Hey guys,

I'm planning on fitting the lowering bracket sometime next week. I know you need to loosen the bolts on the floor before doing so, but my question is WHY do you have to loosen the bolts?

I like knowing why i'm performing a procedure before going ahead and doing it, just one of those annoying little things i do.

Does it loosen the rack and allow it to be reseated to the new column angle or something?

Also, i've read on these forums and on others about people ending up with stripped teeth on their column after fitting the bracket, leading to loss of steering. Is this due to not loosening the u-bolts beforehand? I really don't want to die.

Yep, that's it in a nutshell....

Short and sweet, that's all i needed to know. Thanks

Smokie answered in affirmative. The rack can be rotated to accommodate the angle the steering column approaches the rack.

The four nuts are on the floor in a line with the rack. The only other nuts on the floor are for the rear wings of the sub-frame and they are well back (under your feet, so to speak).

You have no reason to take the steering column off the rack. The steering column splines becomed stripped only because people force the column on over rack splines which are sitting at an acute and inappropriate angle to the steering column. It never ever needs brute force to fit a steering column. Just slacken off the rack holding nuts. Rotate the rack slightly in either direction until the column just gently slips into place and then fit the appropriate nut and bolt. Tighten up the rack holding bolts.

Bottom line - there is no reason why a lowered steering column, corrrectly fitted, stresses the splines - none what so ever.

WooHooo, I got one right for a change....

Thanks guys, i'll give it a go tomorrow and see how it feels.

I agree with Smokie and Mike, so there is 3 affirmatives!

BTW, I've been in a Mini hitting a tree from stripped splines on the column, not fun

Daniel

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Videos - Turbocharged A-Series on Dyno & at Wakefield
Mafs waz not my strong subgeckt at skkol

One other thing to watch when you rotate the rack- the steering wheel shaft will move a bit in the column. Check the blinker cancelling screw is aligned with blinker switch before you finally tighten the column to the bracket.

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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.