Roadster steering rack

[h_m_cumming]

After having my tracking checked on their new laser device at my tyre place, I noticed that the trackrod ends were not equally screwed on to the tie rods. One had 15mm of thread showing and the other 30mm. I know that I had centered the rack and the steering wheel when I set it all up but checked again. The rack was centered but to get the wheels pointing ahead this was where the trackrod ends had to be. I've reset the trackrod ends equal and the wheels with the correct toe-in but now have approximately 3/4 turn of the steering wheel more to the nearside than the drivers. With the rack central it would mean moving the rack about 12mm to the nearside to get the wheels pointing ahead again.
Since the rack will only fit in the one place and there's no possibility of being out of position, have I got the only Roadster with the rack clamp holes in the wrong place?
I should say that the reason I decided to centralise the tierod ends was when I checked how much thread was in the N/S one it was only about 10mm. this on a 1/2" thread!

[b_caswell]

Re: Roadster steering rack

Hugh is this on a Mk 1 or hybrid or is it Marina base????

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Roadster steering rack

Marina based built in 1990. I exchanged the rack in'98 but again centered it as normal. I've only just noticed this offset, or should I say only TAKEN notice of it,due to someone else mentioning making sure the rack was centered when fitting fitting the tierod ends equally etc.

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Roadster steering rack

Just taken some pics of my setup. Does it look different to anyone elses?

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Roadster steering rack

I suppose the next obvious question is 'Are the tie rod equal length or is one longer than the other.'i.e. are they on the wrong way round?
As far as I am aware they're both the same length.

[b_caswell]

Re: Roadster steering rack

I dont know about the marina set up but the hybrid track is 2" wider than the donor triumph. the kit supplies a 2" extention piece that goes on the near side. You were also left to your own decision on drilling the mount points which didnt help.
Ideally the distance between the inner swivel joint and track rod end should be the same.

[stevejgreen]

Re: Roadster steering rack

Just looked at mine. Exactly the same as yours. Its difficult to offset the rack with the upright fixings where they are so that cant be it.
Both gaiters are evenly spaced and there does not appear to be any discrepancy left to right.

Surely it must be a badly centred steering wheel? unless there are differences in track rod ends?

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Roadster steering rack

Hi Steve. I've checked the lengths of the trackrods and they are as near the same as I can measure. With the wheels straight ahead and the trackrod ends screwed on the same amount and the correct toe-in I have approx. 13/4 turns lock to the right and 21/4 turns to the left. Which would make the rack needing to move to the left by approx. 10mm. for equal movement. If I centralise the rack and then align the wheels the ball ends are then L/H unscrewed by 10mm. and R/H screwed on by 10mm. more. I could live with this , as I was, but it means that the L/H ball joint is only screwed on by less than the diameter of the thread, not a good idea.
The steering wheel can be fitted to be central at any point when the wheels are straight ahead.
Hope that clarifies it a bit.

[stevejgreen]

Re: Roadster steering rack

Weird, has anyone swapped the rack ends?
To be honest, ideally 1 1/2 times diameter of thread is best but the ends are not under a great deal of load unless you clout the kerb so I would be reasonably happy. Others may disagree.
Would be interesting to get to the bottom of it though.

[dogoncrazy]

Re: Roadster steering rack

I think the answer MAY be that the centering hole is at the true centre of the rack i. e. equidistant from each end However the pinion is offset from the centre line of the rack housing and the rack is 'geared' for only part of its length.I would guess that it would depend on how accurate the machining of the 'geared' bit is in relation to the pinion when the rack is centred in its housing.Maybe just forget about the centering hole as a reference ,count the no. of turns lock to lock and set in the middle of those.
Just read that back and wondered if it actually made any kind of sense!!!

[h_m_cumming]

Re: Roadster steering rack

Alan, while my rack doesn't have a centering hole I think you may have hit the nail on the head as if you take the 13/4 turns on the lesser side X2 that's 31/2 turns which would be about the normal lock to lock so the extra on the rack is purely down to being machined "off centre".
So by keeping the trackrod ends equally screwed on I've got the right no. of turns but more movement on LH lock.
I think that made sense??