Hi,

I've been making these two strips:


Book Steering Rack Mount Plan

I've noticed a mistake in the book drawing - the Escort steering rack bolt holes are not 3 inches apart, they're a little further.

So what's the important measurement here? Should the lower hole be 3" from the bottom of the strip of should the upper hole be 1.5" from the top?

If I leave my holes as they are the rack will be 6mm further down the strips than the book design. Will I muck up my steering geometry/bump steer characteristic by leaving them as they are? Or is the difference so small (especially taking into account the slope of the mounts) that it doesn't matter?

Thanks,
Simon.

Hi leave the rack mounts till last.

If you have the rest of the front suspension setup all fitted and the chassis chocked at ride hiegt desirable for your set up. Then move and position the rack where it needs to be to give the least bump steer whilst mooving the chassis through the given change in ride height allowed by the dampers.

All the manufacturers put it in slightly different positions. For the 750 regs they will not mind where you put it as long as its saftly mounted and braced and resembels whats in the book.

cheers matt

Also, I suggest that you don't use strip - it'll bend when you tighten the rack mounting bolts. I used 25mm steel angle.

David

Thanks for the replies,

I have this plate that goes between the two strips from MNR to try to stop the flex:



I do have the rest of the front suspension on so I assume I minimise bump steer by having the track rods level when the chassis is at the middle of the possible positions permitted by the suspension?

Not commiting to fixing the position of the rack until the suspension can be tested for bump steer is good advice......

However take care to ensure that the optimum (bump steer) position for the rack does not cause problems.

In my case, I reduced the angle of the rack mounts (to reduce the offset angle of the lower rubber UJ) and positioned the rack as far foward as it would go (to eliminate any bump steer). Only to discover (some time later) that the rack ends fouled the lower wishbones on full lock and (almost) full bump.