Older Steering Rack - Repair or Replace?

[Farlig]

Anyone any good experience of "new" triumph steering racks ie the ones being sold by either Rimmer or Moss etc...?

My rack ('68 S3) has developed some play in the offside track rod inner balljoint & I'm finding it hard to locate a suitable selection of shims online.. To boot, it's probably indicative of the whole rack needing attention sooner rather than later... there may be some rack to body wear too...

A new rack is not that expensive at circa 130 quid plus vat but I've read good and bad on the quality of these newer racks... anyone got a clue or any good advice??

Cheers,
Neil.

[john7]

Take care - I think that the Caterham rack is actually modified to suit the car. The later/newer racks are slightly different than the older types and I think fittment is not just a straight swap. I had an earlier rack reconditioned for £50 and it came back like new.

[Farlig]

Hi John - I believe the only "modification" required to the rack is to fit the lock-stops from the older rack. This was advice from Redline...

I don't actually want to go the reconditioned route for two reasons: a) I'm in a "remote" location (Norway) and b) I've had bad experience with recon racks before - barely a paint job done & play developing again in just a few hundred miles. Whilst I'm sure I can't tar all the rack re-builders with the same brush, it's a risk I'm not willing to take. I'd do it myself but finding the shims these days is becoming difficult and after emigrating I no longer have a garage full of "spares" to rob... (had a few triumphs in my youth ;-)

Cheers,
Neil.

[Kghaas]

Are you sure you have a Triumph steering rack?

On the Lotus S4 it is an Ford Escort Burrman rack. I swapped it for a new Escort MK1/2 quick ratio rack. they are identical..

[Farlig]

Hi Knut - yep certain it's a Triumph - even had photos id'd by Mick at Redline to make sure ;-)


Edit: has anyone any experience of fitting the later (Titan) rack into an older chassis?
I'm Interested in clamping location, match of splines to older columns etc

Cheers,
Neil.

Edited by Farlig on Wednesday 1st February 11:49