Can anyone suggest a source for a shortened Sierra rack for an Indy ?

My n/s rack end parted company with the rack this morning which was interesting. When i got the car back home and removed the gaiter i found the thing appeared to have come unscrewed but when i tried refitting it just kept turning.

The thread on the rack end looks ok as far as i can see which must mean it's the thread inside the rack itself. I need to get hold of a replacement but where ?

MK?

can't remember the fee but a quick phone call should clear that one up.

Thanks. Ive just spoken to Baz and upgraded to a quick rack whilst i was at it. I'd always asumed they were only for track use but reading some of the older posts it sounds like they can be better for general road use too.

I'd better add that the old rack that has failed wasnt built by MK.

Check it for grease when you get it, my MK shortened rack was bone dry, I fitted a grease nipple and gave it large with the
grease gun. Not saying that MK don't grease the racks on assembly, just that mine wasn't

Looking through some of the posts on shortening steering racks it was quite worrying how many people were planning to cut down steering racks and themselves and tap a new internal thread for the rack end using DIY tools.

My advice to them would be just dont do it unless they have access to industrial drills and taps. This isnt anything like a fixing that holds the engine to the gearbox, secures bodypanels to the chassis or holds the mirrors on.
This is as important as it gets, if that DIY thread pulls loose in high speed cornering it's goodnight vienna.

This is one thing not to go too locost with.

I'm still waiting for the new rack from MK. It probably is better and safer than me trying to fix the old one with weld and redrilling and tapping but it would be even better if MK could just do what they say.


Conversation last wednesday
" i want to order a modified rack but need it very quickly as my main car is off the road so i need the Indy to run my kids round and get about."

Baz of MK " No problem, give us your details and transfer the money over now and i'll start on it straight away, you can have a straight shortened rack or a quick rack for £ 160."

"I'll go for a quick rack so long as it isn't going to take much longer to do and send out"
Baz " it shouldnt make much difference theres a bit more work but i do loads of them. just get the money over and i'll get cracking"

A couple of hours later
"Hi Baz, the money is over to MK's account and ive sent an email showing the transaction"

Baz " Thats lovely, ive seen the money in there now and ive already made a start on the rack. I'm on it now and i'll try for tonight but may not be able to get it in tonight's post, theres still an hour or two's work but i'm on it and it will be posted soon as i'm done."

A week and a day later:


"Hi Baz just wanted to see what day you sent that quick rack out last week as nothings arrived yet. You said you were trying to get it out last Wednesday if you caught the post"

Baz "No i didnt send out a rack last week. I posted one this week."
"Ok, you did say you'd do it in a hurry but there we go. Which day did you actually send it."
Baz " Dont know, it's in the post now though"
"which day"
Baz "Its in the post, bye then"

Fingers crossed it will turn up early next week.

Usual bs from mk then. Sounds like the floor they forgot to deliver with my kit. Barry told me it was in the post quite a few times, never did turn up.

Nat @RetroPower shortened my Sierra rack and swapped the internals for a quickrack.

Based in Hinckley.

Also thinking about a shorted rack but.....

The current steering is quite heavy and I have a feeling this will not improve switching to a Q-rack.
Any comments?

2nd:
When cornering there is virtually no "returning" to a central position.
Will switching to a Q-rack will have an effect?




BTW:
Did I already mentioned that driving is better than building!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by major
Also thinking about a shorted rack but.....

The current steering is quite heavy and I have a feeling this will not improve switching to a Q-rack.
Any comments?

2nd:
When cornering there is virtually no "returning" to a central position.
Will switching to a Q-rack will have an effect?




BTW:
Did I already mentioned that driving is better than building!!

---

My MK shortened standard Sierra rack has 2.5 turns lock to lock, how many turns does a shortened quick rack have?
Lack of self centering is usually due to geometry, do a search, must have been dozens of discussions over the years, it usually entails moving the top wishbone back.

2.5 turns sounds like a quick rack to me. I thought it was usually around 4 turns for a standard shortened rack.

Though changing to a quick rack won't automatic enhance self centreiing it will make it less work to steer back coming out of a turn.

Ive read some of the posts on self centreing and whilst it's certainly not a show stopper it's there on my wish list so long as it isn't too expensive to make the wishbones adjustable. Does anyone know if the standard top wishbones can be modified to add the adjusters or whether they need to be replaced with adjustable ones ?

I'm intending to fit the rack on spacers as this is known to reduce bump steer.

MK wishbones can be modified to fit rod ends, as picture below. With regards to fitting your rack on spacers, you need to first check whether you actually have bump steer or not. If your rack is already the correct length, you will introduce bump steer by using spacers........

Phil


Front wishbones

Thanks Phil,
Can you reccommend anyone who can do the wishbone mod ?. Point taken about inducing bump steer, Ive got some instructions from Whitestu on measuring for bumpsteer with a laser level.

Still waiting for the rack to arrive from the Chuckle Brothers

The new rack arrived yesterday. It seems very tight compared to the old rack and every other rack ive handled. I slid back the gaiters to add some extra grease but it doesn't seem to have eased up much and on the car it feels as heavy as a car with failed PAS.

Is there a trick to adjusting the preload ? The old rack had a threaded plug that could be knocked round carefully with a screwdriver but this one has a large plastic plug that looks like it needs a giant conical allen key.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Not Anumber
The new rack arrived yesterday. It seems very tight compared to the old rack and every other rack ive handled. I slid back the gaiters to add some extra grease but it doesn't seem to have eased up much and on the car it feels as heavy as a car with failed PAS.

Is there a trick to adjusting the preload ? The old rack had a threaded plug that could be knocked round carefully with a screwdriver but this one has a large plastic plug that looks like it needs a giant conical allen key.

---

There wasn't much grease on the rack when it arrived so i took the boots off and added some. Drilling and threading the tube for a grease nipple is beyond me though, especially as the rack is now in the car and the car is currently my only transport. I'll have to look out for a big allen key.

Have you considered finding a bolt with the right size head to fit it then using 2 nuts locked together on the thread to turn it? I'm sure that's how I did it with another rack.

Andy