Worn Steering Rack on S4 - what are my Options

[Jolly Jumper]

I need heeeeeeeelp

The steering rack on my RHD 68 S4 Elan is worn. What options do I have?

I tried the archives but all the posts are so old.

Are any NOS racks availble or is someone selling reconditioned racks which really work?

The steering is one of the key features of this car and I want a 100% solution.

Any ideas?

Cheers
Jolly

[s4elan]

They are almost the same at the Spitfire racks. From GGLC: http://gglotus.org/ggtech/elan-steerrac ... trrack.htm

Pete

[steveww]

Paul Matty offer a rebuild service.

[denicholls2]

They are almost the same at the Spitfire racks. From GGLC: http://gglotus.org/ggtech/elan-steerrac ... trrack.htm

Pete

In my understanding the racks used in Elan and Europa are in fact the same as the Spitfire/Herald racks. What is different is the tie rods used on the ends of the racks and the method of limiting travel (not required on the Spitfire). If these are serviceable, they are swappable with the original Spitfire rack.

Caution: Some (My PO, for example) sourced one of the inexpensive "replacement" Spitfire racks from Argentina and found that while it may have been a replacement for the whole Spitfire unit, it was not modifiable for the Lotus application due to a different tie rod design.

If you Google hard enough, rumor has it that most of the wear parts are still available for home rebuild, or as noted there are those who rebuild them. Grease regularly and they should last a long time.

[1964 S1]

I agree, they're Spitfire racks with rod mods. If I ever need one, I'll source it from a Reliable British Car Part Retailer and be on my way.
The question is,,,, will it be cheaper as a Triumph part or Lotus listing?

[gerrym]

A replacement option for a Plus 2 steering rack is an Austin Mini Left Hand Drive unit mounted upside down. Perhaps others will comment on whether this would also work with the "baby elan. You would need to redrill the mounting holes for the rack. Regards

[Jolly Jumper]

Thought I bring this topic to the attention of the community again.

Still have the problem!

I did source a replacment Spitfire rack from one of the renowned Triumph suppliers and it turns out it has the different tie rod design mentioned above and cannot be modified to fit the Elan.

Any ideas? Front axle is already disassembled and I need a solution...

[Elanintheforest]

Rather than experiment with possible alternatives, just go to Paul Matty or Sue Miller and get a reconditioned one. It's a lot cheaper in the long run!

Mark

[Jolly Jumper]

Rather than experiment with possible alternatives, just go to Paul Matty or Sue Miller and get a reconditioned one. It's a lot cheaper in the long run!

Mark

Yes, but when you trawl through the archives you do get some people reporting back they were very dissapointed with rebuilt racks. It's so difficult to judge...

[bcmc33]

Rather than experiment with possible alternatives, just go to Paul Matty or Sue Miller and get a reconditioned one. It's a lot cheaper in the long run!
Mark

Yes, but when you trawl through the archives you do get some people reporting back they were very dissapointed with rebuilt racks. It's so difficult to judge...

All the important parts are available for you to refurbish it yourself. Assuming it?s not been damaged, it is unlikely that the rack or pinion will have worn beyond use unless they were not lubricated properly.
I refurbished my gear ? it?s not rocket science, very simple engineering. I bought new pressure pads and spring for the rack, pinion and inner ball joints together with lock tabs and gaiters from Rimmer Bros http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-GRID005781. You can get the same level of parts from Moss. It would be good practice to replace the outer ball joints (track rod ends) as well.

Having said all this, the easiest option if you don?t have the basic skills to complete a refurbish, is to get a refurbished gear on an exchange basis ? but make sure it is an original Alford & Alder gear you get back. As has been rightly pointed out by other members, new gears of third world manufacture are not necessarily of the quality we expect and need.

Matty definitely does an exchange for refurbished original manufactured steering gears, so the suspect types are not an issue.

You don?t say if your car is LHD or RHD. A refurbished LHD unit will be substantially more expensive than a RHD part.

[batfish]

hi

Just echoing Brians comments. Steering racks are fairly simple to repair with the parts from Rimmers or Moss but the easiest option is to buy a replacement rack. I have bought at least 3 replacement racks from Paul Matty for different Elans over the last 15 years and have never had any problems with them.

regards

Andy

[ardee_selby]

Have you identified if it's a particular area of wear, or all of them?

The DIY overhaul, as described already, is not difficult, but it was long, long ago that I did it.

But isn't there a bush in the housing (non-pinion end)?

IIRC the only area questioned by the MOT tester was wear in that bush and the degree of play (up/down) at full lock.

Are the bushes are available? Reaming required? Anyone? Or is my memory playing trickz?

Richard

[Elan45]

Are you absolutely sure the rack is worn and not simply the coupling from the steering column has perished? You should also double check the slip joints in the steering column to make sure nothing has loosened there.

I have rebuilt the rack on my Lotus 20/22 formula car with new bushes at the ends. This rack is a further modification of the same Alford & Alder rack that now has a bush at each end rather than just one replaceable bush at the non pinion end and yes, they do require reaming after they are fitted. Also, keeping the bushes straight as they are pressed into the rack housing is not going to be an easy matter for some.

If you have determined that the wear you feel is actually in the rack, I'd recommend getting the exchange/rebuilt rack from PM or Sue Miller. You might also want to replace or refurb the steering column coupling while you're at it.

Roger from Ohio

[jimj]

Yes I had lots of problems with the Paul Matty replacement rack, having gone for what I thought was the best, most expensive, option. I did report that, eventually, Matty did send the " right" spacers but I still have more lock one way than the other with everything centralised. More particularly, the steering just doesn`t FEEL right. The bushes have all been professionally replaced and I`ve just replaced the front dampers and springs with TTR ones but it`s still not right. It just feels vague around the straight ahead with virtually no self centering and yes the tracking has all been checked.
I`ve been too busy lately and with the season upon us I need to find a window when I can take the whole car to Matty`s, which is 2 hours away, and leave it with them to sort out.
Jim

[Famous Frank]

I'm enjoying this topic. Currently I'm in the middle of a full restoration on my 66 S2 SE. The car has been sitting undriven since 1980. Prior to that it was hit in the left front hard enough to cause chassis damage and to have the l/front clip replaced with one from a donor car (and not the correct one at that). I've performed almost everything repair possible on an Elan EXCEPT for the steering rack.

How does one test a rack when it's out of the car to determine if it needs to be rebuilt on not? What should it feel like when one turns the steering shaft by hand? When I turn mine, I can feel the teeth in the rack but there isn't any play. Is there a way to grease it so as to push all the old, coagulated grease out?

Thank you all, Frank