7 replies to this topic

[russ_1380]

Hello again,

Looking for a new steering rack. I've seen minisport offer quick racks.

What are the benefits of these racks over a standard item? I presume it takes less movement of the steering wheel to get the same amount of wheel movement compared to a std rack?

confused!

cheers

R

[AlexP]

Yes, a quick rack will reduce the number of turns needed to get from lock to lock.

Edited by AlexP, 11 April 2010 - 09:20 PM.

[Darkscamp]

yeah they are great for twisty roads, but on a motorway prepare yourself for the ride from hell. One twitch of the wheel and you've crossed two lanes.

My advice, go to a local motorfactors and get a exchange rack, there alot cheaper than the mini traders. I think my last one was about £30.

[russ_1380]

Sounds good to me.

It wont affect limits on things like wheel widths would it? (I mean in relation to a straight swap from a std rack)?

Has anyone had experience of them? Its seems they are only 1/3 quicker, does this make the car very twitchy to drive or is it a case of everythings ok once you've gotten used to it?

Any know nasties or side effects of fitting them for daily/road use?

Just online looking at them now you see....

cheers

[Dan]

Obviously it does make the steering 1/3 heavier as well as 1/3 faster. Makes parallel parking tiring.

I don't think it's actually a full third though, standard Mini steering has 2.3 turns lock to lock and most of the quick racks reduce it to about 2 turns.

[Macming]

I've had one fitted for years now. In fact I'm on my second one ! It's great when your on country roads. Over 60 and you've got to concentrate and tighten up. They take a bit of getting used to. very precise control, small movements for large reactions, so you've got to get out of the habit of sawing the wheel back and forwards between hands or you wander all over the road.(you realise when you're doing this when you notice the car behind has dropped back 40 cars length.) You might find you need to fit a standard dia wheel or you can't manouver to park in small spaces because of the friction from your tyres at low speed.
I put my first one on for a bit of fun. but now I wouldn't go back.

[BlueminiJohn]

I had one in my r1 mini, it was very good for the back roads. Like others have said motorways take some getting used to.
Depends what you use it for mainly

[mini93]

very twitchy at speed and they seem to exagurate slight bumps in the road, say when you go over a slight bump and it pulls you in some direction unless you have a strong grip in the correct direction you follow course till you take corrective steering.
its not bad on the motorway (ok depending on road surface but usualy its rather uniform and predictable) my problems come when your giving the engine some legs around the more unpredictable back roads and surface changes and dips, surface subsidence etc, things that would catch people out usualy as said previously are more noticable.

steering weight is increased but it also depends on what wheel tyre combo's your using, wider gripper wheel and tyres its going to be more noticable, its not too bad with my 10x6's but can imagin when using 13x8's or something like that it wil be much more noticable.

if you want to make it more stable at speed you can increase the castor angle but it will also make the steering heavier again, bit of a trade off really