Newbie and steering racks

[benjib]

Morning All,
This is my first post on your forum as a new member and I just wanted to say hello. My first car was a Herald 1200, followed by a 1360 convertible both of which I loved.  I've now got a Vitesse 2l mk2 convertible which I'm slowly improving and using.

When I went for the mot last year it was raised that the steering rack was getting worn.  I've been thinking of replacing it and looking around but the prices from dealers seem to vary quite a lot. As a result I can't seem to work out which are good which arnt and is there something with a steering rack purchase that I need to be aware of?  If I remember rightly someone was doing one for around £40 and other people are doing them for about £80 so what's the catch?   Does anyone have any opinions on where to get a replacement from?

Thanks for the thoughts
Ben

[Nick Jones]

The part that usually wears is the bush at the LH end of the rack tube and sometimes the inner ball-joints.

The bush is readily available and cheap, the ball-joints can be shimmed and the shims are cheap.  The work can't be done by a competent DIYer. Many of the recon racks have simply had this work done on them, new gaiters and a coat of paint. Also be sure that play in the steering is the rack and not the flexible joint where the column meets the rack - a common failure point.

Note that Vitesse/GT6 racks are different from Herald/Spitfire racks in that they have 6 teeth on the pinion rather than 7 making them more turns lock to lock, but a bit lighter when parking.  Reconditioners frequently don't discriminate.........

Cheers

Nick

[thescrapman]

Nick_Jones wrote:

The work can't be done by a competent DIYer.

Nick

Should that be CAN??

I was going to attempt it one day.

Cheers

[Sheepy]

Hi Ben and welcome to the greatest forum going!

The racks (not just triumph) usually wear at the bushes and ball joints, as stated above.
And also like said re-con ones are usually just bushed, shimmed and painted, nice cheap work,

I would give it a go yourself, you'll get more satisfaction from fixing it.

And when you get the chance post up some pictures of your car! As said so many times, we all like pictures!  ;D

[benjib]

Blooming marvelous!  Thank you very much guys, I will pop it off and have a go.  I will try and get some nice pictures of the car.  I think it was owned by a club triumph member at one point as it came with a club magazine and was mentioned in it.  Her reg is EYL 342J, Valencia Blue convertible, tan roof, tan interior and bought from Anglian Triumph summer before last, anyone know her?

[Nick Jones]

thescrapman wrote:

Nick

Should that be CAN??

I was going to attempt it one day.

Cheers

Yes, that should be CAN  :B  Mark and I did a saloon one (basically the same) in about 30 minutes, though I have done it before and Mark had done alot of the prep work beforehand.

Nick

[Einar]

Scroll a bit down on this page: http://www.vitesse.no/Garage%202008-2009.html – there is a reference to an article in TSSC’s The Courier that may help. Maybe this link work directly: http://www.vitesse.no/Projects/Winter-2008-2009/TheCourier289-SteeringRack.pdf

[Freebird]

7108 wrote:

Blooming marvelous!  Thank you very much guys, I will pop it off and have a go.

Before you pop it off, do as Nick suggests above and check the rubber UJ just above the rack hidden under the suspension turret. One of the 1st jobs I did with my Vitesse was change the rack finding it no better once fitted as the UJ was mulch.

I fitted one of the solid UJs that are available now which should last much longer.

Glen.