Steering Rack Removal - Help !!

[Oliver]

Has anyone ever removed / replaced their steering rack ? I`m `lucky` to have a manual rack that has play in the o/s (the advisory on last year`s MOT). MRS steering can rebuild it for me for a very reasonable price but it looks a pig to remove, even without the hydraulics. The manual mentions dropping the engine subframe, presumably so the pinion has room to fit through the gap in the raft. However, how can you drop this when the axle stands are underneath ?!

Can you remove the inner balljoints with the rack in situ? Do they unscrew? I may need to do this so as to get enough clearance to get the rack out. (narrow garage!)

Any advice appreciated !

Oliver

[Paul.P]

Oliver, don't quote me on this, but can't you get your axle stand under the front mounting point ( behind front wheel ), & i think you have to remove one of the driveshafts .

[muley]

Oliver,

Even the diehards reckon to leave this to the pros. That's you, that is

As you say the subframe has to come off and the exhaust IIRC.

You will have to prop the car under the jacking points. I've heard that the suspension uprights tend to wander about when they're disconnected.

Shame you're so far away - I'd love to give you a hand.


Good luck

Jim

[Oliver]

Paul, Muley

Thanks for the feedback guys. Hmm, i have three options.

1) Put it through the test and hope it is still no more than an `advisory` (it has a new outer balljoint + i greased the inner)

2) Pay Lipscombe Lotus (my nearest dealer), to remove it so i can send it to MRS steering for refurbishment. (I don`t like paying labour rates)

3) Take the car to bits. I have little fear of doing this, other than being crushed by disintegrating Elan

Can the car be supported by the front sill jacking points alone ? Or will the chassis / engine / gearbox fall out and crush me whilst i`m underneath ?

Regards

Oliver

[Dico]

Oliver, Yes you can support the car on the front jacking points. Your engine won't fall out.
I'm quite sure you have to remove/pivot ones side of the suspension out of the way. I hope someone comes along and says otherwise.
I think you may struggle in a single garage though
If you take the prongeron off outside you won't be able to push the Elan back in overnight as the suspension will splay out. I found this out just as it was getting dark
One other thing-









Do it yourself and get stuck in!! Balls to paying silly labour rates!

[nitroman]

I agree with doing it whilst the car is IN the garage, using the formal jacking points, and that the prongeron can then be removed without anything heavier than road debris crushing your melon.

It is kind of errie though, your 1st time; as it does seem the prongeron must be the bedrock for something heavy. Just remember, it is part of the technical wizardry which allows the FWD suspension to "float" freely without relaying back torque steer!

[algirdas]

Dear Oliver:

I have not done this before, but I was reading in the workshop manual where it suggested removal of the raft and the attached suspension to aid in working on the car. It was right after the section where they suggest removing the clamshell in order to get to the engine. It struck me as being a bit odd at the time I read it, but this might be the sort of job where it makes sense.

I think you would unbolt the caliper from its bracket and then suspend it with some cable ties (that is, don't undo the hydraulic union). Undo the bolt on the axle (be sure to have a new ready to install when you put it all back together). Drop the prongeron. Undo the tie rod end from the upright. Undo the three raft bushings and you should be able to take off the entire front suspension in that corner. Should make getting to the rack much easier.

Or at least put you that much closer to a psychotic episode.

Sincerely,

Algirdas

[nitroman]

Anything which makes it easier getting to a rack is good!

[Oliver]

Thanks all, you`ve provided me with some interesting reading.

My friend, (older and cleverer), has rebuilt his 1970 Elan S4 FHC completely, and he thought it would be worth removing the o/s rack gaiter and with the steering on full left lock, pack as much grease into the rack end / inner balljoint as possible. Being lazy, this holds much appeal.

However, another part of me wants to do the job properly, for the long term.
Although my garage is a single, it is warm, well lit, i have a compressor,old PC full of Elan stuff (and music), full toolkit, two trolley jacks and 3x pairs of axle stands, and most importantly, a beer fridge. (If anyone wants to help!)

