Baffled by sprung steering rack

[malcolm]

The pre-1968 steering racks have a centring spring. On my LHD car the spring seems to be trying to push the steering to the left when the wheels are straight ahead, and there is not enough adjustment in the steering arms to allow the spring to be in the central position when the wheels are straight.

I'll check a few things as it feels like something is wrong. Maybe someone has fitted the wrong type of suspension upright on one side. Or maybe there is adjustment in the rack mounting that I hadn't noticed.

But I wondered could this be intentional to compensate for camber on French roads?

 

[angel]

No way...the handling would be all over the place if they did this.

Maybe the steering arms are incorrect? There is a measurement on the workshop manual that defines the steering rack center position...that is, how much the rack protrudes outside the housing. Did you chack this to see if all is OK inside the rack?

 

[malcolm]

Thanks, I went around this morning measuring things up. The steering rack is central, but the car does appear to have a 7 degrees upper wishbone on one side and a 13 degrees one on the other! I'll check the other parts to see what else has been changed.

Wish I'd spotted that while the suspension was still apart.

 

[Le Champ]

Hi Malcolm, it seems that the 'gifted village mechanic' has struck again - let's hope that he has now finally retired. One of the most reliable car's I ever owned was a Lada 1500 estate and the tailgate would'nt shut - the wife popped into the local garage and a friendly 'mechanic' fixed it. He forced it shut against the supporting torsion bar dampers and wrecked it. She was delighted at his f.o.c. effort and gave him a fiver. The previously flat tailgat was now banana-shaped :shock:. I eventually got it back more or less into shape and quickly tightened up the offending bars/fittings - slack 12mm mounting bolts. My top of the range 'De Luxe Commy Wagon' (a tasteful pale green/tan vinyl roof) spent it's twilight years hurtling around the environs of RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire with my brother - his wife loathed it and now, 25 years later, she has still not forgiven me. :smile:

 

[malcolm]

I've just been for a quick ride up the road - it does feel a lot nicer to drive now. Previously it had steered to one side when driving over long bumps on the motorway. I'd put that down to the rear suspension alignment originally, and it had surprised me that the rear measured up OK.

Just a creaky balljoint on the other side to sort out, and hopefully it will be ready for the MOT.

The gifted mechanic had been quite busy - I found one of the driveshafts was the wrong type too, - it didn't locate the wheel bearing properly. I'd already replaced the carburettor which was from a GTL. I'll have a good look around to see if anything else looks like it's been fiddled with.

 

[jjad]

Sounds good! That'd be driving it on your own private drive then

Good luck with the MOT and hope to see Ornella in action in May.