22% rack.

[mickrick]

Anyone using one of these on the road? Or will it be too twitchy?
I ordered an 8% quick rack, but it seems CC have sent me a 22% one by mistake.
Edited to remove Blasphemy!

Edited by mickrick on Monday 4th October 16:25

[NuisanceFactor]

I like my 22% rack, 'thinking the car round corners' is great. The only downside is that with the iron engine my car has up front, the steering can be a little heavy when parking.

[Aeroscreens]

22% is fine for the road IMHO. Had one on the 7 for the last 40,000 miles and found no problems. As has been said before steweering is a little heavier when parking though.

[ewenm]

Absolutely fine in my experience. It doesn't take long to adjust to the quicker steering and makes the car even more responsive!

[Yellow 7]

me too. Actually may get you out of trouble more than in as you can react and make a save that a slow rack or 8% rack might not allow.

My 7 started out on 16" road wheels - much better on 13's though!

[mickrick]

Smashin' To be honest, I nearly ordered the 22%, but the nice people at CC advised me on the 8% saying the 22 would be too twitchy.
I've been back to work, cooled off a bit, and I see from the invoice, they haven't charged me any carriage this time.
So I'd pretty much decided I couldn't be arsed to send it back.
I can live with the heavy steering while parking, as I'll be spending most of my time polishing, then going for a hoon, to get it covered in fly squash again!
Thanks for the encouraging replies.

[summit7]

Hi Mick,

I have been using a 22% rack on the road for 3 years including a bit of touring - I would not go back to a slow rack now.

Richard

[EFA]

I liked my 22% rack so much its found its way onto my new project!

[NGee]

Excuse my ignorance, but 22% (or 8%) of what?? What is the standard one (if anything is "standard" on a Caterham!!) and how can you tell which type you have??
NGee

[Incorrigible]

NGee said:

how can you tell which type you have??
NGee

They're colour coded on the bottom of the pinion adjuster

[iain a]

The "Standard" or 0% one is the mini rack used on earlier Caterhams. The standard rack supplied by Caterham now is the 8% one.
Purple dot identifys the 22% widetrack rack.

[mickrick]

Then you have SV, CSR, and LHD options.......

[DaveK-S1]

You used to have flared wing and cycle wing racks as well to really make it even more confusing for some people especially if buying a rack 2nd hand.

[7SS]

Incorrigible said:

NGee said:

how can you tell which type you have??
NGee

They're colour coded on the bottom of the pinion adjuster

Or by turns lock to lock. 22% is about 1 3/4 turns IIRC. Not sure on the others.

[mickrick]

Yep, just checked it, your about right. I made it 1 2/3rds turns lock to lock. Better not sneeze eh!

[Gingerbread Man]

How do you know what rack you have? I'd be interested to know what % rack I have.

[sjmmarsh]

The 1.75 turns lock to lock is right for an S3 - the SV/CSR worked out at just over 2 turns on both cars I have had with the 22% rack.

Steve

[mickrick]

Not mine. Like I said, 1 and 2/3rds. Sure you didn't have a 8%?
Is the SV rack the same as a CSR?
I was told when I ordered the 8% rack, LHD SV, that it would be a special order, as they hadn't sold one in over 3 years. It was more expensive than a LHD CSR "Race" rack.
When the 22% turned up, I thought "Hello!" looks like they sent me a LHD CSR race rack, and they have those in stock.
Exept I paid 315 + VAT instead of 265 + VAT!
I'm begining the wonder why I've a sore arse!

[sjmmarsh]

Without taking it out, it is hard to tell which it is, but definitely specced as a quick rack and confirmed by CML. I currently have a CSR but was the same on my previous SV.

Steve

[mickrick]

I suspect it'll be an 8% one then, as that's classed as a quick rack. The 22% one is a race rack. I doubt CC would put a race rack in a road car. Unless specced.
I'd still like to know if the CSR, and SV racks are the same. I can't see any reason why they wouldn't be.