Vixen alloy steering rack mounts

[280i]

I have a 1971 Vixen 2500 (vixen framed car not M framed). and i have been thinking of using Solid aluminum steering rack mounts.
I can get a set of these very inexpensively (see link)
http://www.goodparts.com/shop/index.php?categoryID...

They are advertised to be used on the Triumph TR6 - do folks think they will fit my car? Should they just bolt in with no issues? I have been told everything from this specialist is very high quality.

My car is 100% stock with the original mounts still in place.

Thoughts?

[ATE399J]

This weekend I fitted solid steering rack mounts to my Tuscan. I sourced them from Adrian Venn. I think there are differences be between TVR and Triumph so I would go to a TVR supplier rather than buy the Truimph ones and risk having to 'do the job twice'.

[Astacus]

There was a discussion about this a year or so ago, but I cant find it at the moment

[jastx]

May not apply to your '71 Vixen but the alloy mounts from Good Parts are what I have on my '77 2500M.

John

[RCK974X]

My '72 S3 has standard Triumph "small car" rack clamps+rubbers (= Spitfire, Vitesse, Herald, GT6,...)
I think the 2000/2500/TR6/Stag were the same but not sure. The alloy 'block' type mounts for Spitfire etc will work fine on mine, but they leave the rack a bit too close to the TVR chassis, and you may need a spacer under them. U bolts are long enough for a spacer.
(I tried a set out for size on mine when rebuilding)


When going to kit car meets, a few builders told me the solid mounts produce too much feedback and make the car feel very 'jumpy' on the steering....just what I heard anyway

[280i]

Jastx - was there an issue fitting the GoodPart rack mounts? Did they just bolt in with no fuss? Did the car feel any different after you put them in?
Anyone else have experence fitting this sort of rack mount on a vixen?
i would think the 2500M would have the same mount as the vixen ?

[tomtrout]

I have fitted solid rack mounts to my car with no problems but I'm afraid I can't comment on how they feel over the original mountings.

[Moto]

RCK974X said:

a few builders told me the solid mounts produce too much feedback and make the car feel very 'jumpy' on the steering....just what I heard anyway

I run original rubber mounts and find the steering feedback jumpy. If I was going to do anything I'd be looking for a way to reduce this not enhance it.

[heightswitch]

Solid mounts....





I find that sticking with the 40 year old worn rubber bushes is also a good way to lessen any steering kick back.
N.

[pridaux]

heightswitch said:

Solid mounts....





I find that sticking with the 40 year old worn rubber bushes is also a good way to lessen any steering kick back.
N.

Never been accused of over engineering I guess
Nice one
A

[thegamekeeper]

pridaux said:

heightswitch said:

Solid mounts....





I find that sticking with the 40 year old worn rubber bushes is also a good way to lessen any steering kick back.
N.

Never been accused of over engineering I guess
Nice one
A

To recognise "over engineering" you first need to know what engineering is! Perhaps Neil has done this deliberately to reduce steering kick back, if you look you will see his mounting blocks cause the track rods to be in line with the steering arms. There is a bit more to it than that but everything is not improved with chrome.

[heightswitch]

thegamekeeper said:

To recognise "over engineering" you first need to know what engineering is! Perhaps Neil has done this deliberately to reduce steering kick back, if you look you will see his mounting blocks cause the track rods to be in line with the steering arms. There is a bit more to it than that but everything is not improved with chrome.

The question was asked as to solid mount...These mounts are Fu**ing solid !!

This was MK1 bye the way,,Bolts are now 10mm
N.

Edited by heightswitch on Thursday 30th May 18:29

[jastx]

280i said:

Jastx - was there an issue fitting the GoodPart rack mounts? Did they just bolt in with no fuss? Did the car feel any different after you put them in?
Anyone else have experence fitting this sort of rack mount on a vixen?
i would think the 2500M would have the same mount as the vixen ?

I had no issues mounting the Goodparts solid rack mounts (except getting to the rack underneath a fiberglass fan shroud system). The steering was definitely different...now the wheels actually begin to turn when turning the steering wheel. If you check my post on 2500M steering, you will see I'm not a fan at the moment and want to make some changes to make it quicker and feel better.

Good luck with your Vixen!

[heightswitch]

jastx said:

I had no issues mounting the Goodparts solid rack mounts (except getting to the rack underneath a fiberglass fan shroud system). The steering was definitely different...now the wheels actually begin to turn when turning the steering wheel. If you check my post on 2500M steering, you will see I'm not a fan at the moment and want to make some changes to make it quicker and feel better.

Good luck with your Vixen!

There is nothing wrong with installing solid alloy rack mounts. They don't have to be purchased from america. They have been available as triumph tune items for years..

Fitting them however will NOT. eliminate the inherent bump steer that came as std with the vixen S2 and S3

N.

[RCK974X]

Just for completeness, those are VERY different to the ones I tried, which had what looked like the original U bolts with an ally version of the rubber profile. (I hope that makes sense !).


