4 replies to this topic

[CraigyBoy]

Hi guys,

I have replaced a rack that seems wasn't centered when fitted.

I have set the car up with parallel toe and centered the steering wheel.

However I have 1 1/2 turns to lock on the left and 1 1/4 turns to lock on the right?

Am I right in thinking jack the car up and get my track rod ends even and then set parallel and finally take the wheel of and center it up?

Personally I don't think this will be noticeable when driving.

Your thoughts.....?

[SamMason]

Speaking as a complete mechanical novice; I would've thought that unless you're going from lock to lock, you shouldn't notice anything wrong.. I mean when travelling at speed you only really use very little turning input.

But then again, I'm probably wrong myself, I'd wait to hear what some smart people have to say though

[Ethel]

It'll make a small difference to the geometry, the worst problem is allowing a bit much travel in the driveshaft joints etc. As you say, jack it up and find the mid point of the rack (1/2 way between L & R lock), then adjust the track rods. There is a centring peg hole hiding, in place of the column connection on the passenger side too.

[tiger99]

It is quite serious,because if you have too much lock on one side, the balls in the CV joint may be ejected if you drive with full lock applied, also the wheels or tyres may rub on someting or the brake hoses may be strained. You may have insufficient thread engagement on one of the track rod ends to be safe, and teh geometry will be incorrect.

But it is also easily fixed. The mistake is to use the steering wheel to determine the centre.

What you do is remove the rubber plug on the passenger side, equivalent to where the steering column is on the drivers side. Unscrew the plug (plastic on later models, once upon a time it was brass if I remember correctly) which you find in there, on the rack. Now take a 6mm diameter rod (blund end of a drill, for example), and insert it into the hole. Tuirn the steering wheel till it engages with the rack. That, and only that, is the central position.

Set the tracking in that condition, then take the steering wheel off and refit in the straight ahead position.

remembe rto remove your locking pin and put the plug back in before driving.

Edit: Ethel just beat me to it!

Edited by tiger99, 01 April 2012 - 04:35 PM.

[CraigyBoy]

It is quite serious,because if you have too much lock on one side, the balls in the CV joint may be ejected if you drive with full lock applied, also the wheels or tyres may rub on someting or the brake hoses may be strained. You may have insufficient thread engagement on one of the track rod ends to be safe, and teh geometry will be incorrect.

But it is also easily fixed. The mistake is to use the steering wheel to determine the centre.

What you do is remove the rubber plug on the passenger side, equivalent to where the steering column is on the drivers side. Unscrew the plug (plastic on later models, once upon a time it was brass if I remember correctly) which you find in there, on the rack. Now take a 6mm diameter rod (blund end of a drill, for example), and insert it into the hole. Tuirn the steering wheel till it engages with the rack. That, and only that, is the central position.

Set the tracking in that condition, then take the steering wheel off and refit in the straight ahead position.

remembe rto remove your locking pin and put the plug back in before driving.

Edit: Ethel just beat me to it!

Excellent advice. Thank you.