Steering Rack Final Adjustment.

[Mike J]

Well the rack is finally rebuilt and fitted with no dribbles.(yet) I just wanted to check with anyone who may have done this previously. How do I set the end float behind the hexagonal nut where the grease nipple sits.Where the column meets the rack itself. Surely this will have an effect on how the steering feels. Triumph net touch on it but are not specific enough. Not really sure what I should be measuring.

Hopefully I've achieved something this holiday. Happy new year to all.

Mike

[milothedog]

Well the rack is finally rebuilt and fitted with no dribbles.(yet) I just wanted to check with anyone who may have done this previously. How do I set the end float behind the hexagonal nut where the grease nipple sits.Where the column meets the rack itself. Surely this will have an effect on how the steering feels. Triumph net touch on it but are not specific enough. Not really sure what I should be measuring.

Hopefully I've achieved something this holiday. Happy new year to all.

Mike

If you mean the thrust pad adjuster that pushes on the rack to mesh it with the pinion gear then you set it using a DTI gauge through the grease nipple hole. There is detailed section in the ROM how to do it.

It will have an affect on steering if wrongly adjusted, it will be too tight and not self centre or give you too much freeplay if too loose.

[Mike J]

This is where I got confused by the ROM. It says insert a dial guage into the hole where grease nipple fits, do I then pull the rack backwards and forwards until the guage reads correctly or do I push the steering column backwards and forwards and check for play there. Mike

[V Mad]

I havent read that section of the ROM, but IMO some of these procedures were written for new parts, and may not be very helpful on worn ones.

This damper is easy to adjust by tiral and error once the rack is installed and I found that this worked well for me. You soon notice when its too tight; the steering just gets vague.

[Mike J]

Thanks Chris. The manual says to use a dial guage through the opening where the grease nipple would go. But that will not allow you to push on anything to measure the end float. What may be the way forward is to cut a short lenght of 6mm bar to go into the hole. Use mole grips to push it back and forward and measure the movement on the end of the bar. Project for tonight!! Mike

[milothedog]

This is where I got confused by the ROM. It says insert a dial guage into the hole where grease nipple fits, do I then pull the rack backwards and forwards until the guage reads correctly or do I push the steering column backwards and forwards and check for play there. Mike

That's my interpretation of it, (move the rack to and fro, (not L to R as in steering) so in effect wind it in until tight then back off until the tolerence is achieved on the DTI) when I did mine the rack was still on the bench in a vice with no gaiters fitted so it was easy to do.

Chris makes a good point though, 40 year old working parts do sometimes need to just be tweaked (Trial and Error) till you find the optimum setting.

My steering was transformed when I did mine a couple years back, It self centres now which it never did and if you let go of the wheel whilst driving the forces at work keep it rolling in a straight line with no need to correct it.

Did you centre it first using a rod through the G/nipple hole and engaging it with the drilling in the rack before fitting

Ian.

[Mike J]

Thanks Ian. Yes I centred it. Though I'm going to have all the tracking checked as have fitted new bushes and track rod ends. Will check end float again. Sounds as though it's going to be "tighten it and a flat back" . Will check and post the findings. It would be good to have a rule of thumb as a starting point. Mike

[wilf]

Played with this myself, it is a "tighten it a tad at a time and see how it feels" kind of thing.

With the front end off the ground, you can easily feel when the steering starts to tighten up as you screw the adjuster in. Engine off, that is.

[Mike J]

Thanks to everyone. Car back on the road, had a brilliant test drive no leaks afterwards. Steering rack rebuild not too tricky. Final adjustment is not with a dial guage but more the feel. Jacked up, tighten until stiff then nudge back about half a flat. lock the locking nut and keep adjusting anticlockwise if needed.Always photograph how parts come out. A pack of new seals will give you 30% more than you need. Cost me £22.00 as opposed to £180.00+\- for a new reconditioned rack. Also I knew my rack was good just leaked. I'm no mechanic but pleased with results.
Mike