Ok, i know that removing the steering rack is a bit of a job with the subframe in, but ive got a feeling that its gotta come out....

Undo tie rod ends, undo colum to rack spline, undo 4 tower bolts, undo 4 subframe to floor bolts, undo U bolts to rack, lower back end of subframe... remove rack....?

Sound about right?

I had my rack reco'd back in 97, and id say the car has done about 20k miles since having the rack reco'd. I would of thought it should have been ok.

The issue i have is that, there is freeplay in the steering. When driving the car, it tends to feel wandery.. As if that area of freeplay allows the wheels to point wherever they want, to an extent.

I had fitted an exchange colum inner, so the spline on the colum is in good condition and the clamp bolt is tight.

Castor is set to standard. It seems that ive noticed this since going to a wider track with the Honda Brakes...

Question is... Is there an adjustment in the rack to remove the freeplay? Or is it shimmed when assembled?

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

If you have freeplay that developed in a hurry, probably the 2 Belleville spring washers that preload the rack against the pinion have broken.
The rack has to come out, there's SFA you can do with it in the car except change the boots.
The other thing that wears is the felt push in the LH end of rack. I fitted a Nolathane one.
I got all the other parts for my rack from Ken Nelson at Mini Automotive.

<edit> add to your list loosen the front 2 bolts. I removed the steady bar, and remote shift housing too.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Yeah, i cant remember it being this bad.. Just dont drive it enough to remember faults.!!!

If it is these springs at fault, is there a cause for there failure? Or just age, im unsure wat exactly was done when the rack was reco'd, that was 10yrs ago and i was still a teenager who was young n dumb!

Like i said, i would think that in the time ive had the car on the road over the last 10yrs, it would have only covered 20,000 miles.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

These 2 tapered (cone shaped, mounted back to back) spring washers fatigue and crack over time. I always replace them, seen too many break to risk re-use.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

Im just reading through all my w/shop manuals, and wat a pain its gunna be to pull the bloody thing out....

I mite as well pull the engine out while im going and give it another rebuild just for the sake of it...

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

Most workshop manuals do not show these 2 washers, but the spring used instead in UK racks.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

thats a lot of kilometres on the back of a trailer

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busier than a 0ne legged man in a butt kicking competion

Dont spose u have a pic that u can send me?

Ive got a gregorys manual and the black leyland mini workshop manual. If not im sure steve (justmini's) will know exactly wat ur talking about. Ill get him to have a look when he gets back from brisbane.




Most of those miles were put on the car back in 97-98 when i first got it on the road. Its only done a few thousand miles in the last 4 1/2 yrs that its been on the road the 2nd time..

And yes it has covered probably a thousand k's on the back of a trailer.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

it's definatley do-able with the rack in the car..

some helpful info to be found here..

http://ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php ... ck+removal

http://ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php ... ck+removal

http://community.webshots.com/album/117738459JkCtax

and when you're putting it back in...

http://ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php ... light=rack



disuse, most likely... the washers probably started biodegrading...

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Good tips there, thanks for that.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

mind the paint...

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Do check ball joints, tie rod ends and front wheel bearings before drastic surgery.

For sure, ill check all the obvious stuff, but the tie rod ends, ball joints, along with the wheel bearings were new 4 years ago when the car first got on the road. As ive said previous its only done a few thousand miles since then.

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Hanras

Hanra have a word with Poeee. He thought he had rack problems and replaced it. Turned out to be something else and the old rack was fine.
(Sorry can't recall what the "something" was)

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'98 Mpi Sportspack + 7 port alloy head

Pooee's problem was a stripped splines on the steering wheel shaft where it fitted to the rack.

I also had the same problem on a car here.

It was because the rack was not quite centred and the seering shaft was forced onto it.

I dont know what caused Pooee's