11 replies to this topic

[minimat]

Does anyone know where i can either purchase a steering rack or have one rebuilt for a mk 1 mini , nobody seems to list them , ive had a look at somerford but its pretty vague to be honest , alternativly can a later rack be fitted instead?

[Ethel]

Don't see why you couldn't fit a later rack, but you really ought to change the steering arms too.

 

Hang on a bit & it's likely somebody who's done it will chip in.

[MiniJosh92]

No issues fitting a mk2 onwards rack, might just have to swap the steering arms as already been said.

[minimat]

Just found some info on minisport website and yes it says you have to change the steering arms although they dont say which ones to fit,  so i assume anything mk 2 onwards? we have loads of spares so not a problem.

Biggest issue apart from the lack of information out there is im not sure if the steering column is the same size on the splines etc.

[Ethel]

I think it's a fairly universal 36 splines on 9/16 diameter. sure it's come up before on the forum.

[alpder]

Racks can be rebuilt at home. Just did a Mk1 with basic tools here (my first rack rebuild) and it wasn't difficult. Top bearing likely will need replacing due to corrosion and it is NLA, but I found a bearing which served and cost only £7.

 

I believe Mk2 rack offers tighter turning circle (but if you're running big wheels this may cause problems with interference), and that Mk1 rack is only compatible with Mk1 arms. Mk2 rack also has the hole for a centering pin, which Mk1 doesn't.

 

The rebuild guides I used are here: https://mk1-forum.ne...ic.php?p=276452 . And the "special" tools I used were a pointy bit of steel, a massive monkey-wrench, and a large pair of Moleys which did the job with minimal marking of the parts - the torques aren't very high. Other tools (C-spanners) are available for the squeamish

 

Only parts required were a new bearing, a widely-available replacement nylon bush, a pair of gaiters, and the usual gasket goop.

Edited by alpder, 28 March 2024 - 01:56 PM.

[nicklouse]

You can use any rack and any arm. Just keep MK1 stuff with MK1 stuff. The rest are fully mixable.

[Spider]

There was a few different types of (English) MKI Racks. All Factory Racks used the same bearings, from start to end of production.

There is a few places they wear internally and to a point, you can work with some of that. The earlier Racks had a Felt Bush on the passenger's end and the later MKI racks went to a type of plastic bush, but to be frank, neither is there are that good. The felt ones hammer flat after a while and the plastic ones only make contact in 3 places wearing quickly. If you have a bronze bush made, that would make the rack better in so many ways.

 

The other points of wear of on the main rack, the area on the back side of the teeth, where the yoke runs, that wears around the straight ahead position though, to a point, there is a spring that will take up the most minor of wear. If there's more than minor wear, I turn that part of the rack smaller and take all the wear out. The other items that can wear are the teeth on the rack and the pinon but they usually only do that when a gaiter splits, he oil had run out and it was continued to be used without lubrication.

 

Going to the MKII Rack is a straight swap, the only other parts, as mention above, that need to be swapped out are the steering arms (I'd be interesting in buying your MKI arms). The MKII Rack will also give you a tighter turning circle, but it is important when having a wheel alignment done that the rack first be centralised.

[minimat]

Thats all very helpful thanks , car is a standard mk1 850 on 10' wheels, looking like fitting the later rack is going to be the way forward, we have loads of spare parts so finding some steering arms wont be a problem, i didn't realise they were different the main thing i wasn't sure about was if the early column would fit a later rack but that sounds like it not going to be an issue.

The old rack has a lot of movment at the n/s wheel so i think its the inner tie rod thats worn but i suspect in reality the whole rack will be worn at 56 years old.

[Spider]

The old rack has a lot of movment at the n/s wheel so i think its the inner tie rod thats worn but i suspect in reality the whole rack will be worn at 56 years old.

 

That'll be the felt bush.
 

[whistler]

I fitted a later rack to my 66 during rebuild but I had to fit the later arms (from mk2 onwards I think). If you want to fit discs then you have to change the hub for the later type as well.

My mk1 rack is still sat in my store room standing guard over my original mk1 windscreen which I won't use.

[Cooperman]

 

The old rack has a lot of movment at the n/s wheel so i think its the inner tie rod thats worn but i suspect in reality the whole rack will be worn at 56 years old.

 

That'll be the felt bush.
 

 

In the 1960's, when used in rallying or on bumpy roads, the felt bushes used to wear quickly. Then a plastic bush was introduced which was about 6 mm wide. If the gaiter & track rod was removed it was possible to bend down the lip on the bush housing using a small thin punch and then it was just possible to get three of the plastic bushes into the rack housing. The lip was then re-raised and the small screw which held the felt in could be replaced and it wound slightly into the middle plastic bush.

The plastic bushes were not full diameter and had three small 'flats on the O/D to allow the rack oil to pass through. After fitting, the rack felt slightly stiff for the first hundred miles or so, but then was fine and lasted well.

I never tried a bronze bush, but that would be a good solution so long as it had some grooves along its length for oil feed.