steering rack joint

[rdssdi]

I have a new steering rack joint which connects the steering column to the steering rack pinion gear shaft.

It was purchased from one of the usual suspects.

I tightened the pinch bolts and safety wired the bolts in response to a previous problem of fore and aft movement of the steering wheel. It is not the steering wheel hub spline moving on the shaft. It all appeared tight and without fore and aft movement until I took the car for a shake down ride. The wheel now moves fore and aft and is quite annoying as well a potentially wearing the rack pinion splines.

Is there a secret to getting these tight enough to prevent such movement?

I am certain I tightened the pinch bolts and I doubt there was little left to tighten them without chance of breaking.

Could this be an improperly sized joint? Are these joint ends sized differently for fitment of one end to the shaft and one for the pinion gear splines?

Bob

[mbell]

Has your car a collapsible column? If so I'd check that.

[rdssdi]

It has a collapsable column and it is not that. I can easily feel the coupling moving fore and aft on the pinion splines. I have a coupling similar to the original. I will get the car in the air and tighten the coupling as tight as it will go.

I wonder if The splines are worn.

Were there more than one diameter of pinion shaft?

Bob

[john.p.clegg]

Is the pinion loose in the rack?

John

[PeterK]

Do you have the correct diameter inch bolts ? The ones in my Plus 2 were too small.

For me the role of the pinch bolts is to pull together the 'collar' to ensure that the splines prevent rotational slip. The pinch bolts in the 'groove' prevent longitudinal slip.
Peter

[gherlt]

Hi,
I had the same problem, it seems that the one I bought was supposedly for an Elan, but was not.
I think it was of a Triumph, do not remember which one. Then I bought another one from Brammer in Germany
and that worked. And it's diameter is a nearly unnoticeable amount smaller....

Greetings

Guillermo

[gjz30075]

Hi,
I had the same problem, it seems that the one I bought was supposedly for an Elan, but was not.
I think it was of a Triumph, do not remember which one. Then I bought another one from Brammer in Germany
and that worked. And it's diameter is a nearly unnoticeable amount smaller....

Guillermo

Aha! I've the same problem and the joints from the usual suspects required a scary amount of
tightening and still not quite tight. The fact that the body of the joint is very thick at the spline areas
doesn't help. Looks like this one from Brammer may be the fix. Thanks.

[rdssdi]

The pinion is not moving. Bolt diameters are correct. The splines may be worn. I would think the range of pinch would compensate.

The groove prevents the collar from coming completely off the pinion splines. The flat on the pinion is a safety not a fore aft locating feature.

I will look at the Brammer part. It is entirely possible that the new parts are designed as metric components and the diameter is different. Brammer may have realized that.

It does seem unusual that Brammer would have that part manufactured for them. Could it be their stores are old and therefore "original" and of the correct dimension?

Thnaks
Bob

[rdssdi]

I have contacted Brammer. I will attempt to determine if their part is different than what I have now. The compltete part has a 050 part number prefix. I understand that to mean it is a +2 part and not carried over from the Elan (036). While it appears the "plate" and "bush", both parts of the complete coupling, have 036 prefix part numbers. That "COULD" indicate the splined pinch parts differ from the 036. Could be the new parts are a compromise?

Just a thought.

Bob

[rdssdi]

Guilermo

A Triumph part may be correct. It is my understanding the +2 steering rack was sourced from the Triumph with Lotus adding travel stops to prevent the wheels from contacting bodywork.

Possibly someone with greater Lotus knowledge could add to this.

Bob

[rdssdi]

Sorry for all the messages.

I believe the correct coupling was from the Triumph Spitfire. It appears that other triumph steering couplings are different. Keep in mind while the part appears to be the same it may have different dimensions.

Hard to understand as they use the Triumph rack. Again it could be the accuracy of the reproduction.

Bob

[rgh0]

The steering column and rack are Triumph ( spitfire, herald, GT6, Vitesse) for all the Elan and most of the Plus 2 (the very early Plus 2 used a Ford column).

Thus the Triumph coupling should fit but perhaps the Triumph suppliers don't have a precise new match for some reason and thus the looseness?

The clamp bolts should grip the column and pinion splines tightly so no movement. In addition the cut out groove the bolt fits through will limit its axial movement even if loose to only a couple of mm.

regards
Rohan

[elancoupe]

Call me Captain Obvious but why not just buy one from a Lotus supplier?

I bought mine from Spyder years ago - fit and forget.

[rdssdi]

Captain obvious.

The present new coupling was purchased from a Lotus parts supplier.

I was wondering if the orientation of the coupling on the spline may contribute to the slipping. It may be that the pinion "flat" must be exactly aligned with the coupling opening.

I am grasping at straws here.

Bob.

[elancoupe]

OK, thanks for correcting my wrong assumption.

If it were me, I would be contacting the supplier - it is their responsibility to provide correct parts that fit.

I am sure they would want to know if their parts are not right, as well as wanting to keep you for a customer.