I have about 760 steering racks and need to pick one for a car I am putting back together.
I know they are all either mk1 or 2 but don't know how to tell a good one from a knackered one. Also which is the correct type for a mk2 Cooper? Cheers. Mark
Steering rack ID and testing
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Spider
- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: Steering rack ID and testing
760!! I might get rack envy here,,,, I've probably only got about a dozen,,,,,,
The change over (in the UK) for the MKI to MKII Racks was October 67.
MKI Racks have 15 Teeth on the inner Rack and MKII have 25 Teeth.
How to pick a good one,,,,,
I would highly recommend you overhaul the Rack, even if a 'good one' is found out of the 760, the UK manufactured Racks are not what I'd call brilliant.
There are none the less 5 basic checks you can do without stripping them apart;-
1. Check fro external damage, bends etc
2. If one of the Boots has torn and looks like it was driven that way for some time, put it back on the stack.
3. On the Passenger's End, remove the Boot, grab the main Body with one hand, and the Inner rack with the other. Try to move it back and forth, grab it again at 90 degrees to how you first held it and do the same. You want NO movement here at all.
4. Grip the Pinion (light application with Vice Grips will be OK) and rotate the pinion just a few degrees each way of the straight ahead position (where they wear the most), while looking at the Inner Rack, if on change of direction, you notice the inner 'rotating' more than about 5 degrees, find another rack, if less than 5, it can be shimmed, if none at all, that's awesome (though I'd suggest getting your eyesight checked).
5. While you've got the Vice Grips on there, run the rack from Lock to Lock, feeling that it's smooth and the same effort from one side to the other and back again.
They are not at all hard to overhaul, getting some of the parts though can be an issue, but out of 760, I'm sure you'll be able to rat enough good bits to get one excellent Rack, just replace the Pinion Seal and the Boots with new. Fill with 200 ml of 90 to 140 weight Oil.
The change over (in the UK) for the MKI to MKII Racks was October 67.
MKI Racks have 15 Teeth on the inner Rack and MKII have 25 Teeth.
How to pick a good one,,,,,
I would highly recommend you overhaul the Rack, even if a 'good one' is found out of the 760, the UK manufactured Racks are not what I'd call brilliant.
There are none the less 5 basic checks you can do without stripping them apart;-
1. Check fro external damage, bends etc
2. If one of the Boots has torn and looks like it was driven that way for some time, put it back on the stack.
3. On the Passenger's End, remove the Boot, grab the main Body with one hand, and the Inner rack with the other. Try to move it back and forth, grab it again at 90 degrees to how you first held it and do the same. You want NO movement here at all.
4. Grip the Pinion (light application with Vice Grips will be OK) and rotate the pinion just a few degrees each way of the straight ahead position (where they wear the most), while looking at the Inner Rack, if on change of direction, you notice the inner 'rotating' more than about 5 degrees, find another rack, if less than 5, it can be shimmed, if none at all, that's awesome (though I'd suggest getting your eyesight checked).
5. While you've got the Vice Grips on there, run the rack from Lock to Lock, feeling that it's smooth and the same effort from one side to the other and back again.
They are not at all hard to overhaul, getting some of the parts though can be an issue, but out of 760, I'm sure you'll be able to rat enough good bits to get one excellent Rack, just replace the Pinion Seal and the Boots with new. Fill with 200 ml of 90 to 140 weight Oil.
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rolesyboy
- 1275 Cooper S
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Re: Steering rack ID and testing
Spider, you are full of avuncular advise. Thanks for the comprehensive notes.
KR Mark
PS I haven't really got 760 racks. I lost count at 750 so I guessed the rest
KR Mark
PS I haven't really got 760 racks. I lost count at 750 so I guessed the rest
Rolesyboy