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A few stering rack questions

Posted by Nexus131

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A few stering rack questions #1
Nexus131 Nexus L Colorado, USA 1965 Austin-Healey Sprite	Posted: February 18, 2012 03:22PM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 88

So I am installing a new steering rack and steering arms and I have a few questions.

1. Do I need to knock the steering rack arms onto the tie rods before I tighten the bolts to the tie rods? Or does the bolt just need to be torqued? Does the tie rod threads need to be greased?

2. Is there a trick to it because when I fit one side on the steering arm, the other side seems to short to and vice versa. IDk if a specific side needs to be one first.

Side Note: Its a RHD steering rack if that makes a difference.

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Re: A few stering rack questions #2
hoggie Mike Hogan Oklahoma City, USA 1969 MG Midget MkIII	Posted: February 18, 2012 05:08PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 436

The hole in the steering arm should be flared larger on the bottom side. The tie rod arms bolts fit in from the bottom and the nut pulls them up tight. If your wishbones are sitting on the limit bumper, as they might be with new springs or no engine, you will need to compress the coil springs a little so the tie rod bolts can slip into the steering arm holes. I think the steering arms can be installed on the wrong wheel which will put the larger flared side up. That could be problem also.

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Re: A few stering rack questions #3
Nexus131 Nexus L Colorado, USA 1965 Austin-Healey Sprite	Posted: February 18, 2012 06:12PM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 88

I have the correct arms on the correct side with the bottom larger then the top. Just seems like once i got one tie rod in the other seems to short to by about an inch. I might need to compress the springs maybe. As long as theres no special tricks I guess Ill keep playing with it.

Also about the tie rod going through the arm, does it need to be hit all the way down on the it before bolting it, or just put it on and bolt it and it will go on tight on its own?

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Re: A few stering rack questions #4
refisk Rick Fisk Frankenmuth, Michigan, USA 1959 Austin-Healey Sprite 1961 Austin-Healey Sprite 1979 MG Midget 1500 "Party Midget"	Posted: February 18, 2012 06:58PM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 2,236

No need to beat on the tie rod ends. Just install them and tighten the nuts.

As far as the tie rods being short - you are installing a new rack. The tie rods themselves may be screwed into the tie rod ends too far. Measure each tie rod from the rack to the tie rod end. If one side is shorter than the other unscrew it from the tie rod end until they match. If they measure the same unscrew them both equally far enough to get the tie rod ends mounted on the steering arms. When you get it all together and the wheels on the the ground adjust the toe-in.

Rick

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/19/2012 11:34AM by refisk.

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Re: A few stering rack questions #5
Jkuper Jason Kupersmith Palm Harbor, Florida, USA 1976 MG Midget 1500 "The Mosquito"	Posted: February 19, 2012 06:49AM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 115

I agree with Rick and this is exactly the problem I had when I installed my new rack a few weeks ago (my old thread should still be around here somewhere). Also, if you have the tie rods screwed on too far your steering will end up being VERY tight. Compressing the springs will definitely help if those tie-rods give you too much trouble.

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Re: A few stering rack questions #6
kirks-auto robert kirk Davenport, Iowa, Rock Island, Illinois, Clearwater, USA	Posted: February 19, 2012 11:09AM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 13,090

Tie rods are not tie rod ends. Tie rods are sometimes called inner tie rods. This sounds like a tie rod issue, is it? Tie rod ends are "adjustable" for the toe in/out. Who supplied you the tie rod ends if indeed that is the subject here?

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Re: A few stering rack questions #7
Nexus131 Nexus L Colorado, USA 1965 Austin-Healey Sprite	Posted: February 19, 2012 11:31AM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 88

Both were provided from Moss Motors Europe. Honestly I think its just a matter of compressing the spring, because its off, but not off by a huge amount, just enough to not make it on the steering arm. I will try compressing the spring and give that a go.

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