steering rack play at track rod ball housing -early fhc

[french dave]

hi all,overhauling the steering system ive found some play at the nearside track rod ball housing.Rack is Cortina mk4?Can you get the parts to overhaul -locking pin,spring and ball seat?i believe you have to redrill for the locking pin ,fit and peen over.dont know if this is possible in situ or involves rack removal or even if its a diy task - anyone attempted it?help locating parts? thanks merry xmas to you all dave

[wild rover]

Check Burton power for a new rack. A couple of hours to replace. That's not including coffee breaks.

[mrzigazaga]

As said, probably easier fitting a new rack...if it is manual......not PAS

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-New-Ford-Cortina-...

[french dave]

hi all,happy new year to everyone.just a thought if i need a new rack are the track rod ends cortina or tvr specials?found worse play in steering coloumn through bulkhead bush - virtually non exsistant so will replace with bearing/ housing and play in lower u/j to rack .Will swap out top coloumn bushes x2 as well as there only a few quid while all apart.play in track rod ball housing felt when road wheel off the floor -may try skid plates under front wheels to see if play is as bad! at normal ride height.thanks

[Grady]

BTW - There are a number of bulkhead bushing replacement threads hat you will want to check out. Grady

[adam quantrill]

Yeah I am about to do mine. RS Stock No. 750-8778

What's the mileage on the car?

[french dave]

hi adam,mileage is 43500.

[mrzigazaga]

french dave said:

hi all,happy new year to everyone.just a thought if i need a new rack are the track rod ends cortina or tvr specials?found worse play in steering coloumn through bulkhead bush - virtually non exsistant so will replace with bearing/ housing and play in lower u/j to rack .Will swap out top coloumn bushes x2 as well as there only a few quid while all apart.play in track rod ball housing felt when road wheel off the floor -may try skid plates under front wheels to see if play is as bad! at normal ride height.thanks

Cortina mk4/5 track rod ends...If your bulkhead bush is naggered then you will have a scuttle shake....check your upper & lower ball joints too, again cortina mk4/5 if you need to replace...

Hope this helps...

Ziga

[french dave]

Hi,I was kindly left a bearing block by Joe Walsh with some other spares when I purchased the car.KG Bearing UCFL204-12.l shall fit this on the foot well side of the bulkhead.The wafer thin plate with the useless bush in the wheel well side i will replace with a thicker fibreglass plate and a poly bush from Rimmers-though probably not really needed!.All put together this afternoon,just need to tighten upper/lower u/j s.
Alignment - the car has always pulled to the left a little previously when letting go of steering wheel.I've guessed the centering of the rack,had string round the car across the centres of the wheels,kept upper/lower u/j s in phase and steering coloumn/wheel set dead ahead.ive tow,d in a few mm off the string line.My only concern is one track rod end is showing more thread than tuther ?
If the rack is not centered would it cause the car to wander off? If nothing else binding etc or just reduce turning circle on one side??or is it a tracking issue.Will test drive soon- fingers crossed!

[french dave]

bearing/housing.

Edited by french dave on Saturday 4th January 18:50

[french dave]

beefier fibre-glass plate with poly bush

Edited by french dave on Saturday 4th January 18:51

Edited by french dave on Saturday 4th January 18:53

[french dave]

flow coated prior to fit

Edited by french dave on Saturday 4th January 18:52

[french dave]

foot well side

Edited by french dave on Saturday 4th January 18:53

[french dave]

wheel-well side

Edited by french dave on Saturday 4th January 18:54

[french dave]

skinny original plate/so called bush!

Edited by french dave on Saturday 4th January 18:55

[mrzigazaga]

If the 4 wheel alignment has never been done then that is a good place to start, especially if parts have been replaced.

[adam quantrill]

french dave said:

hi adam,mileage is 43500.

It's likely then that the wear at the inner rod end can be taken up by nipping up the adjuster at that end (the one that clamps the rod end to the rack) just enough to take out the play. You'll need to re-stake the adjuster afterwards.

[french dave]

Hi,anyone know if the locking pins are obtainable and from where?Thanks dave