Hey Heightswitch - That's some nice engineering, modded/new chassis mounts too....
I see your blocks raise the rack quite bit above the chassis, certainly a lot more than the standard mounts - does this help with bump steer ?

Edited by RCK974X on Thursday 30th May 21:11

[heightswitch]

RCK974X said:

Just for completeness, those are VERY different to the ones I tried, which had what looked like the original U bolts with an ally version of the rubber profile. (I hope that makes sense !).


Hey Heightswitch - That's some nice engineering, modded/new chassis mounts too....
I see your blocks raise the rack quite bit above the chassis, certainly a lot more than the standard mounts - does this help with bump steer ?

Edited by RCK974X on Thursday 30th May 21:11

Not sure..I have never had any bump steer..Then again its only outing was on a very smooth circuit??

[pridaux]

thegamekeeper said:

pridaux said:

heightswitch said:

Solid mounts....





I find that sticking with the 40 year old worn rubber bushes is also a good way to lessen any steering kick back.
N.

Never been accused of over engineering I guess
Nice one
A

To recognise "over engineering" you first need to know what engineering is! Perhaps Neil has done this deliberately to reduce steering kick back, if you look you will see his mounting blocks cause the track rods to be in line with the steering arms. There is a bit more to it than that but everything is not improved with chrome.

Hi Steve
Great to see your still in the GAME and KEEPING and eye on us
Yes Fabrication is more my thing but I do recognise Good Engineering.
What I don't really understand is why buy a classic car and then re engineer the car to take out the Characteristics that go hand in hand with the car otherwise in your words just buy an MX5.
Unless you want to achieve something on the Track that in many ways the car was never built to achieve and great if that is what you want to do.
Yes Polly Bushes etc help a lot and I guess when I hit a pot hole at 90 to 100 overtaking some lorries on the way back from Spa (scary but fun) the kick back would have been far worse without them.
However the steering between the 3000s and the Vixen is so different and I love them both for different reasons.
And Chrome that's a matter of whatever floats your boat but really looking forward to seeing a certain M Series Race car that will combine the best of both Engineering and Bling.
Andrew
PS Keep Well and

[RCK974X]

OK, talking about bump steer, I've heard several versions of "where best to align the rack"...

1. Mount rack in line with lower suspension arm inner pivot(or as close to it as poss).

2. Mount rack so that the track rod is parallel to the lower arm.

3. Mount rack at the 'effective pivot height" of the front hubs.
(which I reckon is tricky to decide on a setup with different length upper and lower arms)

4. Mount rack at height of actual stub axle at mid load.

Any opinions ?

As far as I can see, TVR went for approach 1 (possibly 2 ?) .....
or did they just copy the original Triumph setup ?

Edited by RCK974X on Friday 31st May 00:33

[Fiscracer]

I'm not an expert but...

At normal ride height (with driver) have rack at a height so ends are horizontal (or slightly down at ends) and have the arms the same length as the lower wishbone so they describe the same arc.

[heightswitch]

pridaux said:

Hi Steve
Great to see your still in the GAME and KEEPING and eye on us
Yes Fabrication is more my thing but I do recognise Good Engineering.
What I don't really understand is why buy a classic car and then re engineer the car to take out the Characteristics that go hand in hand with the car otherwise in your words just buy an MX5.
Unless you want to achieve something on the Track that in many ways the car was never built to achieve and great if that is what you want to do.
Yes Polly Bushes etc help a lot and I guess when I hit a pot hole at 90 to 100 overtaking some lorries on the way back from Spa (scary but fun) the kick back would have been far worse without them.
However the steering between the 3000s and the Vixen is so different and I love them both for different reasons.
And Chrome that's a matter of whatever floats your boat but really looking forward to seeing a certain M Series Race car that will combine the best of both Engineering and Bling.
Andrew
PS Keep Well and

Andrew.
The kick back in your car with poly bushes alone will be far worse than with old std set up You may want to revert back to soft rubber.
Bump steer is a poor suspension characteristic on an S2 and S3 which was never quite "gotten round to" by TVR chassis builders at the time. If you think that a car darting off into a ditch when it hits a pot hole is good then all I can say is enjoy.
I am puzzled why anyone would go to the trouble of fitting poly bushes to solidly locate a rack though if they ultimately didn't want it to steer properly in the first place?

No one in their right mind would want to have a car with bump steer when it is relatively easy to tune out....Especially on a vixen chassis surely!
I would also point out that It doesn't need anything as complex as the set up on my car to eradicate. There are a couple of very minor mods well known to die hard TVR enthusiasts and specialists which can eliminate the problem for a few pennies
I would tell you on an open forum but would have to kill you .

In all seriousness in the late 70's steve modelled the arc of travel against the ackerman angles and devised some geometry changes to cure the known problems There is a possibility of getting it wrong and making the car worse though so is not something just to pass over a t'interweb forum where the info can be misinterpreted.

N.