David Jenkins
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| posted on 4/11/06 at 03:36 PM |
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Steering rack...
Originally my car had the original 3.5 turn steering rack - very smooth, but took a lot of winding. I replaced it last year with a RalDes 2.4 turn
quick rack - nice and quick, but it doesn't feel good: a bit of free motion, and not at all smooth. I put the old rack back on this afternoon,
and went out for a quick drive - I missed the quick action, but the steering is SO much nicer. I know the gearing makes a lot of difference, but the
action was much smoother.
The free motion is due to a very slightly undersized splined shaft - it's only fixed when I tighten the bolt more than I'm comfortable
with, and it loosens with time. This problem is probably fixable with a longer bolt and a nut.
The smoothness is a different issue - the original rack was lubricated with oil, but the RalDes one is greased. Strange as it may seem, it feels like
a greased system, rather than oiled! Has anyone tried stripping and cleaning their RalDes rack, and putting in oil? Any reason why I shouldn't
do it?
cheers,
David
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procomp
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| posted on 4/11/06 at 04:00 PM |
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Hi it sound like you have one of thier older type ones wich can be taken apart but to be honest i think you have one of the ones from a bad batch of
machined rack bars.
If it is the new current supply from them i think ( but havent tried ) you cant take them apart as they look like a one way fittment on the arms from
what i remember as they were refered to as desposable.
Give them a ring and see what they say about it being notchy and stiff as i said there was a bad batch from thier supplier of the older type ones.
cheers matt
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Peteff
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| posted on 4/11/06 at 04:08 PM |
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Do you mean the spline doesn't fit properly?
That's a problem in itself. I doubt if you could feel the difference between a greased or oiled rack in everyday use it could be a problem with
the rack itself, pinion preload can cause excess movement and lumpy feel.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 7/11/06 at 01:16 PM |
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Good service!
Well, I rang Rally Design yesterday, and the conversation went like this:
Me: "I'm having trouble with my steering rack..."
Bloke 1: "Hang on, I'll get the steering rack man"
<short pause>
Bloke 2: "What's the problem?"
Me: <brief explanation of problems>
Bloke 2: "Got to ask - has it been in an accident?"
Me: "Nope"
Bloke 2: "OK - can you get it out of the car?"
Me: "Already out"
Bloke 2: "OK - Wrap it up, I'll send a new one, and the courier will take the old one away"
...and today, I got my replacement rack!
You really can't argue with service like that. 
(Oh - and the replacement does feel nicer, even before I put it in the car)
David
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procomp
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| posted on 7/11/06 at 02:15 PM |
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Hi well you just cant argue with that can you.
cheers matt
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TimC
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| posted on 7/11/06 at 03:53 PM |
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Great service.
Sound advice from Matt too!
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