Everything went well today and I've pulled the rack apart to inspect what actually needed replacing.

Ended up needing:
Nolathane bush
rack boot kit
proper small hose clamps for the rack boot small end
lock nuts (pulled both apart to inspect & clean - going this far why skimp and only do one)
2 tapered washers
pinion seal
2 x anti rattle strips for against the rack/u bolts
pinion to body seal thingy

I found that the bearings were in good nick and I just plan on cleaning them and regreasing and they should be good as new. The pinion and rack look in awesome condition which is a testament to keeping the rack filled with oil (with good boots). I'm taking a bit of a gamble on not needing any new shims upon reassembly. Ending up spreading my money around between Karcraft and John at Mini Kingdom.

I still need to get some locktite 515 and some EP140 gear oil (hoping to find some monograde stuff otherwise will go 85-140 gear oil).

I noticed when pulling everything apart it looks as though there was some grease mixed in with the oil in the rack. Should I consider doing the same thing again or just leave it at oil only?

<edit> with this hex bore in the bush that replaces the felt, does it slide on as is or should I mount it up in the lathe somehow and bore it out? Obviously the original felt was round

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

Hex red Nolathane bush fits as is. Don't bore it out.
It will be a bit stiffer than a felt one for a while, but it will bed in.

I found the blue hex bushes (Supabush) are too big in the OD, they need a bit linished off the diameter to make them work as well as the Nolathane red ones.
Don't try to machine them, they are too soft unless you live in Can-brrrrr or similar.

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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.

Fair enough. I thought that would be the case as not everyone has a lathe (definitely one of the most needed garage tools!).

Thanks for all your help Kev - you've been a tremendous help. Has all gone smoothly so far so shouldn't be too much effort to rebuild and have it last another 48 years.

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

1018 did you find any issue's wear to cause your wandering issues

My Myford lathe was the best $100 I ever spent!

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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.

Not particularly anything as bad as I thought there would be. There was definite wear in the felt bushing but I don't think I let it get as bad as some people do from their descriptions on the forum search. If I was particularly easy on the throttle it wouldn't do it at all, it only really happened when on a bit of a turn and going from full noise to no go pedal quickly at higher revs. With it only doing it sometimes it didn't feel safe and it certainly didn't feel like it used to.

I guess I will see when I put it all back together. Most of the other (outboard) rotating stuff has been replaced so after this the only old stuff that won't have been replaced/rebuilt in the last 2,000 miles will be the diff/gearbox that could possibly have any affect on the steering issue.

I definitely want to get to the bottom of it as it is quite disconcerting when it feels like there is no connection between the steering wheel and the tyres. I will keep this thread updated if it fixes the problem or it still exists and I just have tighter steering

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

Thanks for reply.
One last thing to check the splines is the steering column and the condition of the pinch bolt.

Kiwiinwgtn

How were the wave washers? (Belleville springs)

aka `disc springs' (what their manufacturer calls em).
I told Nick to bin em anyway. They fatigue.....

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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.

The washers looked fine, still were definitely concave but as the doc says, I purchased some new ones anyway.

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

When my steering felt weird it was the washers breaking up.

I have been speaking to Drmini today and my damper yoke sits below the rack body with no disc springs fitted so it is no good. Hopefully once everything is back within spec it should tighten everything up. The proof will be in the pudding!

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

Hi everyone. Rack is rebuilt and all is good now (I think). I am applying coats of paint to the rack but before reassembly I am wondering if it is possible to get some sort of extension fitting for the grease nipple on the back of the remote change? I try and shove my flexible grease gun extension onto it and pump away but it doesn't really work properly. As I am part way through the steering rack I decided to get the grease gun out and do the greasing easily. The shifter has a much different feel to before so I think most of the grease was escaping and not going into the housing when I try and push the flexible hose through and contort my hand.

Does anyone know if there is some fitting that is 90° that fits the grease nipple thread on the remote housing and say a flexible grease gun extension hose that I can route up the firewall to easy grease it in future? I've searched and I cannot find anyone that has done something similar in the past.

Thanks.

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"In two years time your car will be like a lady's clothes, out of date, my car will still be in fashion when I am dead" - Sir Alec speaking to Pininfarina

Nick,
I had a 'nipple extension' off a pre rod change Moke gearbox. I'll have a look for it mate. If I find it, it's yours.

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The bitterness of poor quality (or Crappy Workmanship) remains LONG AFTER the Sweet Taste of Low Price is forgotten.

Oil only required, grease may have been used on the pinion seal id