Steering rack question

[mini1960]

Hi all,
a friend of me owns a ´65 or`66 LHD Mk1 Mini Cooper S. It seems like the felt bushing on the passengers side of the steering rack has worn out.
He has a NOS housing for a LHD steering rack complete with the correct felt bushing. The part no. is 17H6401 which is according to our part list up to VIN 46680.
As his car already has a 6-digit VIN it looks like he needs a 27H6489 housing.
Does anybody know the differences between these housings? Are the inner parts interchangeable?

If it doesn´t fit we will try to make a Delrin bushing like proposed in the PDF of D.Lawson or just change the felt bushing itself.

Any comments/ideas are welcome.

Daniel

[Peter Laidler]

Do not take too much notice of the parts lists when it comes to Mk1 steering racks. During th '66 - 67 approx period, they became hybrids incorporating many/most of the Mk2 internal parts. I won't go into the gory details but in short, don't falll into the trap of trying to make one good one from odds and sods.

If it was me, and I've done quite a few now, I would rebuild what you have already got and machine a new bush from brass or better still, bronze. You could make the new bush slightly longer for a greater surface area and while you're there, machine it for the full internal diameter of the casing. Personally, I see absolutely no need for the steel sleeve - except to anchor the retaining screw. If the bush is the full diameter, there plenty of metal there to drill and thread a BA retaining screw. That's what I have done.

[Fanfaniracing]

Absolutely with Peter in this case!

[Spider]

If it was me, and I've done quite a few now, I would rebuild what you have already got and machine a new bush from brass or better still, bronze. You could make the new bush slightly longer for a greater surface area and while you're there, machine it for the full internal diameter of the casing. Personally, I see absolutely no need for the steel sleeve - except to anchor the retaining screw. If the bush is the full diameter, there plenty of metal there to drill and thread a BA retaining screw. That's what I have done.

That's pretty much how I've been doing them the past 40 odd years. I've never bothered with the steel sleeve when fitting a bronze bush (I've not done many at all with a felt), only I have made the bushes shorter - 1.000" in fact - as it offers superior support and is a harder material, it needs less surface area - that's my thinking. Certainly, in the Mokes we take away, the bushes get hammered on them long corrugated roads. Touch wood - other than gaiters, never had an issue with any I have built this way.

The felt bushes (and later 3 point contact plastic) were only used as it meant in production, there was no need for precision alignment of the housing.

[Peter Laidler]

I just took and copied your advice when it came to machining full dia bronze or brass bushes Spider. Works a treat, every time. I do add a bit in length though. Alas, with cheapo poor quality non repairable replacements available for £80 or so, there is no demand to rebuild an original to a close. tight spec

[mini1960]

OK, thanks guys for all the good answers.
I will see what "ingredients" the steering rack has once we have it out for repair and then hopefully can replace the bush with a bronze one. This sounds like the best version.
One more question, my friend also found a plastic bush in his NOS parts box:

IMG_5198_s.JPG

Outer diameter is about 1.14", inner diameter 0.844" and 3/8" long.
It looks pretty the same as the Mk2 bushes but has smaller outer diameter and is shorter.

Daniel

[Peter Laidler]

Yes..... That 'three-point' bush was a cheap substitute as described by Spider. It was used in the later steering racks. Stick to bronze or brass

[mini1960]

Thanks Peter,
I’m now prepared for the repair which is planned for the weekend after Easter.

Daniel

[mini1960]

Just to let you know, problem is fixed.
The rack already had a plastic bushing which was similar to the one shown above. So it was an easy repair without machining any new parts.

Thanks to all for helping.

Daniel

[Andrew1967]

Although the bronze bush is a great idea, for how much the cars are used the new nylon bush will last for years .. as it has in the rack on 9748KO that I replaced at least 10 years ago.