislocate in your wrist and hand? I was not good for much for a day or so cos my hand was smashed...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

putting the vice in advice....


squashed the ubolts a bit today until they slid in easily from the inside...


then ducked round and it took about 20 seconds per bolt...friggen easy....

so in summary.. the best advice i can give is to squeeze the ubolt ends in a vice to a SMALLER gap than you need as when you open it, it will spring back to the size you want...(hopefully)

and i would suggest you use a helper.... i had a rope on the other end of the rack to hold it up

thanks guys and girls..( not that any girls actually helped)


even changed over the bottom arm on the passenger side for an adjustable one before i switched thelight off.

even with the wheel hanging in the air it's got heaps of negative camber

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Weel done.

i'm f'n pleased at the moment...

got the rack in.. heard the baby's heartbeat

just waiting for the phonecall with the bad news..

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Here you go, you cant buy Honey Snaps anymore