jabbahutt
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 posted on 11/9/08 at 07:06 AM |
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I give up
Well I admit defeat with steering and suspension!!
I've wasted the last two weeks trying to sort out my steering and suspension and I'm no nearer than when I started.
I lined the wheels up with 0 degree toe, centralised the rack, adjusted the tie rods and going lock to lock the steering wheel still ends up at a
completely different angle to when I start turning.
I cant remove the upper ball joints from the hub to adjust the castor
And should an Mk modified rack be 5 turns locks to lock? it seems a hell of a lot of turns.
So basically I've had enough and the garage door is now closed and locked and I can't see me going back in there as I know that when I do
think I'll have another go I still won't have a clue as to what is wrong and where to start.
Many thanks for all the help but I can't see what is wrong or where I'm going wrong.
I really wanted to get it SVA'd this year but this car is fighting me every step of the way and I'm fed up with it.
My apologies for the negativity but with every problem I've encountered so far a quick post on this forum has put me on the right track but 2
weeks of posts and plenty of helpful replies it just isn't working.
Cheers all
Nigel
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mookaloid
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 07:19 AM |
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Don't give up!
You can adjust your camber without removing the top ball joints by removing the wishbone mounting bolts and turning the wish bone to wind it in
or out.
The steering rack is the standard sierra one but shortened - you need to buy a quick rack to change the number of turns from lock to lock.
Finally are there the same number of threads showing at either side of the track ord ends? - there should be.
You can centralise your steering wheel by moving the splined joint at the bottom of the steering column whre it joins the rack.
Hope that helps a bit
Cheers
Mark
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
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irvined
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 07:19 AM |
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What you obviously need is a bigger hammer mate.
If its any consolation, MikeR has been working on his steering problem for at least 5 years now.
Leave it for a couple of days, have a beer, watch some TV etc, come back into the garage, take it all off the car, check each bit isnt broken, and try
again.
Sometimes you just need to do something else for a while and come back to it before you see whats causing the problem.
HTH
David
http://irvined.blogspot.com
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Daddylonglegs
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 07:20 AM |
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Nigel,
Sorry to hear all seems to be going down the pan, but beleive me, I started my project back in 2005 and I had wonderful intentions for it all.
The first thing that came along was a divorce! Then I seeme to be travelling all over the world evry other weekend with work and felt that I was never
going to get this thing going.
I finally get time and space to get cracking in earnest and what happens? I discover that several rather crucial parts for the kit have mysteriously
gone missing during my divorce/move!
I sat down, took stock and with all the help from this forum and other sources I am renewed 
I WILL finish this project and I WILL take great pride in driving around the countryside in my creation!!
Don't give up, take a little break from it, ask a few more questions, read a few more books and I'm sure it will come together.
Phew! All this seems a bit heavy for first thing in the morning.
All the best,
JB
It looks like the Midget is winning at the moment......
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whitestu
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 07:31 AM |
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quote:
You can adjust your camber without removing the top ball joints by removing the wishbone mounting bolts and turning the wish bone to wind it in or
out.
I took the pinch bolt out of the upright, removed the mushroom, and turned that.
Keep at it - I'm sure you'll get there in the end.
Stu
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 07:35 AM |
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oh dear 
invest in a ball joint splitter, this type below is very good, I have one myself. While you are adjusting the front replace the nylock nut with a
normal one and tighten just hand tight so you can fiddle with it. I would not be to bothered with the rack either, once your up to speed, very little
movement is needed to make the car dart about.
Have a beer and go back out and finish the damn thing
[Edited on 11/9/08 by Mr Whippy]
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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jabbahutt
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 07:35 AM |
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Cheers all
My main problem is even though I've followed all the great advice on this site the steering just isn't working.
Take the steering for example. I disconnected the tie rods from the hubs, centralised the rack and set the wheels to 0 deg.
Reconnected the tie rods and adjusted making sure that the toe didn't alter.
So you'd think that doing the above and seeing the same amount of thread visible on each tie rod extension then the steering would be
straight?
I then removed the steering wheel and repostioned it straight.
But turning the steering wheel left to right or vice versa it never ends up in the same place with the wheels returned to straight, or if I go off the
steering whhel the wheels aren't pointing right.
The steering rack was brand new before getting MK to modify it?
So hopefully you can imagine that 2 weeks trying everything I can think of and trying everything kindly suggested on this forum grinds you down when
you make absolutely no progress.
