Impreza steering rack mod

[Penelope Stopit]

phazed said:

Penelope Stopit said:

Lovely job, cutting and filing, engineering at its finest

It brings me back to my metalwork classes at school. Happy days !

Yes, great times, had a thing about knurling

[phazed]

Case hardening, braising and lots of other joyful experiences.

We were lucky enough to have about a dozen lathes, milling machines and other wonderful items that I can't remember much off at the moment!

[lancepar]

Braising? think we did that in Domestic Science and burning toast was called Case hardening.

[phazed]

When I was at school it was woodwork and metal work for the boys and domestic science was a thing of the future apart from the fact that it was a boys only school!

We even had a brickwork shop, very rare for a secondary school .

[Classic Chim]

Penelope Stopit said:

Yes, great times, had a thing about knurling

Me too, I used to love the cris cross finish on all my home made tools we did as first exercise in metalwork in what would be year one in secondary school, I had my hammer for years after

[Penelope Stopit]

phazed said:

Case hardening, braising and lots of other joyful experiences.

We were lucky enough to have about a dozen lathes, milling machines and other wonderful items that I can't remember much off at the moment!

Use of the words lucky enough to have means much, tell the kids of today that

Used to sleep in a brown paper bag in corridoor outside metal workshop and once in only had a forge, anvil, vice and one lathe

Would have loved to have learnt all about milling machines

[Penelope Stopit]

Classic Chim said:

Penelope Stopit said:

Yes, great times, had a thing about knurling

Me too, I used to love the cris cross finish on all my home made tools we did as first exercise in metalwork in what would be year one in secondary school, I had my hammer for years after

Never had a hammer, had a big flat screwdriver with brass knurled handle (so there)

Yes, criss-cross knurling was like therapy, sometimes would knurl over a knurl to try and improve the job and make a right mess of it




Would love to fondle that knurl

[kevd]

Hi
I am in the process of converting a non PAS car to the Scooby rack, I am planning on using the standard Rover pump as I want to keep an original look. I've collected most of the parts needed, and over the weekend started stripping out all the old gear. There are a couple of things I am unsure of and would be grateful of some words of wisdom. The two metal pipes that go from the pinion houseing to the main body of the rack, could you tell me what you used and where it came from, I thought I would be able to use brake pipe but this seems too small in diameter. The other thing is the bracket for the reservoir, if any one has a photo of the bracket and how/where it mounts to that would be useful as I am struggling to find anyone that can supply one.
Many thanks Kev

[Belle427]

Someone earlier in the thread mentioned the hard lines were 1/4 copper clutch/brake pipe.

[kevd]

Maybe i'm not looking hard enough all i could find was 3/16 stuff. Will try looking at 1/4 inch rather than 6mm, which looks like it does offer some more options. Thanks

[2gins]

Hard pipes are off and the pinion casing is free but not budging. Lifts out about 2mm then stops. Any tips. Is there a trick to help disengage the gear from the rack or should it just slide out?

[phazed]

Just pull straight off from memory.

Maybe try turning the shaft while pulling, other than that it should be just a straight pull.

[kevd]

Mine was quite stiff to pull off!! ooh er missus. I clamped a pair of Mole Grips on the splined part of the shaft and gently tapped upwards with a hammer and it soon came off. be careful there may be some shims under the houseing that come out with it they are about 40mm in diameter.

[2gins]

Gotcha, aware of the shims.

Sounds like one for the weekend when I can get over to the in laws and use a workbench instead of the kitchen counter.

I got the casing turned round OK with it all in situ. And a nice 1/4" pipe bender turned up at the office which will surely come in handy.

[phazed]

You can’t have enough tools!

Are you going to have the end machinedor do it yourself as I suggested?

[kevd]

I plan to give it a go with the file and hacksaw. What could possibly go wrong! This will be a job for the weekend if my UJ turns up in time.

[phazed]

What can go wrong?

[2gins]

phazed said:

What can go wrong?

Famous last words Peter!

I'll probably have a go. If it all goes south it's still cutable as long as the helical gear will sit in the dividing head securely. Just ordered the UJ so as long as it arrives for test fitting ...

[phazed]

If you want to see mine in person, have a fiddle here, I have a big vice, (that didn't sound right ).

I'm near Dorking. Free most times, (not working ).

It really is easy, famous last words!

[kevd]

Many thanks for the offer Peter I am not a million miles from you just the other side of Horsham, but I will give it a go first and see how it is shaping up, I think that taking my time and being patient is going to be essential.
How did you hold the assembly securely to keep it sturdy and stop the shaft turning when filing/cutting?
Also did you fit nylon lock stops to your rack, it looks like through reading the thread that 7mm thick spacers are required, did you use these.
Thanks Kev