steering rack spacers / column refitting

[AndyPen]

I am going to fit a Mk2 steering rack and arms etc. as I have a refurbed one in my spares.

I don't see many people refitting the inner spacers these days, are they defunct on a Mk2?

Also regards the column, I have left this spot bare metal - slightly wider than it was originally. I know it earths down the column, so is this the norm?

Getting the horn ring off and back on in one go was fun!! Should it be lubricated in some way when the indicator is refitted?

My memory worked well when getting it apart, but as for these details???

steering-spacer.jpg

column-end.jpg

[Gary Schulz]

That masked section without paint on the outer column is nicely done. It is critical to have a good connection here since this is the only ground return. I wish they had a ground wire on the turn signal switch...

[mk1]

I have never seen one of those inner pads, I can't see how it would fit as the rack holder is welded to the shell, usually with a thin plastic shim / spacer in the gap.

There is no such part listed on the MK2 parts list. Section MJ http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.u ... _lists.htm

[roymck]

Andy on my column I found it was completely insulated electrically , the earth also goes through the column support clamp back through the car . My newly painted column and clamp were too good and I had to strip of paint to get horn to work .

[mk1]

A little bird tells me that the breakdown drawing at the beginning of this thread is of an ADO16 not an ADO15 (Mini). I guess whoever edited the manual got a bit lazy.

[Dearg1275]

I am going to fit a Mk2 steering rack and arms etc. as I have a refurbed one in my spares.


Also regards the column, I have left this spot bare metal - slightly wider than it was originally. I know it earths down the column, so is this the norm.

Don’t forget that the horn earths down the inner column to earth through the rack and thence to the body. You need good metal to metal contact on the rack. I added an earth lead between the rack and the body to get the horn working nicely. Those plastic strips don’t help.

D

[mk1]

The horn doesn't earth through the inner column on a MK2. Only on MK1's.

[AndyPen]

I'm still using the Mk1 column Mark, and hadn't thought about the new plastic shim things acting as insulation Dearg.

I have an old Mk1 Rack and arms here but you can't centralise it easily, and don't have the facilities to refurb it. As I recall, something may have bent on the Mk1 too - an arm perhaps.

I could get a new rack I suppose, but that wouldn't achieve much, so a small wire might make sense for me too... thanks for that idea.

[Gary Schulz]

I think the little light on the end of the indicator switch earths through the outer column which needs to be grounded through the chrome bracket at the parcel tray. It is a mess of various painted surfaces that all are suspect as far as conductivity. I needed to get this sorted on my car to make things reliable.

[roymck]

I think the little light on the end of the indicator switch earths through the outer column which needs to be grounded through the chrome bracket at the parcel tray. It is a mess of various painted surfaces that all are suspect as far as conductivity. I needed to get this sorted on my car to make things reliable.

Yes you right took me a while to find this out .

[1071bob]

Run an extra earth wire from the indicator mount screw down through the PVC sleeving and connect to the five way block connector, My new loom had an earth wire exiting from the loom here. Run an earth wire from the rack body to earth.

[Gary Schulz]

I eventually did exactly that. There should have been an earth wire in that part of the wiring to begin with. Reliance on various painted parts is what gives Lucas a (partly) undeserved bad image!

[AndyPen]

Cheers Bob - I shall do the same

[Simon776]

I think the little light on the end of the indicator switch earths through the outer column which needs to be grounded through the chrome bracket at the parcel tray. It is a mess of various painted surfaces that all are suspect as far as conductivity. I needed to get this sorted on my car to make things reliable.

Don't forget that it could also be a faulty flasher unit

[Gary Schulz]

I think the little light on the end of the indicator switch earths through the outer column which needs to be grounded through the chrome bracket at the parcel tray. It is a mess of various painted surfaces that all are suspect as far as conductivity. I needed to get this sorted on my car to make things reliable.

Don't forget that it could also be a faulty flasher unit

Simon, funny you should say that because I started troubleshooting by suspecting I had a bad flasher unit (correct and probably original to the car) so I bought a new one and threw it in there only to find that it still didn't work. I wound up figuring out the grounding issue on the column and later dissected both flasher units. The new aftermarket one had a bi-metal strip just laying in the can apparently as a result of a poorly made weld. The ancient original Lucas unit looked perfect inside so I put it back together and it still works fine!