The main problem is I'm completely clueless which isn't helping.
I'm going to walk away for a week or so but I'll be honest and feel rushed by this impending new test and the costs involved.
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blakep82
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 07:42 AM |
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you start with the wheels and steering wheel straight, turn from lock to lock, centre the wheels and the steering wheel is in a different position?
is the UJ on the steering collumn skipping over some splines somewhere? damaged or tightened properly?
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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jabbahutt
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 07:42 AM |
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I'd remove the mushroom but I have to stick it in the freezer for 2 days to get it too fit in the first place and it won't budge.
Plus if I did get it out wouldn't it have to go back in the freezer to refit it.
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Paul TigerB6
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 07:43 AM |
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Flippin 'eck Nigel - sounds like you are having a bit of a 'mare there.
If you need a hand i can pop around sometime?? Pretty sure we can get the steering set up and working properly given a couple of hours.
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jabbahutt
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 07:45 AM |
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The connection to the rack with the splines was a nice tight fit and doesn't appear to be slipping. It needed a couple of taps with a rubber
mallet to get it to fit.
Appreciate all the ideas of things to check, please keep them coming and I'll go through them all when I decide to go back in to the garage for
another try.
Thanks all it's much appreciated.
Nigel
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russbost
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 08:00 AM |
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Nigel
Don't give up on it mate - I've seen some of your posts b4 & I know you're probably not the most technical guy on here
(don't mean to be insulting  ). When you don't fully understand stuff, or realise the best way of going at it, it can seem like a
mountain to climb, when actually it's a mere foothill (the real mountain's not in sight yet!!! Ooops, shouldn't have said
that!!).
I would very strongly suggest you take Paul (Tiger B6) up on his generous offer of assistance. Another pair of hands, & more importantly another
mind on the job can work wonders.
If you want to talk over any parts of the problem, by all means give me a bell 07905 879407 or 01268 565169 pref during the day or early evening,
again it's often easier to understand a problem by talking it thro', &, good tho' the forum is points are not always fully
explained or understood.
Best of luck with it anyway.
Russ
I no longer run Furore Products or Furore Cars Ltd, but would still highly recommend them for Acewell dashes, projector headlights, dominator
headlights, indicators, mirrors etc, best prices in the UK! Take a look at http://www.furoreproducts.co.uk/ or find more parts on Ebay, user names
furoreltd & furoreproducts, discounts available for LCB users.
Don't forget Stainless Steel Braided brake hoses, made to your exact requirements in any of around 16 colours.
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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hughpinder
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 08:02 AM |
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Something is obviously slipping if the wheel/steering wheel alignment is not the same after moving and returning to the same point:
Steering wheel doesn't move on its shaft does it? (mark with tippex then turn lock to lock and check).
Check UJ in column and any welding if its been mdified.
The gear that engages in the rack could be damaged so it can skip, or a pin missing that stops it rotating on the shaft(or retaining bolt not tight).
I know you say its new, but manufacturing faults happen!
The track rod ends dont have stripped threads do they? (I would think that would be pretty obvious though)
Is the rack properly bolted down? If so, are the mounts man enough to not distort?
Well I'd better get some work done - best of luck
Hugh
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Werner Van Loock
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 08:08 AM |
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something is skipping, if it's not the rack then it's the splines or steering wheel (but that's hexagon or something right)
Maybe MK didn't reassemble the rack correctly when shortened.
just had a look at the sierra haynes manual (in pdf form) and it only has a exploded view of the rack, not how to disassemble and reassemble. I'm
sure this is in the escort manual (book form at home), but as you can see there's some stuff to adjust, so maybe they forgot at MK.
[Edited on 11/9/08 by Werner Van Loock]
 
Rescued attachment sierra_rack.JPG
http://www.clubstylus.be
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jabbahutt
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 08:09 AM |
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Thanks all
Yep I aint going to look a gift horse in the mouth and a U2U has been sent to Paul.
Hopefully his knowledge and my tea making abilities should get us somewhere, I'll let you know what the problem was (any money it's
something I've done wrong or connected back to front etc )
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Macbeast
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 08:19 AM |
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C'mon Nigel, you can't give up now 
I'm at roughly the same stage as you and when you post a problem, I get the benefit of the answers
I can't help with this specific one as my steering seems to line up ok and I have the Rally Design camber adjusters. My ex Escort steering rack
seems to be about 3 and a half turns end to end so I suppose that's ok. If the steering wheel doesn't return to the same place each time
there must be play in the system somewere - observation should show you where. Does the action feel smooth end to end, or is there a jump ?
