ausmini :: View topic - steering rack adjustment

ahhhh what a bastard!
cheers guys, any other hints/ tips?
-Cam :cry:

I rebuilt both my racks a while back..

Bits that go bad in `em-
1. Two Belleville (conical) spring washers that apply pressure to the thrust pad, to keep the rack in mesh with the pinion. They fatigue from old age. Dunno who has spares now. :cry:

2. Felt bush at LH end of rack. They wear out. Nolathane makes a hex shaped poly bush to replace it.
3. Pinion bearings. Can be replaced if you can find newies now. Often they are still OK unless the rack has run dry.
4. Boots, they split when old. New ones are available from Karcraft etc.

drmini in aust wrote:

I rebuilt both my racks a while back..

Doc....aren't there nylon bushings at each end to support the tie rods???

NOT on a Mini rack- RH end needs nothing, as the rack is running in the preloaded pressure pad.
LH end has a felt bush in a steel sleeve.

Be careful buying replacement racks- many are ex UK MK2 racks or later (2.7 turns L-L), which should use MK2 steering arms to keep steering geometry correct. But these are rocking horse manure over here.

anyway....maybe you should add "Please don't try this at home" in your best Tim the Toolman voice :wink:

OK don't try this at home, kiddies, unless you know what you are doing.
ie RTFM... 8)

G'day guys, Ive checked the u-bolts, and no joy there, bugger it!

it seems the driverside wheel has more slop in it than the other side..... does this help to locat the problem anymore?

everyones telling me that it cant possibly be worn out... coz the cars only done 66,000 miles... (depends howmany roundabouts are in the town i spose)

anymore help available for this topic?

-Cam

Author:	MiNi MuLiShA [ Tue May 17, 2005 1:12 pm ]
Post subject:	steering rack adjustment
Ive gotta steering rack tht feels like its knackered.. and i can grab the from wheels and move them about 2"s any idea how i can pull the rack out, to fix it, or how i can fix it in the car? has anyone done this or knows anything about this? cheers -Cam

Author:	9YaTaH [ Tue May 17, 2005 1:16 pm ]
Post subject:	Tie Rod Ends
If your Tie Rod Ends are OK then sounds like you need to get a re-manufactured steering rack (real soon)......

Author:	Flashback [ Tue May 17, 2005 1:21 pm ]
Post subject:
It will need to come out of the car to be looked at/fixed (nice job not!). You've probably already done this but check your tie rod ends for play in case they're knackered. The U clamps can also come loose allowing the rack to move so it would be worth checking those too . I had a rack come loose on me once and it gave the impression of free play in the rack (and very vague steering). If none of the easy fixes work then you'll need to drop the subframe a little and take the rack out (much easier to type than to do!!)

Author:	MiNi MuLiShA [ Tue May 17, 2005 1:28 pm ]
Post subject:
ahhhh what a bastard! Yeah my rod ends were the first thing ive checked... its getting wors.. snowballing.... over the space of a coupla hundred mils :S cheers guys, any other hints/ tips? ive been told that theres only one brass bush that wears in the rach, is this so, anyone eles out there with this trouble? cheers -Cam

Author:	9YaTaH [ Tue May 17, 2005 1:42 pm ]
Post subject:	Stop!
Black_Van_73 wrote: ahhhh what a bastard! cheers guys, any other hints/ tips? -Cam Steering Rack = $250 plus labour.... Hospital Bills when steering fails??? lets not go there.....

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steering rack adjustment https://ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7289	Page 1 of 2

Author:	JC [ Tue May 17, 2005 6:55 pm ]
Post subject:
I was in and around my steering rack the other day fitting some new tie rod ends. Are you supposed to be able to 'pull' the steering arm out of what feels to be a socket? I can grab a hold of it and pull it and it moves....it feels like it's on a spring because it wants to go back in.

Author:	willy [ Tue May 17, 2005 6:59 pm ]
Post subject:
I had the same prob about 10 months ago. Ask CLUBMAN on here... he felt what it was like. It used to steer for me most times! It got absolutely crap bad in a couple of days of driving so i put it in the shed till i could save up and afford to get it fixed. New steering arm or something and bushes; $450 or thereabouts it cost me all up. Ok shite... now im thinking about how much money ive spent on Little willy - ahh . Lets not go there Mmm... disc brakes

Author:	Mick [ Tue May 17, 2005 8:18 pm ]
Post subject:
Try pulling back the rubber gators at the other end of the rod end attached to the steering rack. There are ball and socket links in there that can undo themselves if not secured properly.

