steering wander

[whistler]

My 66 mk1 has a new mk2 rack and used hubs from a 90's mini along with the CV joints which I fitted onto the mk1 850 driveshafts.
Lately there is a lack of positivity on the steering and a slight wander, enough for me to restrict my speed. The hubs have new Timken bearings and new top and bottom ball joints, correctly set. I have checked and torqued up the steering arms on both hubs.
There is a clicking behind the LH front wheel when jacked up and hand rotated. I checked the boot clip but that's not rubbing.
Is it possible that the CV joint is failing and is causing my steering wander?

[Polarsilver]

Check that the Steering Rack securing U Bolts are tight.

[Oneball]

Have you checked that the alignment is correct? I wouldn’t have thought a CV joint could cause a wandering it might cause it to pull on/off power but I don’t think a wander

[whistler]

Rack bolts are tight and have the thin plastic grips.
Have reset the rear alignment after installing adjustable camber and toe brackets. Fitted standard brackets back on.
Fitted new track rod ends this weekend as the Minispares extended ones were very tight. Now fitted Minisport extended ones with grease nipple. Much better movement of pin.
No difference to steering. Can't feel any movement in rack (Minispares). Loathe to remove rack as it's a pain to do and have nothing to compare if it's tight or not. Car has only done about 1500 miles from rebuild.

[Peter Laidler]

You can check what matters rack-wise by confirming that the rack acts the very moment that you even slightly rock the steering wheel left or right. That will confirm that even if there is wear within the rack bearings say, the mechanical train part of the rack is positive.
But, between me and you, if you are sure about the T-REnds and steering arms, steering wander, AS OPPOSED TO STEERING PULL TO ONE SIDE, is inevitably track-in.

With your Mk2 rack fitted, can we be assured that the rack is centred via the 1/4" centraliser/locating pin and the toe-in adjusted with the rack centrally locked by said pin?

Worth remembering that put simply, the rear wheels are being dragged along by the front driven wheels

[whistler]

Thanks Peter. The rack is fully responsive to the slightest turn of the steering wheel. There is a click if i move the steering wheel about 15 to 20 degrees whilst stationary. I stripped the column and replaced the top and bottom bush/felt and cleaned out the splines. No change.
I use the little hole to lock the rack in centre.
Checked the front track roughly this morning and there is slight toe-in so that's my next job.

[Peter Laidler]

ah, yes. That little click MIGHT be a worn bush. That's because when the wheels are 'loaded'...., stationary on the road the track rods against the stiff wheels tends to find its own position within the worn bush and click into its new position. If all that makes sense!!!!! You can check this by getting underneath and push the track rods up and down and see if they move up and down within the rack. Be a bit brutal. A small click here sounds greater when you're in the tin box. Happened to me a few years ago.

PLEASE feel free to correct me anyone......

[whistler]

I'll try that Peter. I did wonder about the rack but as it was brand new from Minispares I assumed it was OK.

[Polarsilver]

1500 since rebuild ..check the Torque Rod Nuts onto the front of Subfame i have past seen one of these Nuts fully come off( not on my car & since then i do check them regular as it was a scary situation for that Driver as the car was driving on the road at the time )... Tyres.. i needed to up the pressure on a set of Blockleys to get the car steering /road holding feeling as i would normally expect.. maybe worth changing wheels front to back as an elimination process & with the 1500 mileage already are there signs of odd wear on the tyre tread.
Tracking i make sure the track rod ends are both at equal number of turns onto their threads,with steering rack centered before any tracking setting adjustment starts. & both track rod ends then get adjusted equally.
Peters Worn bush ..i had the same .. drive car through a Pot Hole or two & that will show up the issue ..well it did for me with a "bang on left side"
Rear end ..take a batten of wood & put against the sill seam & positioned to the rear wheel ... look see where that wood touches the each rear wheel & ask yourself it is about the same distance side for side .. just a check as to what is going on with the rear radius arms as just maybe one could be bent

[minibitz]

I would suggest you check that when the steering column was attached to the rack pinion that the pinch bolt passed through the slot in the rack pinion and not above it?

