Steering rack replacement for LHD model

[Rose Royce]

In 2017, I had the steering rack replaced in my 1991 LHD Elan M100. At the time I was sold a F100H0003F model from SJSportscars. The rack arrived and my mechanic found that it was longer then the original. He ended up cutting and machining the rack to make it fit the car. This added a lot of extra costs, but it was a workable solution.
Now I need to replace the steering rack on my current '91 LHD Elan M100 SE, and SJSportsCars are proposing to sell me the same model and I am worried that I will have the same problem. Has anyone else had this experience with a North American LHD M100? Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

[Neil D.]

Hi
There is a full stock of genuine LHD drive racks in London UK
Often adverstised on Ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/300389400483

I have a brand new spare in stock for over 15 years, just in case.

Neil

[Tuga2112]

id suggest calling SJS explainign the situation from years ago and making them very aware the car is not UK and not fed (you are in canada right ? your car may be a ROW model, not a FED model)

the front of the FED models was different to the ROW cars. im just throwing a guess here, but maybe many years ago you got a rack for a FED car and tried to install it on a ROW car (or vice versa)

the parts guide should have listed if there are more than 1 rack for each version of car. I suggest checking there first, if nothing appears there, check the service manual (the parts manual may be missing that information).

[Saltire]

Hi
There is a full stock of genuine LHD drive racks in London UK
Often adverstised on Ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/300389400483

I have a brand new spare in stock for over 15 years, just in case.

Neil

These are advertised by South West Lotus Centre, a well known and well respected supplier in South-West England. You could always give them a call and ask - they’re very friendly.

[dapinky]

As Joao alludes, the part number F100H003F is listed for a LHD car without SIR ( ie, European market vehicles) - whilst the FED car (with SIR) uses a part number F100H0042F.

If your car was imported from USA I would suspect you were supplied with the wrong item from SJs all those years ago.

[Tuga2112]

As Joao alludes, the part number F100H003F is listed for a LHD car without SIR ( ie, European market vehicles) - whilst the FED car (with SIR) uses a part number F100H0042F.

If your car was imported from USA I would suspect you were supplied with the wrong item from SJs all those years ago.

just to clarify Im guessing SIR means "fed cars have airbags" the sterring wheel design would be the most obvious indication of being an import. am i correct in my assumptions ?

[dapinky]

just to clarify Im guessing SIR means "fed cars have airbags" the sterring wheel design would be the most obvious indication of being an import. am i correct in my assumptions ?

Pretty much, yes - the steering wheel having airbag is the biggest clue, but there are also changes elsewhere to the crash structure at the front.

[Saltire]

just to clarify Im guessing SIR means "fed cars have airbags"

At the risk of teaching my grandfather to suck eggs(!!): Supplementary Inflatable Restraint. = airbag

[Tuga2112]

just to clarify Im guessing SIR means "fed cars have airbags"

At the risk of teaching my grandfather to suck eggs(!!): Supplementary Inflatable Restraint. = airbag

Ive seen that SIR acronim before, but i wasnt sure if it was related to seatbelt designs or just some regulatory name that was related to safety in general (both airbags and other requirements like ABS) so it was always worth double checking

[Rose Royce]

id suggest calling SJS explainign the situation from years ago and making them very aware the car is not UK and not fed (you are in canada right ? your car may be a ROW model, not a FED model)

the front of the FED models was different to the ROW cars. im just throwing a guess here, but maybe many years ago you got a rack for a FED car and tried to install it on a ROW car (or vice versa)

the parts guide should have listed if there are more than 1 rack for each version of car. I suggest checking there first, if nothing appears there, check the service manual (the parts manual may be missing that information).

Both of my my cars were originally sold in the US (the first one in Florida and this one came from California). The steering rack will be removed, this week and we will measure it. I don't want to have to go through the problem of an oversized rack again.

I'm not familiar with the "parts guide"...where can I find this?

BTW, both of my cars do have the airbags, so they would be the FED model. I would be surprised that SJSportscars would not be aware that fact.

[dapinky]

I'm not familiar with the "parts guide"...where can I find this?

If you look at the top of this (or any other) page of the forum (you need to be logged in to see it though!) there is a clickable link labelled "Manuals".

