Tie rod knocking inside steering rack.

[Cammsjb]

Hi all,
During the last week or so a knock has developed at the passenger side tie rod end inside the steering rack, all is fine & tight at the hub end as it has all been built up with new parts recently.
Is this problem repairable, assuming new parts can be found to fix it or is a new rack required required?
There's no knocking on drivers side and it's the later MK2 rack.

Thanks

[Peter Laidler]

You have the classic noise of a worn out steering rack bush. Nothing to do with the track rod end.....

I did a couple of articles regarding the rebuilding of the racks that are within the technical 'how-to' section. It's recently reared its head again. Read and re-read and digest before you set about a) buying a cheapo replacement and b) setting about fixing your old one....., which I suggest is the best option.

Don't let it frighten you. The ra ck is just a very simple angular gegarbox

[Cammsjb]

File_000.jpeg

Thanks Peter for this information, I will have a read later.
Can this bush be replaced without removing the rack from the car?

[Dan Tweed grey]

Unfortunately you need to remove the rack, a pain in the .... but doable with lowering the subframe a couple of inches.

[Peter Laidler]

I have to agree wholly with Dan. But, some others have succeeded with replacing the bearing in-situ. A total PITA. All very well until the bearing simply will not pull out. Additionally, you just replace the original crap plastic bearing with a modern crap plastic bearing..

The second point is that while you might have done the bearing, you haven't done anything else such as the replace the pinion bearing oil seal - or even checked the pinion bearing! Or done what else is necessary at the pinion end

The only thing I found difficult taking the whole rack out was lowering the body back down onto the sub-frame. The bloody sub-frame bolts wouldn't align up. They did after a few tries. But when I do it again in 50 years I'll put a slave bolt in each side before I lift the body and that will ensure that the body goes down again - it's only two inches..... - the bolt holes will align first time.

[redrobbo]

You have the classic noise of a worn out steering rack bush. Nothing to do with the track rod end.....

I did a couple of articles regarding the rebuilding of the racks that are within the technical 'how-to' section. It's recently reared its head again. Read and re-read and digest before you set about a) buying a cheapo replacement and b) setting about fixing your old one....., which I suggest is the best option.

Don't let it frighten you. The ra ck is just a very simple angular gegarbox

Can someone post a link to the "rebuilding the racks" please?

[Workinprogress]

It is in the how to section at the top of the forum. Not sure how to post link, but quite easy to locate
Bruce

[TECH396]

You'll need to find the "Mini Related How To" link in this "Technical Talk" section.
HOME PAGE https://mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk/mk1_index.htm
DIRECT LINK https://mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk/pdf/rack.pdf
HOW TO SECTION http://mk1-forum.net/viewforum.php?f=31

[Spider]

Peter has posted up a good article on the racks and for what ever it's with, I'm 100% in step with Pete on them.

Thanks Peter for this information, I will have a read later.
Can this bush be replaced without removing the rack from the car?

Yes you can. Someone a while back posted up a pic of a factory tool for getting the old bush out, sorry, I can't recall who it was, but it's a very simple tool and not too hard for the guy at home to make one (I did !). It's little more than a pipe, with a tapered thread on one end and a pin that goes through the other end. It's about 8 or 10" long off hand. I made mine from a piece of 3/4" gal water pipe that was threaded one end.

You need to take the rod end off the rack, then the tool screws in to the end of the bush, remove the self taper that holds the bush in place. wind the rack all the way over to the right, drop the pin through the end of the pipe, then wind the rack over all the way to the left, in doing so, it pulls the bush and it's housing, out with it.

To fit the new bush, just use a length of plain pipe to drift it in with, lining up the hole for the self tapper before you knock it in.

I think the most awkward part of the whole job is getting the clip back on the inboard end of the gaiter.

If I remember, I'll snap off a pic of the tool I made later.

[Andrew1967]

Its undoubtedly easier to do with the rack out of the car but it is possible to do it in situ .. done it myself.

Having also once changed a rack because of the same problem, personally I'd rather do it in situ as removing the rack is a right PITA in itself.

[mini_surfari]

http://mk1-forum.net/viewtopic.php?f=6& ... &start=100

Did it about a month ago, wasn’t actually too bad a job!

[timmy201]

I’d assumed the bush was worn out on mine as I was getting a bit of play when I rocked the wheel side to side.

The locknut (red) was loose but still held with the straking, and when I rocked the wheel the ball housing (blue) has a bit of play between it and the rack. There was also some play between the tie rod (green) and the rack. I was able to strip this side down in the car and get it tightened and locked again

I was talking to my dad about it and he said he'd replaced the felt rack bush back in the 80's. I can blame him then for the loose lock nut!

[Cammsjb]

Hi all,
Further to my initial post I've now completed the steering rack bush replacement, I decided to remove the rack to carry out the work as it allowed me to thoroughly strip it down and flush out the old oil & debris inside the rack. I've been out for a few short runs since and the difference it has made to the steering has made the work well worth doing.
Thanks to Peter for directing me to the method statement on the forum archive.

[robanzac]

Related, Just last week I tripped over these while looking for something else.
Nolathane bush #41039 31od x 22.6 id(in hex) x 42 long
The od/id numbers stack up with what I have measured during rack stripdowns.
What do we reckon ?
https://www.nolathane.com.au/product_de ... mber=41039

41039.PNG

[timmy201]

Related, Just last week I tripped over these while looking for something else.
Nolathane bush #41039 31od x 22.6 id(in hex) x 42 long
The od/id numbers stack up with what I have measured during rack stripdowns.
What do we reckon ?
https://www.nolathane.com.au/product_de ... mber=41039
41039.PNG

They are made for Aussie AYA6001 mini racks which are based on the ADO16 rack. I believe they’re a different size to the UK made mini racks

I’ve bought the superpro equivalent bush for my AYA rack but yet to assemble

[Peter Laidler]

I can't understand why rack repairers/rebuilders don't just machine a full diameter bush from a cheap off-cut of bronze. Lubricated, it'll last forever!. Or am I missing something here.....?

[timmy201]

I think the problem with offering a full size metal bush is that if the rack isn’t perfectly straight it’d bind up. The felt and poly bushes allow a certain level of misalignment

[robanzac]

They are made for Aussie AYA6001 mini racks which are based on the ADO16 rack. I believe they’re a different size to the UK made mini racks

That makes sense then, I have only ever had ADO16 racks apart (where I have measured 30.5od on the original steel case bush and 22.3od on the rack shaft)

[Peter Laidler]

Rack that's not straight Tim. Never happened to me so far. On one occasion where the rack did bind slightly on the bush (brass this time) I simply scraped it to suit in situ then drilled and tapped it 2BA to secure it. Simple. There's always an easy way.

[Spider]

Related, Just last week I tripped over these while looking for something else.
Nolathane bush #41039 31od x 22.6 id(in hex) x 42 long
The od/id numbers stack up with what I have measured during rack stripdowns.
What do we reckon ?
https://www.nolathane.com.au/product_de ... mber=41039
41039.PNG

They are dreadful and disgusting. What were they thinking ???