11 replies to this topic

[68+86auto]

I was sold a reconditioned Australian steering rack to replace my Rover one, I remember reading that they are designed for different arms. Will this cause any issues?

I installed the rod ends 12 turns each but I am not sure how much I reduced the thread engagement during the alignment, it was 1-2° out. The toe out on turns is correct or at least within 1°

I might have to pull an end off again to check the thread engagement, I forgot about it when I installed it.

[Spider]

They have MKI Mini geometry, so you need to find yourself a pair of MKI Steering Arms.

Fitting these up with MKII Arms will leave you quite dangerously low on thread engaugment in the Rod Ends.

You'll find some detail here;-

 

https://www.theminif...-steering-arms/

 

[whistler]

They have MKI Mini geometry, so you need to find yourself a pair of MKI Steering Arms.

Fitting these up with MKII Arms will leave you quite dangerously low on thread engaugment in the Rod Ends.

You'll find some detail here;-

 

https://www.theminif...-steering-arms/

What if you used the extended track rod ends as for negative camber lower arms or Triumph Spitfire TREnds as I think they're the same?

[Spider]

 

They have MKI Mini geometry, so you need to find yourself a pair of MKI Steering Arms.

Fitting these up with MKII Arms will leave you quite dangerously low on thread engaugment in the Rod Ends.

You'll find some detail here;-

 

https://www.theminif...-steering-arms/

What if you used the extended track rod ends as for negative camber lower arms or Triumph Spitfire TREnds as I think they're the same?

 

 

You can do that and you'll get the engagement needed, but it's not a move I'd recommend.

It was recently pointed out to me these TRE have a longer Pin in them and so drop the pivot centre to a lower point. This doesn't help with bump steer. Also, running MKII Arms with a MKI Rack I found some time back also add bump steer.

[68+86auto]

They have MKI Mini geometry, so you need to find yourself a pair of MKI Steering Arms.

Fitting these up with MKII Arms will leave you quite dangerously low on thread engaugment in the Rod Ends.

You'll find some detail here;-

 

https://www.theminif...-steering-arms/

 

 

That's what I thought would be the case, I forgot about it until after I installed it. I remembered reading about it in one of your posts.

 

Good thing I question everything from the mini business I got it from. I very often find stuff that he doesn't know, especially stuff to do with UK made minis. I am not sure if that business rebuilds the racks themselves or if someone else does it but the rack boots had cable ties which is not suitable to correctly do an alignment.

 

I might have to steal the arms from my project van, I don't want to fit different rod ends as the ones on it are almost new and quality ones.

 

Also is that spacer just for Mokes?

Edited by 68+86auto, 17 May 2023 - 12:29 AM.

[Spider]

That's what I thought would be the case, I forgot about it until after I installed it. I remembered reading about it in one of your posts.

 

Good thing I question everything from the mini business I got it from. I very often find stuff that he doesn't know, especially stuff to do with UK made minis. I am not sure if that business rebuilds the racks themselves or if someone else does it but the rack boots had cable ties which is not suitable to correctly do an alignment.

 

I might have to steal the arms from my project van, I don't want to fit different rod ends as the ones on it are almost new and quality ones.

 

Also is that spacer just for Mokes?

 

 

Only a guess here, but I'd say if it has ties rather than clips on the boots, then it's likely been loaded with Grease than Oil. These Racks are designed for use with SAE Grade Oil.

The Spacers are used with all Aussie Racks made after 1967.

[68+86auto]

 

The Spacers are used with all Aussie Racks made after 1967.

 

 

So I need them too? that would explain another issue I have.

[68+86auto]

 

 

Only a guess here, but I'd say if it has ties rather than clips on the boots, then it's likely been loaded with Grease than Oil. These Racks are designed for use with SAE Grade Oil.
 

 

I will check what it has been filled with. I changed one end to a hose clamp similar to the factory Australian ones but was out of the correct size to do the other side.

 

Are the Rover racks as bad as I was told? according to the same place Rover racks are rubbish. Now that the Rover rack is out I can look at fixing it properly.

[68+86auto]

I had a look at my van to see if it has the parts I need and it is missing the spacers.

The Rover definitely needs the spacers as the rack is very close to the floor. I knew something wasn't right when I installed the column.

[Spider]

The part of the Rack Body that holds the Bearings was extended towards the steering wheel by 1/4" so they could accommodate an improved Pinion, and that's why the spacers were added. Often, when Racks are later removed for what ever reason, they are a fiddle to get back in, especially if the subframe is in the car, so they would be left out.

I wouldn't quite class the Rover Racks as 'rubbish', fundamentally, they are OK, however, they fall down in 2 areas in my view;-

i) There's a bush in the passenger's end that in the early racks (including the Australian Racks) is felt or plastic. The felt eventually squashes flat and the inner rattles around in there or in the case of the plastic bush, as they have minimal bearing area, they wear quite fast, and

 

ii) The racks were all designed to be used with Oil, however in the late 70's a decision was made to change to grease by Leyland due to the warranty claims they were getting from Oil leaking from the Steering Racks. It was a lazy and cheap 'fix' which got them past the warranty period, after which, they'll happily sell a new rack,,,,,The Grease is the worst thing in the world for the bushes I mentioned above and also the Yoke in them too.

I've reconditioned countless racks over the past 40 years, so I've seen what works and what doesn't in them. Unquestionably, putting Oil in them they go for a very very long time, though, the Oil still isn't enough to help with the factory bushes in the passenger's end. Fitting bushes here of more suitable material is the way forward.

[68+86auto]

Got some spacers from that mini place as it was my only option and of course got questioned why I would want them.

 IMG_20230518_080212_(1080_x_1440_pixel).jpg   16.04K   2 downloads

Of course he also says that the arms will be fine (but Australian arms would be best) and that it only changes the Ackerman angle. Nothing about the thread engagement.

I will be taking the arms off my van to use.

[68+86auto]

So there wasn't as much difference as I was expecting, I guess about 1/4" but relative to the amount of thread engagement it is a lot. Most importantly the spacers are now installed so the rack is sitting properly.

Thread engagement with incorrect arms.
 IMG_20230520_000237_(1080_x_1440_pixel).jpg   23.47K   0 downloads

Arm comparison.
 IMG_20230520_000212_(1080_x_1440_pixel).jpg   65.12K   1 downloads

Alignment done at 11pm outside.
 IMG_20230520_000319_(1080_x_1440_pixel).jpg   43.5K   2 downloads

Just have to bleed the brakes tomorrow as I had to disconnect them to lower the subframe. I would've done it tonight but it isn't legal to make noise after 7pm