Steering Rack dismantling with pics
Discussion
Spurred on from Irelands thread.....
Finally found a bit of time to take some pic's of the steering rack I dismantled over a year ago after fitting a Tuscan rack into my cerbie due to the original leaking from one of the rack seals.
Now this wasn't all the racks fault, I am using the LS1 PS pump which puts out considerably more pressure than the TVR rack needed hence the blown seals etc. IIRC TVR rack wanted to see around 700psi but the LS1 PS pump was putting out 1400psi. Was easy to park though, only needed one finger
Anyway all sorted by reducing the LS1 PS pump output pressure, but due to the offside rack seal blowing (filling the steering gaitor up with fluid), the rack had to come out so I fitted an early tuscan rack from a cheap breaker. Cut a short story long, rack and pump have been fine ever since.
So back on topic, I now had an original TVR rack which needed overhaul, now these things aint complicated, There's only four seals in the whole thing. 2 either side of the distrubution head (bit the steering column bolts to) these stop the fluid coming out at the steering column and also stop the fluid getting into where the rack and pinion gears are. Removing/replacing these is discussed in another thread I've seen before so not going to talk about it here, going to concentrate on the rack itself.
The other two seals are at either end on the actual rack. these stop the fluid coming out as the rack moves back and forth.
The nearside seal is relatively easy to get to and can be changed with the rack in the car, the track rod needs to be removed and then the seal can be replaced after removing the metal plate around the rack held in place with a circlip. Been there done that
The offside is the tricky one as this is actually in the centre of the rack casting and also stops the fluid entering where the gears mesh.
Right....(rolls sleeves up)... the pic above shows the rack minus the track rods. Note where the steering column would enter the rack (RHS lower hole) the top hole is for the pre tension on the gear mesh, you can nip this up to remove free play but be warned too tight will further reduce the cerbie's inability to self centre, so don't go mad.
Moving along the casting right to left..... you see where the "ribbed" section becomes smooth just before the first hose port, thats where the offside seal lives. This smooth section is the bore through which the piston(attached to the rack) moves through.
At the far left you can see a large nut, This is the end of the rack and unscrews from the main casting as below.
I say unscrews, it aint quiet as simple as that, in fact its a bloody nightmare to get it apart. The aluminium just binds up, both parts are alley. Maybe it cold welds over the years together.
I tend to think if anyone has had a rack refurbished and been told the rack is beyond repair I wouldn't mind betting this is where they break it. I soaked mine for weeks in Coca Cola trying to get a bit of turn on it every now and then, used a bit of heat and still managed to damage a couple of threads
Here it is apart, there seemed to be some sort of seal but it was more like loads of loctite you can see it in the next pic above the threads.
With the rack end off you can remove the rack itself, the white bit is the PTFE seal which runs up and down the bore inside the rack casting.
Now we can look down the rack casting to see the BACK of the nearside seal, the shine is from the springy bit around the back of the lip seal. Hopefully you can see it by zooming in.
Now this is how far I've got as there is no easy way to remove this seal, its far to far down the bore to knock/lever out and you run the risk of damaging the bore. Actually I did wonder if this is why we often see threads on refurbed racks leaking within a matter of weeks, scratched bore during seal removal
If you look from the other end you can't see anything of the seal as it is flush with the sides of the hole through to where the gears sits so no good making up a tool to knock it out
Warm the casting up to try and free it??? Not been that brave yet
Once its removed it'll be pretty straight forward to build the rack up again.
Anyway thats it, simple bit of kit in operation but what a work up.
Hope it helps someone out.
Rich.
Finally found a bit of time to take some pic's of the steering rack I dismantled over a year ago after fitting a Tuscan rack into my cerbie due to the original leaking from one of the rack seals.
Now this wasn't all the racks fault, I am using the LS1 PS pump which puts out considerably more pressure than the TVR rack needed hence the blown seals etc. IIRC TVR rack wanted to see around 700psi but the LS1 PS pump was putting out 1400psi. Was easy to park though, only needed one finger
Anyway all sorted by reducing the LS1 PS pump output pressure, but due to the offside rack seal blowing (filling the steering gaitor up with fluid), the rack had to come out so I fitted an early tuscan rack from a cheap breaker. Cut a short story long, rack and pump have been fine ever since.