Author:	drmini in aust [ Tue May 17, 2005 8:32 pm ]
Post subject:
I rebuilt both my racks a while back.. Bits that go bad in `em- 1. Two Belleville (conical) spring washers that apply pressure to the thrust pad, to keep the rack in mesh with the pinion. They fatigue from old age. Dunno who has spares now. 2. Felt bush at LH end of rack. They wear out. Nolathane makes a hex shaped poly bush to replace it. 3. Pinion bearings. Can be replaced if you can find newies now. Often they are still OK unless the rack has run dry. 4. Boots, they split when old. New ones are available from Karcraft etc.

Author:	monrel [ Tue May 17, 2005 9:01 pm ]
Post subject:	steering rack
I dropped into Mini Auto Spares at Seven Hills today. He's got reco'd steering racks for $220 exchange. He had three on the shelf in the shop upstairs.

Author:	9YaTaH [ Tue May 17, 2005 9:18 pm ]
Post subject:	Hmmmmm
drmini in aust wrote: I rebuilt both my racks a while back.. Bits that go bad in `em- 1. Two Belleville (conical) spring washers that apply pressure to the thrust pad, to keep the rack in mesh with the pinion. They fatigue from old age. Dunno who has spares now. 2. Felt bush at LH end of rack. They wear out. Nolathane makes a hex shaped poly bush to replace it. 3. Pinion bearings. Can be replaced if you can find newies now. Often they are still OK unless the rack has run dry. 4. Boots, they split when old. New ones are available from Karcraft etc. Doc....aren't there nylon bushings at each end to support the tie rods??? anyway....maybe you should add "Please don't try this at home" in your best Tim the Toolman voice

Author:	drmini in aust [ Tue May 17, 2005 9:44 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Hmmmmm
9YaTaH wrote: drmini in aust wrote: I rebuilt both my racks a while back.. Bits that go bad in `em- 1. Two Belleville (conical) spring washers that apply pressure to the thrust pad, to keep the rack in mesh with the pinion. They fatigue from old age. Dunno who has spares now. 2. Felt bush at LH end of rack. They wear out. Nolathane makes a hex shaped poly bush to replace it. 3. Pinion bearings. Can be replaced if you can find newies now. Often they are still OK unless the rack has run dry. 4. Boots, they split when old. New ones are available from Karcraft etc. Doc....aren't there nylon bushings at each end to support the tie rods??? NOT on a Mini rack- RH end needs nothing, as the rack is running in the preloaded pressure pad. LH end has a felt bush in a steel sleeve. Be careful buying replacement racks- many are ex UK MK2 racks or later (2.7 turns L-L), which should use MK2 steering arms to keep steering geometry correct. But these are rocking horse manure over here. anyway....maybe you should add "Please don't try this at home" in your best Tim the Toolman voice OK don't try this at home, kiddies, unless you know what you are doing. ie RTFM... 8) BTW, best lube for a Mini rack is 90/140 gear oil. So sez the guys who made them at Cam Gears in Sydney- I worked with 'em at Rheem. Later ones were greased instead, to stop oil leaks..

Author:	gafmo [ Tue May 17, 2005 10:38 pm ]
Post subject:
I f you need to change the Rack http://community.webshots.com/album/117738459JkCtax

Author:	MiNi MuLiShA [ Sat May 28, 2005 9:03 pm ]
Post subject:
G'day guys, Ive checked the u-bolts, and no joy there, bugger it! it seems the driverside wheel has more slop in it than the other side..... does this help to locat the problem anymore? everyones telling me that it cant possibly be worn out... coz the cars only done 66,000 miles... (depends howmany roundabouts are in the town i spose) anymore help available for this topic? -Cam

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Author:	Chris [ Sun May 29, 2005 12:06 am ]
Post subject:
Black_Van_73 wrote: G'day guys, Ive checked the u-bolts, and no joy there, bugger it! it seems the driverside wheel has more slop in it than the other side..... does this help to locat the problem anymore? everyones telling me that it cant possibly be worn out... coz the cars only done 66,000 miles... (depends howmany roundabouts are in the town i spose) anymore help available for this topic? -Cam The left hand side always suffers first as it is always falling off the road, hitting gutters etc. The felt bush needs replacing and the track rod inner ball and socket looking at. Basically doc laid it all out for you. I can't believe people pay $250 fer gawds sake to buy a reco rack. There is nothing in them. Don't forget to replace the mounts and U bolts.