If i strip the car down enough and take my time i hope i`ll have the room to get the rack out. The missus is working away Sunday 25 and Monday, so i may start dismantling then. Oh, my front calipers are off a the moment anyhow (full re-seal). I may get the car in the air this week, i`ll let you know.,

Oliver

Oliver

[clemo]

how difficult time wise do you think it will take to do it from the underside way? and do you really want to undo the progo and suspension parts..

as do to the fantatic nature of the NA engine bay it has a little more room in it than those se/2 versions.

i can get an NA engine out in a couple of hours.

this then gives you a great opportunity to clean the engine bay and oily gearbox housing and any other jobs that (may)need doing in the future..

can post on palletline my engine crane to you if you wish..

clemo

[lotuska]

What's exactly wrong with the steering rack?

Is it simply that the inner ball joint has too much play?

If so you can remove and replace without removing the rack.

[Oliver]

Hello Lotuska

The mot test advisory said `some play in o/s steering rack`, so yes, like you i think it is the inner joint / rod. Years ago i had an old Citroen CX with the same problem, and i simply replaced the joint.

Unfortunately, Lotus don`t list the part separately, so even if it unscrews i can`t get a replacement. (Unless someone knows different!)

Oliver

[Oliver]

Hello Clemo,

Thanks for your great offer, but no i am trying to avoid dismantling the whole car. As you say, it will be a lot of grief, but then again it will have to be done at some point. I`m going to decide this week, if i am removing the rack i`ll start Saturday. The other option is to pack the inner joint full of lithium grease and cross fingers (only done 2600 miles since last mot.) I have replaced the outer track rod, crazy price from lotus (£70).

I`m looking forward to doing my cambelt/tensioner/idler/water pump next year, as you say less clutter in the engine bay!

Oliver

[lotuska]

Oliver,

I have replaced both sides on my car, all I did was remove them and take it to local steering rack reconditioner, who matched it to another he had in stock...but for the life of me I can't remember what it was from, I have a vague memory about ford fiesta or something like that, nothing too special. They look like this but don't go buying these you need confirm length and thread size.

Only cost me £15, simple to remove, split the ball joint from the hub, remove the track rod, remove the gaiter and turn the steering rack so that you can access the inner joint. Again my memory fails me, so I can't remember if there was access for a spanner or if I used my trusty pipe wrench (I think I used the pipe wrench - make sure its the type with the moving jaws that bite into the metal and increase grip with the amount of force you apply, something like this will do the trick). It simply unscrews.

When you get your new one apply thread lock to the inner thread and retighten with pipe wrench and then reassemble, finally get your tracking re-checked.

[Oliver]

Blimey, i`ll have a go at that.

Now first i`ll have to find a friendly motor factor. Remember, my rack is non PAS, but hopefully the joints are similar - the outer ones are the same as the PAS rack. I assume they unscrew anti-clockwise. I did ask my rack reconditioner if they could do just the inner joints and he said no, they have to be mounted on the rack.

But some fiesta ones sound good. Did you make a note of any part numbers?

It was probably made by QH or Lemforder.


Oliver

[lotuska]

Oliver,

Be careful I said I think it was a ford...you need to get one off and compare it because I can't remember and mine is a PAS.

Haven't a clue why your steering rack conditioner would say that, I've done this to many car's, can only think he wants to make loads of money out of the job...

Good luck.

[Oliver]

Lotuska,

I reckon these look like the Elan outer track road ends - what do you think ??

They look identical to me --

http://www.eliseparts.com/shop/index.ph ... 73d1e280d4

[Oliver]

My potential rack rebuilder, MRS steering, quoted me £75 + vat + carriage, so i don`t think he`s in it for the money.

Oliver

[Enright]

I wonder if you might be able to pick up any tips from the pics in Jimbob's thread...? Speaking of which, I wonder where he's got to and if it's finished...?

[lotuska]

Oliver,

The track rod ends look similar but that's about all you can say, again its down to thread size and also the size of the taper on the ball joint.

There really isn't any substitute for comparing side by side.