I am rebuilding my Aussie stering rack and I have a new Nolothane bush which fits into the rack and seems to be too tight?
When I fit the steering rod/rack into the housing it is very tight?
Whats wrong or will it loosen when oil filled?
Or do I modify the new bush?

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1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

Michael it will be OK once oiled- a bit tighter than before, but it will free up with use. You did remove the metal casing with the old felt bush, didn't you...

I smear some grease on the end of the rack before insertion into the bush.

The red Nolathane bush is not as tight as the blue `Supa Bush' (which Mini King supplies) but they free up OK 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.

Thanks Kevin,

Yes ALL of the old bush is removed and the new one pushed in OK most of the way and needed some assistance for the last 10mm.

Thanks for answering promptly, now I can return to the garage and finish.

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1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

re setting the preload on the rack pad,
remove shims until there is NO slack between rack and pinion when pinion turned slightly to and for, but the pinion will drive the rack end to end with no roughness. Test this with NO belleville (wave) washers on the pad.

Finally, put sealant on all the shims, fit 2 belleville washers pointy end to pointy end, and tighten up. Preload is now correct. Fit LH boot.
Stand on LH end and (slowly) add 200mL of 85/140 gear oilz. Enjoy.

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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.

I think I am all good.
Seems to move OK now that it is assembled.
All ready to fill with oil tommorrow.

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1969 Cooper "S"
1967 Mini Deluxe
1973 Clubman Van (the fleet spare)
1978 ex 1275 LS ("Wizard" Eaton Supercharged)
2015 HSV GenF GTS(occasional drive & tow car)
2019 MINI F55 Cooper S

Q. How well does the Urathane survive in oil?

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Pretty well I think- normally `nolathane' (polyurethane) automotive bushes are supplied with lithium grease as a lube, and if you don't grease or oil them, they tear up.
They are seldom used dry, except in metal forming dies where their flow chacteristics are used to bend metal. And they don't last forever in this application. ( I was tooling engineer at Rheem in a previous life).

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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.

Cheers for that.

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