steering rack travel

[rdssdi]

I posted this on things in common but never got a reply. Is the +2 the only Lotus with travel limits on the steering rack?

I know they are there but I did not see them in the illustration or description in the +2 workshop manual.

Does anyone have a photo or description of this feature?

I seem to remember it was a tube that slipped over the rack gear and would contact the rack body and end nut when at its limit of travel.

What keeps the tube from rattling?

Bob

[elancoupe]

The two seat Elan has rack limiters as well.

IIRC, the limiters are an adjusting nut and a locking nut. Their function is to limit the turning radius.

If you installed a Triumph rack, which has no limiters, you could turn so sharply as to bind the tires against the car itself.

If you had wide tires installed on an Elan, and they contacted the (anti) roll bar at full lock, you could adjust the limiters outward. This would stop the full lock contact, but make a wider turning radius.

[rdssdi]

Where are the adjusting nuts and locking nuts attached?

I assume this is in addition to the locking nut and "cup nut" that secures the outer tie rod. With the exception of a few threads the remainder of the rack gear has no threads.

Bob

[types26/36]

[quote="elancoupe"]IIRC, the limiters are an adjusting nut and a locking nut. Their function is to limit the turning radius.
quote]

Are you sure about that Mike? as far as I remember the limiter is just a tube fitted over the rack, it is not held in place except for being "over" the rack and it can slde along the rack but would make no difference, I suppose the grease prevents it from rattleing or moving very much.
Its not just the Elan's that are limited as the Europa also has it.

[elancoupe]

Hi Brian,
Old age and dimming memory makes me not completely certain. My recollection of the actual mechanics may not be correct.


Also, I was sold a "replacement" rack by a large Lotus parts supplier many years ago. It would not work, as it didn't come with limiters, nor would the limiters from my original rack fit. It was returned.

[types26/36]

Hi Mike,
Here is a diagram of a Lotus rack, as I understand it the "lock stop" (number 4 in diagram) is the steering limit reducer.

[garyeanderson]

but not today

[rdssdi]

I understand now. Thank you all.

A bit of tubing a torch and its done.

Bob

[elancoupe]

Thanks for the corrections and diagrams, guys.

If nothing else, my bad memory inspired the right answers for Bob.

[msd1107]

Brian Buckland has an extensive discussion of the steering rack, track rods, and their subtle differences between Herald, Spitfire, S1-S3, S4 on, and +2 on pages 412-425.

Also a warning about checking everything, especially if you are using different or replaced components or have changed tyre sizes.

David
1968 36/7988

[garyeanderson]

Brian Buckland has an extensive discussion of the steering rack, track rods, and their subtle differences between Herald, Spitfire, S1-S3, S4 on, and +2 on pages 412-425.

Also a warning about checking everything, especially if you are using different or replaced components or have changed tyre sizes.

David
1968 36/7988

Thats all well and good but the book is a lot of money and most folks here won't spend the money (me included) for it. The original Elan workshop manual for the S1 S2 and Coupe is another must have that every Elan and Plus2 owner should have. It comes up on ebay once in a while and goes for around $40 to $80, the same goes with the S1,S2, coupe master parts list but this never seems to come up on ebay.

Gary

[msd1107]

Gary,

I agree with you 1000%. I really choked when I saw my credit card bill when I purchased Brian's book on introduction. I think the publishers grossly underestimated the potential sales of the book, because it is currently available for less than half the original price - still not cheap.

Since I have never worked on a car, these books are the only way for me to even approach putting my pile of pieces back together.

So I have acquired the Elan, +2, and Elite Workshop manuals, the Master Parts List, Dave Bean's catalogues from the 90's on, as well as many other published sources about the Elans. Of course, LotusElan.net is invaluable. Having read all this, at least I can look at the car with only a slight amount of terror, wondering how to do something. Now if only my mechanical skills were equal to the intellectual understanding. Want to move out to CA where I can ski in the morning and go to the beach in the afternoon?

PS. I grew up in NJ, so am familiar with the weather. After one hurricane. we were without electricity for a week, I had to go behind the barn for a latrine, hand pump the water from the well, freeze at night, etc. Now I just have to withstand 20 seconds of shaking every couple of decades.

David
1968 36/7988

[Jason1]

Umm, after a week of self exile for flying off on Jason1 ( I apologize. ) and having the honor of Jeff deleting the post, I am back to try again.

Hi Gary

Sorry I missed it; it sounds interesting?

You can PM me any constructive criticism, not sure you have the right person as I have not asked any questions for a long time?

Jason

[garyeanderson]

Hi Jason

I guess Jeff can delete another if he wants to, Ban me too.

Its a common language problem I think, the message is gone so I dont know what I wrote, only that you said something about Frank Bertrang not minding. My eyes were blurry after a night of fixing the dates for just the S1 and S2 Elan list. Can you imagine how long it took Frank to transcribe the daybooks for the Elan, Plus2, Europa, S1,S2, Twin Cam, Sprint, Eclat, Esprit and what ever I missed into those .pdf's. The comment came off to me as off base and insensitive after Mark (blackandgold) posted it here with no mention of who suplied all of the work to get it out into the public domain. 40 or what ever years of help to Lotus folks and some people can't even give the man the credit he deserves for helping folks all those years. Just a crime in my eyes...

Gary

[rdssdi]

Mike

I also suffer from an aging memory.

Bob
1969 Elan +2
1968 TVR Vixen S2