3 replies to this topic

[benmoffat]

Hi all,

Im about to buy a steering rack for my build but in need of a bit of guidance please. As I am buying new I have a few different configurations available to me.

Now I could go the normal route and just buy a standard rack. Then there is the option to buy normal track rod ends, or there are extra long track rod ends which according to Minispares are "for lowered cars". Would I need these?

Another option is a rack which was made for sports pack models. Im assuming this was changed to allow for the movement of the 13" wheels. I have these wheels on my Mini, but as the front setup is different with a Zcars, ie. no inner arches, is this the only difference and do I not need to consider this rack?

Also the is the question of a quick rack. I have seen quick racks mentioned once or twice in the Zcars forum. How many Zcars owners are running them? I think I had one on my Mini when it was a standard Mini and found it very twitcy at speeds of 60mph+ (mind you that was with a 10" steering wheel). Is this much different with the reduced weight on the front end of a Zcars Mini?

Any guidance would be much appreciated as there are quite a few options and I would like to get it right first time.

Thanks for reading.

Ben

[cptkirk]

Ben

My advice is to get the sportspack rack, it restricts the amount of lock but that helps to stop the tyres rubbing on the rear part of the inner arch on full lock.

If you have the choice of steering arms amake sure you get the Cooper S version which is a lot more heavy duty than the normal version.

Some of us on here have used different conficgurations for the track rod end setup but this is to try and help cancel out the bump steer, there are a few post around showing the various type of thinking behind it, try looking in Al Reidys post about understeer and oversteer, I have a few post in my build diary when I fitted my own setup, probably around page 30-35??

I dont think you will need extra long track rod ends if you intend to go the normal route (happy to stand corrected if any one knows different).

Theres my two penneth - anyone else got any ideas??

[benmoffat]

Thanks for the reply cpt,

I found the posts in your build, I had missed them the first time round reading. Sounds like you had quite a few issues there hope you got it all sorted out in the end and the bits you made made the difference.

The sportspack rack from Minispares is £142.50, and a standard one is £56.40. KAD sell the steering rack limiters for £9 that fit on a standard rack link, would that have the same outcome? I could get some machined out of aluminium or steel for not much more. Do you think that would be fit for purpose or is it better to have the sportpack one as its built for limited lock to start with?

Also found your post about the geometry set up, just one question. Did you specify the figures to redesign racing and they set up to that, or did you leave them to decide how best to set it up from their experience?

Was thinking of doing it myself after watching many videos on youtube but by the sounds of peoples experience on here it needs to be super accurate to get the handling spot on and a small change makes a massive difference. Dont think I will be able to get to that accuracy with no specialist equipment. Got another quote for £50 an hour and if its near to begin with they reckon it would only take 1 hour (otherwise 2-3 hours), so cheaper than sending it back to Zs!

Thanks for the help, hope you are enjoying driving the beast.

Ben

Edited by benmoffat, 19 July 2011 - 09:36 PM.

[cptkirk]

Hi Ben, answers in BOLD

Thanks for the reply cpt,

I found the posts in your build, I had missed them the first time round reading. Sounds like you had quite a few issues there hope you got it all sorted out in the end and the bits you made made the difference. Yep all good and I do think they made the difference

The sportspack rack from Minispares is £142.50, and a standard one is £56.40. KAD sell the steering rack limiters for £9 that fit on a standard rack link, would that have the same outcome? I could get some machined out of aluminium or steel for not much more. Do you think that would be fit for purpose or is it better to have the sportpack one as its built for limited lock to start with? My experience with racks is limited to the piece of sh:t recon unit or the sportspack so its hard for me to say, I guess if you can stretch to it then go sportspack and then theres no fannying around

Also found your post about the geometry set up, just one question. Did you specify the figures to redesign racing and they set up to that, or did you leave them to decide how best to set it up from their experience? I left them to it, they have a flat rate for setting up a car and mine took longer than normal, the loose recon rack not helping matters, the guy doing the setup races porches (and does all is own setup) so he knows a bit about rear engined cars

Was thinking of doing it myself after watching many videos on youtube but by the sounds of peoples experience on here it needs to be super accurate to get the handling spot on and a small change makes a massive difference. Dont think I will be able to get to that accuracy with no specialist equipment. Got another quote for £50 an hour and if its near to begin with they reckon it would only take 1 hour (otherwise 2-3 hours), so cheaper than sending it back to Zs! To say how wrong they got mine and continue to get others I would not take mine back to Z's for alignment, they charge twice as much as anyone else and get it wrong - wildly wrong in my case........gripe over........

Thanks for the help, hope you are enjoying driving the beast.
Oh feck yer, its a blast....not happy with the weather at the mo, I thought it was supposed to be the summer........

Ben

Andy

Edited by cptkirk, 20 July 2011 - 08:50 AM.