Steering rack for Lhd S3C

[roulli]

Hi,

I bought my first TVR (LHd S3C) this Tuesday. It has covered only 70.000km and the steering rack is worn. It has got free play which influences of course the on center feel of the steering. Luckily I noticed when buying the car, so I could reduce the price.
Question: Is there anybody out, who has experienced the same problem with the rack? Before I'm looking into refurbishing, is there anybody who has a spare rack for sale?
Or is there a Ford or non TVR rack that might fit as well and be of higher quality for lower price?

Cheers - Patrick

[LeeBee]

The racks are TVR specific (well the RHD ones are).I am currently getting some new ones made up (in conjuntion with a famous chassis company )but these will be for RHD cars as the racks are being made rather than being reconditioned.The best thing to do is get yours reconned as I am having a nightmare getting RHD ones done!

Cheers

LeeBee

[roulli]

LeeBee,

where shall I recondition the steering?
what where the nightmares about, you had when you had yours done?
what is actually the part that wears, if it is only a brass bearing it might be replaced by a serious Garage over here, that deals with old rare british cars, rather than sending it over the channel?
what effort (£) would it take to your chassis specialist to make Lhd versions as well? it seems that this steerings prone to wear on Lhd cars as well.

thanks for your response
cheers Patrick

[LeeBee]

The only place I have got a positive response from so far is Christopher Neil (TVR/Lotus dealer 01606 41481) who said they can get it done.The main problem is after spending a while researching the racks it would appear TVR have got a batch made using non standard parts which are now proving difficult to find.I could get LHD racks made but it is down to cost as I would only have a handful made (any idea how many LHD S's there are?) and this would prove very expensive as the tooling costs are going to be high, I would also need your rack here as a pattern.I should be getting a quote from them this week

Cheers

LeeBee

[roulli]

Eventually I found a used one from an V8S. Does it fit to an S3C since this one has not yet the modified chassis.

[roulli]

Eventually I found a used one from an V8S. Does it fit to an S3C since this one has not yet the modified chassis.

[roulli]

Eventually I found a used one from an V8S. Does it fit to an S3C since this one has not yet the modified chassis.

[roulli]

Eventually I found a used one from an V8S. Does it fit to an S3C since this one has not yet the modified chassis.

[LeeBee]

It should fit but you had better remove the old one first to see if the track rod ends can be screwed in enough, incedentally I had a good measure of a V8S the other day and its not that different

Cheers

LeeBee

[roulli]

Leebee,

Blackpool told me I should forget about fitting an V8S steering rack to an S3C, as one cannot interchange track rods and V8 track rods to not fit S3 track rod ends...

Anyway I opened the steering myself and decided to get it refurbished here in Luxembourg at a general machining cie.

The rack will need to polished(where it is guided) and I asked them to pressfit a bronze bearing into the cast housing. The bearing will then be adapted to the polished rack.

I will displace the pinion by 180° on centre, compared to the original position. This makes sense, as it is the pinion that is slightly worn on centre and 360°left and right of 0°. So it can't be the rack, that is worn.

The ball & needle bearings of the pinion will also be replaced

I will inform about the results, when I have my tiv on the street again. (after geometry check of course).

Suspensionwise: what do you recommend me to look into after the steering: polybushes or new springs & shocks
My S3C has 70.000km, Koni's and the windings of the springs are tighter on top and underneath. Body roll is ok at lane change, but impressive for a sportscar in steady state (roundabout)

Cheers Patrick