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The definitive answer to all MK indy owners requiring a 'quick rack'
locostbuyer83 - 22/11/10 at 01:43 PM

well, i hope this becomes the title...

I finally got to drive my car today and its a bit like driving a 4x4 as you need to turn the wheel so many times to turn around!

I have a standard MK rack fitted.

What are my options for replacing the MK steering rack for a quick rack?

Can I use a escort one or are the widths different?
http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=900_1332_1331&products_id=7310

Can I just buy the kit and will it be a straight swap or be too wide?
http://www.rallydesign.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=900_901&products_id=7326

I want the easiest option that fits my car - MK INDY (based on sierra)

Thank you.

Stuart

Bluemoon - 22/11/10 at 01:47 PM

Get a quick rack from MK. You need to use a shorten rack (i.e. modified by MK) to stop bump steer (but you will still need to shim to remove it completely).

You can get sierra quick racks (as your last link) but these will need to be shortened anyhow so best go to MK direct. They will probably take your existing steering rack and replace the "rack and pinion" for a modified quick version.

You could get an engineering company to shorten the sierra rack quick rack in your link but this will probably cost more than going to MK direct.

[Edited on 22/11/10 by Bluemoon]

locostbuyer83 - 22/11/10 at 02:32 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Bluemoon
Get a quick rack from MK. You need to use a shorten rack (i.e. modified by MK) to stop bump steer (but you will still need to shim to remove it completely).


Interesting - My rack has way too much travel and I have had to put a couple of bits of tubing in to temporarliy reduce the travel - perhaps mines not be shortened?

quote:

You can get sierra quick racks (as your last link) but these will need to be shortened anyhow so best go to MK direct. They will probably take your existing steering rack and replace the "rack and pinion" for a modified quick version.

You could get an engineering company to shorten the sierra rack quick rack in your link but this will probably cost more than going to MK direct.


Yes I'd love to just ring them and have them make it but anyone who has dealt with them will know they are very slow to get parts out the door and tbh I'm not using them unless i really have to.

Does anyone have a guide to shortening a sierra rack? I can't imagine its that difficult and I have an engineering company that can help.

I'd like to get this sorted this week really.

Bluemoon - 22/11/10 at 03:31 PM

quote:

I can't imagine its that difficult and I have an engineering company that can help.


Well just give them your existing rack and the RD Sierra quick rack kit, it will not be difficult for them to copy the existing shorted one..

Just remember this is a mission critical part you don't want to bodge it, needs to be done by people that know what they are doing.

You can tell if you have the correct shortened rack you have track-rod extensions and there should be a weld sleeve in the center of the rack..

Personally I have found MK sportscars customer service fine, they are not the quickest, but they are a small company that are busy (which has to be a good thing!)... Always best to pop in but not close if you live in the south, also they have never been that good on e-mail...

Dan

[Edited on 22/11/10 by Bluemoon]

danny keenan - 22/11/10 at 06:21 PM

just give us a call we have got lots in stock.
if u send us your old one we will modify no problem.
or you can come and visit us and we will fitt it while you wait

Breaker - 23/11/10 at 08:41 AM

Regarding the quick rack:

Yesterday I did some measurements on my Sierra rack.
1 full turn on the steering wheel moves the steering arms about 50mm. How can I define I have a normal rack or a quick rack ?

[Edited on 23/11/10 by Breaker]

danny keenan - 23/11/10 at 06:57 PM

if you put the car on full lock and count the amount of times it takes to reach full opposite lock.
a quick rack is 2.8 turns and a standard one is around 4.1.

if you need any more help please ask me

andytat - 24/11/10 at 04:47 AM

Hi Guys.

Sorry to hijack the thread but I also need a quick rack.
A question for Danny. I have an MK GT1 in Singapore which has a shortened Sierra rack but it is painfully slow.
Can you let me know how much the shortened quick rack & pinion is including shipping to Singapore please?
I really don't want to ship my exsisting rack to UK to have it modded.
If you can do this how can I make payment?

Thanks for the bandwidth.

Regards

Andy

Breaker - 24/11/10 at 08:47 AM

quote:
Originally posted by danny keenan
if you put the car on full lock and count the amount of times it takes to reach full opposite lock.
a quick rack is 2.8 turns and a standard one is around 4.1.

if you need any more help please ask me


Danny, you mean 2.8 turns on a shortened rack or on a original rack ?

procomp - 24/11/10 at 11:51 AM

Hi

That is the very question that needs to be answered when buying a so called quick rack.
Does it have less turns lock to lock due to being a genuine quicker ratio of input to output or is it because it has simply been shortened and had the lock reduced.

Take the standard rack unaltered an turn it one complete turn. Measure the amount the rack arms travel. Then repeat with a quick rack. In order for it to be a quick rack of any use it need to have an increase in ratio of around 30%.

Cheers Matt

andytat - 24/11/10 at 03:11 PM

Thanks Mat.

Mine is a shortened rack but it still has 4 and a bit turns lock to lock.

Cheers.

Andy

danny keenan - 24/11/10 at 05:39 PM

yes 2.8 turns is a quick rack.

andy is you could give me an email at www.mksportscar.co.uk and i will get a price to send to you



thanks danny

procomp - 25/11/10 at 12:34 PM

Hi

Might be useful if someone with a standard unaltered sierra rack could measure how far the rack arm travels for one turn and put a post up. And again if someone with a Quick rack could do the same. At least then it would make it easy for people to identify what they actually have and resolve some of the complications.
Sorry not got a Sierra rack to hand myself.

Cheers Matt

andytat - 25/11/10 at 01:51 PM

Hi Danny.

I sent you an email.

Thanks

Andy

Breaker - 25/11/10 at 02:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by procomp
Hi

Might be useful if someone with a standard unaltered sierra rack could measure how far the rack arm travels for one turn and put a post up. And again if someone with a Quick rack could do the same. At least then it would make it easy for people to identify what they actually have and resolve some of the complications.
Sorry not got a Sierra rack to hand myself.

Cheers Matt


According to Danny I should have a quick rack : 1 turn is 50mm arm travel.