Steering rack how much play

[NickC]

Just noticed with the gaiter off there is a small amount of play in the steering rack, this is on the pinion side of the rack, not leaking fluid or anything.

Anyone know how much play is acceptable?

Edit:
Now roughly measured the lateral play on the rack with a dial gauge, albeit only held by hand so very rough measurements:
Near-side: 15 thou
Off-side: 23 thou

Acceptable or time for a rebuild of the rack?

[robertverhey]

It's a long time ago but I think I removed this sort of play by nipping up the large hexagonal recess where the pinion enters the rack. I think I used a plumber's tube spanner.

[NickC]

It's a long time ago but I think I removed this sort of play by nipping up the large hexagonal recess where the pinion enters the rack. I think I used a plumber's tube spanner.

Thanks for the suggestion Robert but I can't seem to find that hexagonal recess. Where the steering wheel shaft enters the rack there is a nylon seal it goes into at the top of the valve body. Is the recess you refer to under that nylon seal?

[robertverhey]

Hmm moment of panic there, was I getting confused with a Lancia rack I overhauled way back then as well?

But I think it's shown in the exploded diagram in this post http://www.lotusexcel.net/phpbb/viewtop ... =7&p=24956

Part labelled D

Also appears in the photo on Sj's parts list, the photo of the reconditioned steering rack

Anyway if I've led you up the garden path I'm sure someone with a better memory will chime in soon!

[NickC]

Found it, thanks Robert.

That just looked like a core plug full of dirt to me, now it is cleaned out I can see there is a very slight hex shaping in the bottom end of it. Difficult to get to as the hydraulic pipes run right over the top of it, maybe I can undo them.

Found a tube spanner which seems to sort of fit but no chance of moving it, feels like it is rusted in solid.

[robertverhey]

Yes I recall mine was very reluctant to move as well. I just kept applying penetrating oil and worrying it over a couple of days until it finally shifted. Can't really use a heat torch as there's some rubber/nylon bits inside I think. But running the car should warm it up, so might be worth trying it when hot, then cold, then hot, etc, the old heating cycles trick. Those pressure pipes are a world of pain to remove, if you have the later press on style.....lots of posts about that on this forum. If you can't get a tube spanner in, maybe a flat piece of metal that is the right size to "catch" in the hexagonal recesses of the plug might get you there...

Good luck. If you succeed, you'll have saved youself a lot of money on a rebuild.....I remember feeling good about that!

[NickC]

Yes I recall mine was very reluctant to move as well. I just kept applying penetrating oil and worrying it over a couple of days until it finally shifted. Can't really use a heat torch as there's some rubber/nylon bits inside I think. But running the car should warm it up, so might be worth trying it when hot, then cold, then hot, etc, the old heating cycles trick. Those pressure pipes are a world of pain to remove, if you have the later press on style.....lots of posts about that on this forum. If you can't get a tube spanner in, maybe a flat piece of metal that is the right size to "catch" in the hexagonal recesses of the plug might get you there...

Good luck. If you succeed, you'll have saved youself a lot of money on a rebuild.....I remember feeling good about that!

Going to try and get hold of an M20 or M22 nut to see which is the correct size. If it happens to be deep enough I could then weld a bar onto it as a handle. Thinking about it maybe an M20 bolt with a nut wound right to the end would be better, the remainder of the thread could be cut off just leaving the nut prutruding which I could get a normal spanner on.

[robertverhey]

Should work, or hacksaw through a plumbers tube spanner (they're cheap) so just enough protruding to drill a hole through it for a suitably sized screwdriver to go through, use that as a handle.

[NickC]

Hex recess nipped-up about 1/4 turn now only a very small amount of free play.

For the archive and anyone else doing the job: the hex recess is 27mm flat-flat, virtually same as an M18 bolt/nut. Although I didn't use that, I actually used a special M16 bolt with an over-sized (M18) head so that a smaller nut (24mm flat-flat) would fit on, otherwise I wouldn't have had a spanner to fit it.

Thanks for the tip Robert, much appreciated.

[Pete Boole]

Don't forget that it should also have thread sealer on it!

Pete

[NickC]

Don't forget that it should also have thread sealer on it!

Pete

Well that would have been good but it was pretty tight to move so not likely to come undone. To get thread lock on the thread would have meant undoing it completely which I don't think is possible on the car.

[Pete Boole]

Don't forget that it should also have thread sealer on it!

Pete

Well that would have been good but it was pretty tight to move so not likely to come undone. To get thread lock on the thread would have meant undoing it completely which I don't think is possible on the car.

Probably not - I had mine on the bench when I did it

Pete