Steering limiters needed?

[phil1800]

My S3 is equipped with the fat 155 tyres and not with the 145 as original. At full droop (on the lift), the tires rub the sway bar on full lock. At regular riding height there is plenty of space. Do I need to slip on steering limiters or is this normal?

Philipp

[Mazzini]

Hi Phil,

Hope all is well you and the girls.

It could be that at some point in your cars life it was fitted with an unmodified Triumph rack. I have 155's on my S3, the rack was rebuilt by Kiley Clinton (highly recommended) and I don't have a rubbing issue.

Have a look at section H of the workshop manual.

Cheerio,

Rob

[phil1800]

Hi Rob,

Thank you, the girls are fine. I hope your children enjoy the spring time.
I thought that the early racks need altering when running wider tires and the later racks (S4) have longer stops to prevent tire rubbing?

Philipp

[Mazzini]

You could have something there. It rings a vague bell. Let me dig out a copy of the type 26 workshop manual.

Edit: You're right! The S1-3 racks are different. The S4 racks had lock stops which are 1/4 longer on each side.

I guess Kiley Clinton must have modified my rack without realising it.

[pharriso]

I believe in the UK if it is seen that the tires are rubbing against anything it would be an MOT failure... maybe there is a similar TUV check?.

My car ('72 Sprint) had a rack with no spacers & wider than normal 175 tyres, so slow speed maneuvering with hard lock the tires did rub... I have changed back to 155 tires & fitted spacers now... no issues.

[661]

There's a Mustang steering rack spacer available v cheaply on ebay that works. Available from the States. I've bought 4 and used 3 of them on 2 cars.
On holiday so I can't get the details at present but it looks like a white plastic 'C'

[phil1800]

I have now fitted steering spacers from a Ford vehicle?, 6,5 mm thick with a 22mm ID. As you can see the standard early spacers are fitted as well. Plenty of room from the tire to the sway bar now, actually even a bit too much, but these spacers are the slimmest I could find.

Philipp

[661]

Found them

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/191976871626 ... Sw5lJhKP~x

[phil1800]

Very similar to what I used. These spacers are used by OEM‘s when they use wider wheels than initially designed, for example on limited editions, sports models and so on. A 22 mm dia. rack as used in the Elan/ Spitfire / Herald is no longer used on a broad scale today, but earlier Golf/ Polo/ Lupo vehicles, Ford Ka and many others had racks with that diameter. Happy hunting!

Philipp

[RichardS]

I’m just checking that I’m fitting the Mustang spacers correctly, per the photo.
Read somewhere that the spacers should be secured with a cable tie to stop them potentially sliding inwards?
Would appreciate confirmation.. or otherwise!
Thanks
Richard

[RichardS]

Giving this a bump!
Thanks
Richard