3 replies to this topic

[Curare]

Hey all, just another conundrum for you intelligent people out there.

Not so long ago, I noticed that I was having an interesting torque steer issue on my '88 mayfair.

In fourth, I can steer the car with the throttle, that is add power, the car steers to the right, take your foot off and she'll veer to the left.

After reading about similar issues on TMF and other places I jacked the car up and had a good look at the following:

steering arms, tight and solid, and unbent
track rod ends, no slop and firmly attached.
steering wheel spine, nice and clean teeth, no wearing and the gap in the collet is open so it's tightening correctly.
rack bolts, they're nice and tight too. The rack shows no signs of movement, no wear patches or anything else.



After all that I did find that I was able to hold the steering wheel steady, i can move the passenger side tie bar in and out about 2-3mm. not very good! I have a sneaking suspicion that either the cup is damaged or the rack itself is damaged. I thought it may have been a bad wheel bearing but I can't get any movement out of the hub vertically, and the whole hub/caliper moves so it's not the bearings.

Is it? Have I missed something else? Is it time for a new rack?

Edited by Curare, 22 February 2012 - 03:21 AM.

[The Matt]

Just to clarify, by "passenger side tie-bar" do you mean the rack end tie-bar of the tie-bar that goes from the bottom arm to the front of the subframe? I'm pretty sure you mean the steering rack....

I'll assume you do.

For the price of a new rack, I would personally swap it out anyway, or at least see if there's any clear signs of wear that can be fixed. I've never bothered servicing a steering rack myself as they're real cheap to replace.

Have you checked if your front tie-bars are straight too? Also, check that there's no front to rear movement in the front tie-bar bushes. That tie-bar that goes from the bottom arm to the front member on the subframe can cause some weird steering geometry issues. I've even seen people jack Minis up on them in the past, bending them, then wonder why their car doesn't steer right.

I would investigate them. I mean, you're aware of a little play in the steering rack, that needs sorting before it gets any worse anyway, but I would check front to rear movement of the front wheels (try grabbing hold of each front wheel when the car is on the floor and rolling them fore and aft with the handbrake on). You may see a bit of float in those bushes.

[Curare]

Ahh, a case of odd nomenclature here:) I was taught (possibly incorrectly) that the tie bar ties the rack and the steering arm together, and the bar you're referring to as a radius rod.

Either way, I'll have a peek at the tie bar (your tie bar, not mine) tonight and check for decent seats and bends.

There's definite slop in the rack though. Might as well replace!

[icklemini]

"that the tie bar ties the rack and the steering arm together"

Thats the "trackrod" coming out of the steering rack... and at the end you have the "trackrod end" that goes onto steering arm on the hub...

Edited by icklemini, 23 February 2012 - 08:08 AM.