I got my bones and rack on today, and connected a hub onto it all, but encountered a string of problems. So its time to lean on you all again!

<u>Problem 1</u>

My lower wishbone cant go below horizontal when connected to the hub cos when it is horizontal the cortina BJ is already at full lean inwards. This is due to the fact that the hole on the bottom of the hub (its a sierra hub drilled by MK) leans down, making the ball joint taper lean in at 'rest'.

Now maybe i'm being daft and it isn't meant to go down, but im sure it should. When the car is at rest should the wishbones be level-ish?

The only cure i can think of is (apart from making new bones) is to make the cortina ball joint lean in by sticking some washers under the outside bolts.

Any ideas folks?

<u>Problem 2</u>

The steering rack. I went to MK to get it modified, and was halfway home before i realised that he had shortened it but not added anything onto the TC arms. Gonna get new ends, but what is a good way to lengthen the arms? The are approx 13mm round, so too small to use most tubes as you would on the bottom of the steering column. I need a good 4 to 6 inch on each end i think, though obviously i'll have to measure better first!

Problem 3 doesnt get underlined cos it wasnt too bad, just need to grind down the wishbones so they dont hit the discs on lock....

<u>Problem 4</u> gets its own thread cos its quite concerning and not very simple...

Thanx all for any help on 1 and 2!

Joel

doesnt the MK parts use a non cortina ball joint - maxi?

I have used sierra type hubs and also found that the bottom joint is at an extreme edge. I had to modify my very unstandard 'bones' so that the big tab at the back of the joint that has the 12mm bolts is almost flat to the bones.

The top joint also restricts movement and on the mk bones is angled so that it suits the angle of the strut clamp. if you dont observe these issues the suspension WILL bottom out as you are seeing.

Worse, it bottoms out at different points depending on steering angle!

You ABSOLUTLEY need the suspension to have a fair degree of 'droop'.

If you dont, when you hit a bump or pothole, the rebound will force the suspension down past level and something has to give.

potentially very dangerous.

I set my shocks up so that the car has about 2 ins of droop before the car loads em up, which is approx level.

atb

steve

[Edited on 5/9/03 by stephen_gusterson]

Makes sense. I made the bottom bones, thats why they dont use maxi bits like MK. So i need to reangle the ball joint?

Bummer...

Having said that, the bones are poor anyway...

Its taken me 3 attempts to get the front end the way I want it - hooefully sorted over the weekend!

atb

steve

Hi Joel,

I've been thinking about the same thing.

I'd be down the local scrappy with a tape measure.

I think they're mild steel, but they've got a backward thread at one end, so unless you've got something that'll make a backward thread...

I personally wouldn't cut and weld.

Cheers
- Greg H

I just bought new tie rod ends for my granada rack yesterday, and the seem to both have a 'normal' thread.

Thinking about it, would wouldnt they be? They are locked with a nut anyway, and just need to get longer or shorter on the rod......so does orientation matter?

My granada ones had two different part numbers, but this was cos the ends have a 'set' in them that puts them out of line to the rod they screw on.

atb

steve.

Well theres no way i can make a thread tapped extension, thats for sure! So its either weld or no idea!

What have other people done about lengthening the rack? Does any company sell threaded extensions?

Joel,
if you weld them and mr mot spots the witness marks you will fail, this has been discussed before so if you must weld then make sure you can hide the joint under the gaitor, failing that there are a few of us on here that can turn you up a couple of extensions for a price. Don't MK do extensions?

Thanx viper. I'll check MK on the morrow, if he doesnt do them then is it a known type of thread that is needed? And would anyone like to put themselves forward and suggest a price?! Open to all offers and thanx in advance!

If you can't find what you need give me a shout and i will see what i can do.

lolocost do 'em

stephen_gusterson:

quote:

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I just bought new tie rod ends for my granada rack yesterday, and the seem to both have a 'normal' thread.
Thinking about it, would wouldnt they be?

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Hi Rorty...

Let me double check what you are explaining :


My car is rack and pinion. Each 'end' from the rack can be individually adjusted as there is rotation inside the rack at the pivot joint. I can unslacken the nut at either end, leave the rod end joint in place, and just twist the rod. This adjusts the rod length at one side only (obviously the effect is shared between wheels once steering is centered).

Each 'end joint' - (im told by the motor factor we still call these track rod ends in the UK) - has a conventional thread. You can swap the joints from side to side.


I can imagine that in an 'old fashioned' tie rod system, where there is a steering arm, like recirculating ball, that there is one rod connecting the ends together and no inner joints. Having the ability to twist the whole rod as one, would need one end to have a left hand thread.


does this make sense and was it what you were describing?


atb

steve


[Edited on 9/9/03 by stephen_gusterson]

stephen_gusterson:

quote:

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does this make sense and was it what you were describing?

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