Had plenty of cars through the workshop with this issue.

If column is not pushed down far enough on assembly the bolt can end up above the slot in rack pinion. Whilst it will clamp and feel OK initially the splines will start to fret and eventually the connection between components becomes loose causing a similar effect to what you have described.

[Peter Laidler]

Whistler has already confirned that the rack to column direct splines are connected without any play.

Let's look at the rack. Modern repo racks aren't the original Cam Gears/Birmalloy (?) Accles and Pollock tube racks of old. But £75 repros with, as I have heard, a suspect reputation. You get what you pay for. I'd go for a rebuilt original any day......

[Allen Brzeczek]

I had a problem when the nearside ball joint became loose. For some unexplained reason despite the tab/lock washer having been in place the nut became loose and the taper between the ball joint and top arm was loose, more noticeable on acceleration when it pulled to the right and deceleration- it pulled to the left, became very scary to say the least.

[irlmin]

Any possibility you may have 1 Hydro and 1 dry top arm , I say this as many years ago we had a customer with 'frightening' handling especially on any bump . he described what was happening and we checked everything like rack , rack mounting bolts , alignment , ball joints etc etc and all normal . we went back to basics measuring everything from subframe to alignment etc and eventually found the issue 1 wet top arm . replaced it with correct dry one and problem gone . it really tested all involved as the owner couldn't remember ever changing it , so might be worth a look . G

[BAD942B]

What wheels are fitted ?, dia, offset, off what vehicle ?

[whistler]

What wheels are fitted ?, dia, offset, off what vehicle ?

Wheels are 4.75x10 Rosepetal, ET40. Front 7.5 discs with thin Rosepetal spacer, rear with spacered drums.

[Peter Laidler]

I wonder if it'd be worth putting a set of standard 3.5 or 4.5's on the car for a week to see how it handles with them. If it's still as bad, at least you have eliminated the wheel problem.

I say this because my end-of-the-line brand new RC Sport with its big fat 13 inch wheels had a tendency to wander, sometimes, big-time!. Sometimes it just felt uncomfortable. It's still on its original low mileage Dunlops and earlier this year I swopped the wheels, front to back and diagonally. I cannot believe the difference that it has made. A recent long day run to Dusseldorf was a pleasure. It handled like a mini should

[hanlminiman]

My 66 mk1
There is a clicking behind the LH front wheel when jacked up and hand rotated. I checked the boot clip but that's not rubbing.
Is it possible that the CV joint is failing and is causing my steering wander?

I am assuming that you are running 10" wheels with 7.5 inch discs. Just a thought - are the wheels balanced and the weights on the inside of the rim? I have known weights rubbing against the brake caliper which was discovered after replacing the wheel bearing!

[RichB]

My 66 mk1
There is a clicking behind the LH front wheel when jacked up and hand rotated. I checked the boot clip but that's not rubbing.
Is it possible that the CV joint is failing and is causing my steering wander?

I am assuming that you are running 10" wheels with 7.5 inch discs. Just a thought - are the wheels balanced and the weights on the inside of the rim? I have known weights rubbing against the brake caliper which was discovered after replacing the wheel bearing!

This happened on my '66 car after switching to discs.

[Spider]

If everything in he front end is tight, check the alignment, too much Toe In or Out will make it wander, and it doesn't need to be to far off for this to happen.

[whistler]

I've adjusted the front toe a little and also removed and refitted the tie rods bushes as I noticed that the inner one was squashed and distorted. Steering is a little better. Another thing I remembered was that I replaced the steering column felt and nylon bushes, which makes the column a little tighter for a while. That would affect the lack of self centring at the moment. Need to drive it a while for it to loosen up.
Thanks for the suggestions.