JoelP
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| posted on 5/9/03 at 06:12 PM |
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Multiple Front End Problems
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
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 5/9/03 at 06:29 PM |
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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]
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JoelP
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| posted on 5/9/03 at 06:40 PM |
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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...
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 5/9/03 at 09:18 PM |
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Its taken me 3 attempts to get the front end the way I want it - hooefully sorted over the weekend!
atb
steve
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kiwirex
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| posted on 7/9/03 at 08:45 AM |
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Tie Rods
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
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 7/9/03 at 08:42 PM |
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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? 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.
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JoelP
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| posted on 7/9/03 at 10:12 PM |
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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?
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Viper
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| posted on 7/9/03 at 10:17 PM |
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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?
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JoelP
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| posted on 7/9/03 at 10:35 PM |
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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!
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Viper
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| posted on 7/9/03 at 10:40 PM |
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If you can't find what you need give me a shout and i will see what i can do.
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Jon Bradbury
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| posted on 8/9/03 at 12:01 PM |
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lolocost do 'em
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Rorty
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| posted on 9/9/03 at 05:18 AM |
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stephen_gusterson:
quote:
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?
Not really. Cars that have "loose" tie rods have a right hand thread at one end, and a left hand thread at t'other.
All you have to do to adjust the toe, is to slack off the two lock nuts and turn the tie rod. With the two different threads, the wheel will simply
angle in or out as you turn the rod.
Some cars have only one thread on the tie rod; at the outer end. To adjust the toe, the locknut is slacked off, and then the tie rod is turned
(usually with a pair of Vicegrips, though some rods have two flats for a spanner milled into them). The balljoint in the end of the rack accommodates
this.
Cars with fixed tie rods require the tie rod ends to be removed from the steering arms. The balljoints can then be turned, thus effectively
lengthening or shortening the tie rods.
Cheers, Rorty.
"Faster than a speeding Pullet".
PLEASE DON'T U2U ME IF YOU WANT A QUICK RESPONSE. TRY EMAILING ME INSTEAD!
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stephen_gusterson
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| posted on 9/9/03 at 11:02 AM |
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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]
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Rorty
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| posted on 10/9/03 at 03:35 AM |
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stephen_gusterson:
quote:
does this make sense and was it what you were describing?
Yes and no.
What I was describing was one side of the car, just the one tie rod.
You're right, some older ve-hic-ules did use a connecting link from one side to the other, but that's not what I was ranting aboutIf
you're still confused, either ignore me or email me and I'll try to explain myself better.
Cheers, Rorty.
"Faster than a speeding Pullet".
PLEASE DON'T U2U ME IF YOU WANT A QUICK RESPONSE. TRY EMAILING ME INSTEAD!
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