On that website you will find all the Parts Lists for the Elan models (FED and UK tend to be in the same parts guide, Euro LHD in a separate one).... also present are the Workshop Manuals and all of the Technical Training bulletins issued for our cars..... and a few other things which I've stuck on there just as a suitable resource.

[Rose Royce]

I'm not familiar with the "parts guide"...where can I find this?

If you look at the top of this (or any other) page of the forum (you need to be logged in to see it though!) there is a clickable link labelled "Manuals".

On that website you will find all the Parts Lists for the Elan models (FED and UK tend to be in the same parts guide, Euro LHD in a separate one).... also present are the Workshop Manuals and all of the Technical Training bulletins issued for our cars..... and a few other things which I've stuck on there just as a suitable resource.

Thank you for the info. I checked these lists and it seems obvious that I need a different part. On the Parts Guide UK list I found the following info on page 241 for 'Steering Rack PAS, LHD:
Part # F100H0003F, Except SIR, Prior VIN *
Part # E100H0042F, SIR
Part # G100H0003F, From VIN *

In the Parts Book, LHD, I found the following on Page 234:
Rack and Pinion LHD PAS B3 Part #F100H0003F

In the ROW Parts Book, I found the following on Page 183:
Part #F100H0003F Rack and Pinion LHD PAS B

When I go through these lists, it seems that the one I need is #E100H0042F for PAS LHD with SIR. When we have removed the defective rack from the car, I will measure it, and make sure that the one I order will be the same measurements.

[Rose Royce]

As Joao alludes, the part number F100H003F is listed for a LHD car without SIR ( ie, European market vehicles) - whilst the FED car (with SIR) uses a part number F100H0042F.

If your car was imported from USA I would suspect you were supplied with the wrong item from SJs all those years ago.

Thank you for the info. I now know where to check the parts list and found the listing for the rack for the cars with SIR. The print is not very clear, but the first letter appears to be an E rather than a F, but you put me on the right track. One way or the other, I will measure the defective rack , and discuss with the supplier prior to ordering .

[dapinky]

The parts guide published may show the first letter as an 'E', but the way Lotus number their parts is such that if an item is "updated" during (or after) production, they keep the main number the same, but each iteration changes the first letter........ so the rack would have started with an 'A' (A100H0042F), then the next version for the same job would be given a 'B' and so on.

As such, I would suspect that the current 'F' is simply the most recent batch made, and will be the same spec as the 'E' number which would have been current when the parts guide was printed.

Checking the Lotus parts list (on deroure.com) it shows that the currently available item from Lotus has the 'F' prefix.

[Rose Royce]

UPDATE
I did manage to find the proper steering rack for my left hand drive SIR equipped Lotus. John Callahan, a long term member of the LEC community sold me a brand new model, and in fact he has a second one on hand if someone else needs one. He has a good inventory of parts and has helped me out quite a few times over the years.
Now the rack is installed, and I need to replace two o-rings on the power steering lines...part # A100H6059S and #A100H6060S. These are available from SJSportscars in the UK for under under one british pound each! I can't imagine placing an order for two o-rings (I would probably order a few extras) for a few pounds and have it shipped all the way to Canada.
Does anyone have any idea of the size of these rings, so that I could try to source them locally. I realize that I need to get the proper type of material, but the size is what I need to know.

[FunElan]

Just curious, what made you realize you needed to install a new rack?

[Rose Royce]

Just curious, what made you realize you needed to install a new rack?

My car started leaking power steering fluid, and when we checked it was leaking badly more from the passenger side, and the boots were dried out and the shaft was corroded.
Some years ago, I tried to have one refurbished on another M100 and it was a complete waste of time, so I decided to go with a new one. I ordered one from England which was left hand drive, and supposed to fit, but it had to be cut and machined to make it fit. Fact is that the model for North American left hand drive models with air bags i.e. SIR system, is different, and that is what I needed. This time I knew better, and found the proper model, and it fit like a glove...but now I need those two o-rings for which I hope someone will be able to give me the dimensions, so I can buy them locally. Otherwise, I will have to order them from SJSportscars .

[FunElan]

Hmm, I wonder why these racks leak so commonly. Surprising.

Do you not have the old o-rings to measure?