So back on topic, I now had an original TVR rack which needed overhaul, now these things aint complicated, There's only four seals in the whole thing. 2 either side of the distrubution head (bit the steering column bolts to) these stop the fluid coming out at the steering column and also stop the fluid getting into where the rack and pinion gears are. Removing/replacing these is discussed in another thread I've seen before so not going to talk about it here, going to concentrate on the rack itself.
The other two seals are at either end on the actual rack. these stop the fluid coming out as the rack moves back and forth.
The nearside seal is relatively easy to get to and can be changed with the rack in the car, the track rod needs to be removed and then the seal can be replaced after removing the metal plate around the rack held in place with a circlip. Been there done that
The offside is the tricky one as this is actually in the centre of the rack casting and also stops the fluid entering where the gears mesh.
Right....(rolls sleeves up)... the pic above shows the rack minus the track rods. Note where the steering column would enter the rack (RHS lower hole) the top hole is for the pre tension on the gear mesh, you can nip this up to remove free play but be warned too tight will further reduce the cerbie's inability to self centre, so don't go mad.
Moving along the casting right to left..... you see where the "ribbed" section becomes smooth just before the first hose port, thats where the offside seal lives. This smooth section is the bore through which the piston(attached to the rack) moves through.
At the far left you can see a large nut, This is the end of the rack and unscrews from the main casting as below.
I say unscrews, it aint quiet as simple as that, in fact its a bloody nightmare to get it apart. The aluminium just binds up, both parts are alley. Maybe it cold welds over the years together.
I tend to think if anyone has had a rack refurbished and been told the rack is beyond repair I wouldn't mind betting this is where they break it. I soaked mine for weeks in Coca Cola trying to get a bit of turn on it every now and then, used a bit of heat and still managed to damage a couple of threads
Here it is apart, there seemed to be some sort of seal but it was more like loads of loctite you can see it in the next pic above the threads.
With the rack end off you can remove the rack itself, the white bit is the PTFE seal which runs up and down the bore inside the rack casting.
Now we can look down the rack casting to see the BACK of the nearside seal, the shine is from the springy bit around the back of the lip seal. Hopefully you can see it by zooming in.
Now this is how far I've got as there is no easy way to remove this seal, its far to far down the bore to knock/lever out and you run the risk of damaging the bore. Actually I did wonder if this is why we often see threads on refurbed racks leaking within a matter of weeks, scratched bore during seal removal
If you look from the other end you can't see anything of the seal as it is flush with the sides of the hole through to where the gears sits so no good making up a tool to knock it out
Warm the casting up to try and free it??? Not been that brave yet
Once its removed it'll be pretty straight forward to build the rack up again.
Anyway thats it, simple bit of kit in operation but what a work up.
Hope it helps someone out.
Rich.
A suggestion,
how about a couple of motorcycle spokes with a bend in each. Take these and insert them into a piece of thin tube so the bent ends are squeezed together when you insert them. Slide this assembly up the tube and withdraw the tube so that the spokes spring behind the seal (if there is space) then screw on the nipple with a small weigh inbetween as an impromptu slide hammer.
Of course if there is no space behind the seal you're in even more trouble than I thought!
how about a couple of motorcycle spokes with a bend in each. Take these and insert them into a piece of thin tube so the bent ends are squeezed together when you insert them. Slide this assembly up the tube and withdraw the tube so that the spokes spring behind the seal (if there is space) then screw on the nipple with a small weigh inbetween as an impromptu slide hammer.
Of course if there is no space behind the seal you're in even more trouble than I thought!
If you can't get any purchase in the seal how about expanding something inside it?
Motorcycle bar ends are held on with a piece of rubber with a bolt going through the middle, when the bolt is tightened the rubber expands wedging it in the handlebar.
Is there no way you can use this techniquie to get it to move a little and make life a little easier?
Motorcycle bar ends are held on with a piece of rubber with a bolt going through the middle, when the bolt is tightened the rubber expands wedging it in the handlebar.
Is there no way you can use this techniquie to get it to move a little and make life a little easier?
So, going by what you've said and looking at the last picture, am I right in thinking that the seal comes out toward the camera?
If so, how about using an internal bearing puller on it mounted on a long stud? Not the 'half ball' type but the finger type that as you screw into it, it widens the fingers to grip it?
If so, how about using an internal bearing puller on it mounted on a long stud? Not the 'half ball' type but the finger type that as you screw into it, it widens the fingers to grip it?
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