24 replies to this topic

[Spider]

How does the rack’s splines look to you?

 

The Rack's splines are fine. You'd need to 'go hard' to strip these are those are hardened, where as those in the column are soft. At least on the factory items, that's how they are.

 

On the column, I can see the lower part of the splines are gone. I can see some splining further up, but what I can see in your photo, it looks like that's only there as that's where the groove in the pinion is, so there's nothing to wear on them at that point, though, it may also be as Graeme suggests
 

[GermanMoreno]

Now to take this further the female spline on the column can be removed. As it is only welded onto a mail spline. So don’t bin the column.
 
 

Did you make that? Interesting

[GermanMoreno]

How does the rack’s splines look to you?

 
The Rack's splines are fine. You'd need to 'go hard' to strip these are those are hardened, where as those in the column are soft. At least on the factory items, that's how they are.
 
On the column, I can see the lower part of the splines are gone. I can see some splining further up, but what I can see in your photo, it looks like that's only there as that's where the groove in the pinion is, so there's nothing to wear on them at that point, though, it may also be as Graeme suggests

Here’s a better angle, it seems that the column wasn’t inserted all the way in? Or is that as far as is supposed to go? I got the steering rack changed a couple years ago by a shop that works on MG and some other British cars including minis.

[GermanMoreno]

Here’s the photo

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[GermanMoreno]

It’s hard to tell looking at the photos on a mobile, but that looks to me like the column hasn’t been fully engaged in the rack - the wear only looks to be in the portion up to the bolt, as though the very end of the column has been spinning on the tip of the rack splines and the bolt hasn’t been engaged in the rack groove.

Maybe, check the previous photo, you might be right.

[68+86auto]

If you can't get a replacement column, there are replacement ends available but they do have a questionable design,

[Spider]

Here’s the photo

 

OK, thanks.
Yes, that's chewed out and unserviceable. It was fully inserted.

[GermanMoreno]

 

 

Also never mentioned the condition of the metal around the steering rack spine side...

I’m not sure I understand this comment,.. could you elaborate

The bare metal around the recess for the rack to sit..

 

oh that's not bare metal, is just a sound deadening material that looks foil

[Pete649]

If you can't get a replacement column, there are replacement ends available but they do have a questionable design,

 

Out of interest have you got a link for these ends?

 

The last time I bought a new column inner the splines did not go round the full circumference of the end. The section adjacent to the gap where the pinch bolt fits through was plain.

[68+86auto]

 

If you can't get a replacement column, there are replacement ends available but they do have a questionable design,

 

Out of interest have you got a link for these ends?

 

The last time I bought a new column inner the splines did not go round the full circumference of the end. The section adjacent to the gap where the pinch bolt fits through was plain.

 

 

https://minisport.co...0fb52bd1c&_ss=r

 

The fact that the splines were missing near the gap is a good thing. That's one of the issues with these replacement ends, the splines are the whole way around. A lot of the minis here used a column unique to Australia which would be why replacement ends were manufactured.

Edited by 68+86auto, 05 September 2024 - 10:40 PM.