Hello all and merry festive season to you,

I havnt been on here much cause the mini hasbeen running fine (ie i havnt been driving it). But you may remember that i have some problems with my steering rack..

basically i went to get the wheels aligned and was told that there was play in the RHS. The annoying and strange thing here was that i had this rack checked by these same guys before i put it in and it was fine..

onmy xmas list is steering rack.. but before i put out the cash and time, i was just wondering if there could be some other cause for this problem..

Basically the RHS wheel has some a little left right movement... very very slight (if at all). Definetly noticeable at higher than 60km speeds is that the car will kind of skate from left to right of the road.

Its not so much a problem on smooth suburban roads, but where it gets a bit rougher i find the car slightly altering its direction on me.. so i correct, and then it alters its direction the other way..

This is not a confident way to be driving.. and obviously it is stupid to do so, as ive said i dont drive it much.

So I was wondering if there was a chance the rack was fine (i have tried switching tie rods) and that there was another fault.. ie some bushes on the lower wishbone alloying movement or somthing??

I will be hell pissed to do it again only to find problem not sold time lost and money gone.. AGAIN


Thanks for takin the time - peace and love -

I've rebuilt quite a few Mini racks since 1965...

There are 3 main things that can go wrong with Oz Mini (ie Mk1) racks:
1. The felt bush in LH side wears out giving sideplay in the rack.
2. The 2 Belleville spring washers (which apply spring load to keep the rack meshed with the pinion) crack up and break.
3. The 2 pinion bearings cark it from old age + lack of lube.

Sounds to me like yours is suffering from ailment #2.

Parts are still available to fix these racks, which may be a better bet than a `new' one. I got my last pile of bits from Ken Nelson at www.miniauto.com.au/home.htm

People on MiniMania forum tonight are lamenting the quality of some new racks coming from UK lately...... I could post the brand name here, but I won't.

_________________
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.

i bought abrand new one from minisport here in adelaide, i loved it, steering was heaps tigter and turning circle was heaps better!

_________________
-jamie-
1963morris 850
1965 solid side van
1994 rover racecar

Obviously a UK Mk2 rack, which has extra teeth each end- did you change the steering arms to UK Mk2? You are supposed to. Most people in Oz don't know, or bother...

_________________
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.

Ok I replaced my steering rack for a recon one as my oringinal one had way too much play and I loved the new one it made a massive difference, about a 3 months later it all went crazy, and starting like turning when you floored it then going back when you took your foot off the loud pedal, after all that, I found what it was... When I changed the rack I didn't tighten one of the steering arm to wheel hub bolts up tight enough and it loosened ever so slightely which gave movement. To test for this kind of thing jack the car from the subframe and leave the wheel on. Then try to twist the wheel, it should not move out or in, it should be tight and only moving when the steering arm is moved. If you can't figure it out from there the next thing is to jack the car up (on the offending side of course, same as above) with the suspension loaded, I've been told this but enver done it. Luckily I didn't get that far and found it to be simple. So I reckon you should check all the steering arm to hub bolts (the two) are tight and have the little sleeves in them that keep it all located (without the sleeves you are asking for trouble!). And the the ball joints are tight. As these are simple and easy jobs, unlike a steering rack change...again!

_________________
1964 Morris 850, 1330 Supercharged - 81.8hp atws.
1975 Leyland Mini S 1100S powered - Nice and reliable.
1977 Leyland Mini LS - Project LS-T

I fitted a new rack to my car (can't remember if it was a new UK rack or a reco Oz rack), first time I went to full lock right turning at an intersection it stayed there and I did a full circle...... kinda disconcerting I took that one back

ha ha ha that would have been a wtf moment!

and doc nah i dont think we changed th arms, what difference does it make
??

_________________
-jamie-
1963morris 850
1965 solid side van
1994 rover racecar

The Mk2 UK arms have the tierod holes about 5mm different position.
The old arms are designed for a bigger turning circle. With the Mk2 rack it will scrub the tyres a bit on full lock.
Probably no big deal really. Lots of Minis out there like this now.

_________________
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.

are you kidding me. What the hell is wrong with new parts these days. I was told not to f--- with racks if you're not a pro with them. i thought buying a new one would be the safe option... since ive already changed racks once..

Ill have to check those steering arm bolts .. thanks for that.,. could be the problem, though i woulkd have thought the mechanics coukld have picked up on that for me. im actually not sure what the steering arm is, but i have an idea.

the balljoints are all new and tight as hell

Steering arm connects the steering rack to the wheels hub thing. I don't think it would be that, as a competant mechanic would have picked that up easily. But jack her up and feel around for what may not be correct.

_________________
1964 Morris 850, 1330 Supercharged - 81.8hp atws.
1975 Leyland Mini S 1100S powered - Nice and reliable.
1977 Leyland Mini LS - Project LS-T

Try a reco exchange OZ rack from a reputable supplier. I got mine from mini Spares centre in Padstow, Excellent quality!! Much better than new I reckon.

I tried the home rebuild on the old one first, and after finally finding two of the Belleville spring washers in GC, was all proud and happy. Then the rack ends had play (couldn't feel it on the bench, only once it was in the car (GRRRR! )), andf the bearings were also suspect.

So I went reco!

_________________
68 Deluxe.... it's shiny..... I like shiny!!

alright.

I removed the engine from the car this time to make it easier for rack change (also engine was runnin on 3 and then 1 cylinder).

Well i popped the head on the engine and it looks fine, except the carbon on the piston top is very 'grainy' perhaps running too rich?

Well back to the steering rack, i decided to buy catzzmandus lovely wreck (needed tyres, shocks and rack).

WEll as it happened durin the accident, the gbox was pushed into the subframe which was in turn dented and pushed into the rack. dented it to the right of the of the centre.

It all seems to operate fine, and puttin the steering wheel on the colum could be turned easy, however if i try to check by hand at the rod ends, i cant bloody move it!!

Anyhow, the tierods on this rack are tight as hell, i cant move them either (they look damn new). the ones on my other rack are easy to flick about. so firstly i was wondering whether a quick tierod end change might fix the problem on my current rack. failing that perhaps the new rack is good enough (ill get it cheked by the pros (who cheked my last one. doh!)

of course id be a silly boy to just go the cheap option only to find that it needs changing again after puttin the engine back in.

Just after suggestions.. How tight should tie rod ends be, and could this be the cause? as slinky i guess was suggesting (not the nut that holds em on, but the actual tie rod ball tightness).

thanks :)

(also if anyone likes the look of the shell, im not using it)

Lets get the terminology right as i am a little confused.
Tie rod ends are trhe little ball joints - rack ends are the "stuff" inside the rack. Okay if thats the case then tie rods ends should be very firm - not locked solid - but very firm. Actually move them to make sure the ball is not impact welded to the base (if they are they will suddenly come free and wobble freely).

If you are changing the tie rod ends and the replacement tie rod ends are of the same dimensiosn (some are shorter, some are longer) the slacken off the toe adjustment nut just slightly, then rotate the tie rod end undoing it from the tie rod and counting the number of turns and fractions of turns.

When you screw the next one on count the number of turns in reverse and you should have the wheel alignment pretty well right.