But best idea is to take a few days off, go and get drunk, get laid, go on a cheapie to Amsterdam (sorry if there's a Mrs Jabba - I didn't
mean that )
Then get someone round to have a look - it's soul destroying working on your own. I've lost a lot of impetus lately and sometimes it seems
like "Is it really worth it ? " So I need you and people like you to keep me fired up. Some of my friends swear by the motto "One
day at a time "
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Paul TigerB6
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 08:24 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by jabbahutt
Hopefully his knowledge and my tea making abilities should get us somewhere, I'll let you know what the problem was (any money it's
something I've done wrong or connected back to front etc )
Just dont ask me to make an air filter back plate (right Ben??)
As with most problems its probably something that will be glaringly obvious to a fresh pair of eyes, but when its your own build you can spend hours
looking and just not see it!! Hopefully it will be a fairly simple cure
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Avoneer
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 08:27 AM |
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Ae you doing everything up tight when you turn the wheel, like the tie rod ends and ball joints?
If not, you'll get the symptons you describe.
Pat...
No trees were killed in the sending of this message.
However a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.
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jabbahutt
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 08:29 AM |
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Once again this forum is a moral saver.
Thanks for all your posts of encouragement and to Paul for his very kind offer of assistance.
I'm still putting money on the fact that Paul is going to find something really stupid that I've done, so expect a post early next week to
give you all a laugh at how stupid I was!
Could the fact I've mounted the rack at the rear of the car be a problem
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robinj66
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 08:47 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by jabbahutt
I'd remove the mushroom but I have to stick it in the freezer for 2 days to get it too fit in the first place and it won't budge.
Plus if I did get it out wouldn't it have to go back in the freezer to refit it.
I also had trouble getting the mushrooms out. I wedged a ball joint splitter fork in (with a big hammer) so that it opened out the two halves. Then
use a drift to knock out the mushroom from underneath - better to jack the car up for this.
Mushrooms appear quite reluctant to come out until they have moved up about halfway. They seem to go back in a lot easier.
All in all, it's Hammer Time
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nick205
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 10:50 AM |
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Removing the mushroom from the upright is very simple...
Remove the pinch bolt and then drive a small cold chisel into the gap to open up the upright. The mushroom will then come out very easily. Leave
the chisel in place until you re-fit the mushroom and then remove.
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mookaloid
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 12:19 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
oh dear
invest in a ball joint splitter, this type below is very good, I have one myself. While you are adjusting the front replace the nylock nut with a
normal one and tighten just hand tight so you can fiddle with it. I would not be to bothered with the rack either, once your up to speed, very little
movement is needed to make the car dart about.
Have a beer and go back out and finish the damn thing
[Edited on 11/9/08 by Mr Whippy]
Unfortunately that particular type of splitter won't work on the ball joint when it's fitted to the mushroom as the threaded end is up
inside the mushroom.
Fine on track rod ends etc.
Cheers
mark
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
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StevenB
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 12:40 PM |
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To remove the mushroom you could
take the pinch bolt out and put it back
in on the threaded side first.
Then as you turn it in drop a washer half
in to the gap so the bolt cant enter the none thread side of the casting.
The tip of the bolt tightens against the washer and pushes the gap apart.
The mushroom should pull out.
Hope I have explained that ok.
s
*
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daviep
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 01:46 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by StevenB
To remove the mushroom you could
take the pinch bolt out and put it back
in on the threaded side first.
Then as you turn it in drop a washer half
in to the gap so the bolt cant enter the none thread side of the casting.
The tip of the bolt tightens against the washer and pushes the gap apart.
The mushroom should pull out.
Hope I have explained that ok.
s
Not a bad idea, my only suggestion would be to grind down the diameter of the nose of the bolt as it will probably mushroom out a little and might
damage the threads in the upright when it's removed.
Davie
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coozer
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| posted on 11/9/08 at 02:57 PM |
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Get down to Asda and get plenty of gush in for the weekend, turn the sky on (get it in if you havent got it) and tune into Eurosport for 3 nights of
very nice MotoGP.
Take the car to MK and ask them whats wrong.
Chin up
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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