Steering Rack Inner Ball Joint

[TorontoTim]

Chaps,

 

I have a little too much play in one of my inner steering rack ball joints (early TR4 with vertical mounts, but I doubt that matters). I have fairly recently replaced the arms so they are in pretty good shape - I tried to take up the slack with grease, but I was kidding myself.

 

According to the blue workshop manual (page 4.209 ref fig. 20) it appears that if there's too much play I should REMOVE shims (Specifically, the book says "If tightness occurs at any point, increase the shim thickness sufficiently to overcome this" - I am assuming, therefore, that if there isn't ENOUGH tightness, I should REDUCE the the shim thickness.)

 

However, the way I view the diagran, this doesn't logically look right.

 

Anyone know what I should do, shim-wise, to take out play in the inner joint???

 

Thanks,

Tim

[ianc]

Be VERY VERY cautious in attempting to remove movement in this joint.

The ball wears unevenly because it spends most of its time working within a restricted arc, but is must not become tight in any full up/down or fore/aft movement, or any combination of these movements.

If it binds, a strain will be imposed and the ball head can break away from the rod (decapitation!). That leaves you with only one front wheel connected to the rack - not a comfortable situation!

 

I was fortunate to survive this with both car and myself intact and without endangering any other person, and we (4VC and me) arrived at Malvern (it was a few years ago) on a recovery wagon! Carl Kidell managed to find a rack in the autojumble, replaced the broken arm and re-aligned the steering - this got me home. Subsequently, I had the rack completely refurbished.

Lesson: this is one DIY job that is better avoided! Your life depends on the steering.

 

Ian Cornish

[TorontoTim]

I do agree on the caution, Ian - in fact, one of my steering arms was "decapitated" on a rally. I found out once I had climbed out of the ditch...

 

At the moment, and since I replaced both arms just a few months ago, I have the sort of play that would probably be an MOT failure in the UK so I have a bit of a margin before it is anywhere near tight. I heed your warning and take this sort of thing very seriously but - with that in the forefront of my mind - I am confident that improvement can be made safely.

 

I'll go forward on the assumption that the WSM is correct and do a trial of removing shims to see if the play is reduced (not wholly removed - grease can take up the rest of the space).

[ianc]

Tim - after adjustment, check the joint over full range of angular movement in ALL directions and bear in mind that the ball end may have worn unevenly (inevitable, really) and will be rotated when you re-adjust track. So you need to check this angular movement with the ball end in at least 4 (preferably 8) clock positions to ensure it isn't going to bind after you have reset the tracking. I have a feeling that is where I came unstuck!

 

I was very fortunate to get away with it as the ball end broke off whilst I was doing about 50 mph on a downhill, but straight, road. It felt as if I had suffered multiple punctures as I attempted to slow down and the car weaved all over the place - the left front wheel was doing its own thing! Once the car had stopped (the last few yards on the handbrake), both front wheels were aligned and all tyres fully inflated! Only when I moved forward very slowly and turned right did the cause become clear - the left wheel turned left!

 

Ian Cornish

[TorontoTim]

Thanks, Ian, very good advice.

[Dave Larnder]

Hi Ian

 

I have trouble with my R&P in my TR3A caused by a wheel alignment centre ( i say that with tongue in cheek). After I finished installing it, the arms were far to long and I suspect that they cut them to suit, but here comes the point, my left lock is only about a half what it should be, so I suspect that when they cut it and set it up, the rack was not in the centre. Can I buy new arms for the rack and new gaiters as one has split already, also I see many owners on this forum have suggested swapping over the arms on the wheels to get the eyes of the rack arms further apart as mine seem to be quite a long way away from the dust guards on the discs. Would this increase the lock both ways? as my left at the moment would give a turning circle of over 40 feet I would guess so it is difficult to turn round in the street.

Dave

[stuart]

Hi Ian

 

I have trouble with my R&P in my TR3A caused by a wheel alignment centre ( i say that with tongue in cheek). After I finished installing it, the arms were far to long and I suspect that they cut them to suit, but here comes the point, my left lock is only about a half what it should be, so I suspect that when they cut it and set it up, the rack was not in the centre. Can I buy new arms for the rack and new gaiters as one has split already, also I see many owners on this forum have suggested swapping over the arms on the wheels to get the eyes of the rack arms further apart as mine seem to be quite a long way away from the dust guards on the discs. Would this increase the lock both ways? as my left at the moment would give a turning circle of over 40 feet I would guess so it is difficult to turn round in the street.

Dave

 

Depending on whose kit you have the rack could be either TR7 or Ford Escort or L/hand drive Mini. But rack arms will be available for them. The outer steering arms do need to be out as far as possible to eliminate "Bump steer" and to give lock .The usual thing is to swop them side for side and fit different spacers to achieve this. All the R&P kits do give a bigger turning circle anyway. The rack does need to be centralised first of all.

Stuart.