Building quickrack - full lock problems

[Iain]

So I've just built up my quickrack using a std casing and Quaife internals.

Followed Haynes and ensured the cutout on the pinion was pointing right when fully fitted.

Now full lock left makes the rack protrude an extra 3cm than full lock right. There's also a notchy feeling bit before full left lock is reached, and the rack twitches and rotates slightly.

Looking at Olly's pic here, it looks like it'll give way more lock one side as it's notched further along the rack one way?

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q161/neocapture/nc0756.jpg

Any suggestions?

[dhdev (Oli)]

Set it so that the pinion is in the centre of the rack when the wheels are all straight, then adjust the side to side imbalance using the track rod ends :confused: Can't remember how much thread there is on the track rod ends, but I'd imagine there is enough for 15mm each side.

[Iain]

Noo, it's literally just built up and sitting in a vice! lol I was measuring how much rack protruded from the rack housing.

I've found the problem anyway. I was turning it lock to lock with no tie rods bolted on the end, so the pinion was running the length of the rack. What I realised and went to test after creating this thread is that the tie rod end actually limits where the full lock is. You can see from the pic above that there's a shedload more notches on the rack going one way which I was running the length of (that would never be used when it's fully built)

[GRUNT 16V]

lol

[Dar]

Pillock!

[Iain]

Shurrup! I didn't realise the arms acted as lock stops, I figured it would stop when the pinion ran out of rack teeth!

[Dar]

It's ok Lionel. Your still a pillock for posting on a public forum before engaging your brain in 1st gear :p

The car is coming along nicley :thumb: