I just replaced the S1 rack with a S3 rack and lower steering column. Took the car to local alignment shop… they aligned it and it drives fines and the turning radius is OK. But, the rack has the large spacers installed that are used to limit movement for larger tires on the S3. I want to remove those spacers and install the thin ones sent to me by the rack rebuilder.
I decided to go ahead and remove my large spacers. Car is working properly for turning and driving but I am having trouble getting the turn signal cancellation to work properly. Steering shaft with the tires pointing straight is off to the left about 20-30 degrees from the starting adjustment point for the cancellation lug. Neither turning direction cancels the turn signals “properly”…
I will measure the current tread width from side to side, front and rear for comparison when done…
My questions are: According to the Service Manual, the tie rods should be 11.75 in total length for both… I do not have them out yet… so my questions are: (I would put the centralizing tool in place so the rack is equal side to side.)
After removing the spacers, installing the new ones…would you start with the tie rods ends having equal number of turns or the same numbers as they are now? Is the 11.75 inches measured from where to where? Does it include the tie rod ends ? Does anyone have a better way to do this?
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Where are the spacers, Roger - and how do they limit rack travel…?
The point is that the total distance between the ball joints sets the toe. The spacers supposedly limits the travel of the rack - but does not alter the toe…?
If installing the thinner spacers obviously alters toe; the tie rod ends must be unscrewed to compensate for the difference - and the to rechecked and adjusted as required. Otherwise; counting turns removing and resetting the tie rod ends is the approved method - though a toe recheck is recommended…
You do not mention the steering wheel position? The cancellation lug is attached to the upper shaft, but the connections between the steering wheel to upper shaft, to lower shaft and the lower shaft to the rack is independent.
When you installed the new rack; you either got the connection between the rack and lower shaft wrong - throwing the upper shaft/lug out of alignment - adjusting the steering wheel will not rectify.
You can adjust the cancellation lug on the upper shaft - or, given that the lug is in the original position, realign the lower shaft to rack or lower to upper shaft. Which would require realigning the steering wheel - if that is now set straight ahead…
Frank
xj6 85 Sov Europe (UK/NZ)
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The spacers are welded onto the lock plates. There are two different thickness of spacers. Some racks used the lock plates without spacers. The spacers limit rack travel. They do NOT effect the toe setting when switched from one style to another. As far as centering the rack, The lower steering column has a 360 degree cut so the wheel can be turned and then slipped on in any position and the bolt put through to lock in place. Tie rod threads should end up with equal threads showing unless something is bent or mismatched.
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I posted a picture of the spacers in my rack…it makes more sense once you see them…
The spacer is the round object to the left of the nut…there is one on each inner tie rod put there by Jaguar to limit the movement for cars with wider tires from hitting.
I did manage to get the cancellation adjusted… but will continue this spacer removal next week. As I am very curious as to how much the turning radius will change without them.
But, I have one question left… need to understand the Service Manual information…does this mean “total length with the tie rod ends?”:
You are putting a Series 3 rack in a Series 1 XJ6. There is not a shop manual that list the specs for that application. The toe setting is what is important when all is said and done. Changing the lock plates will not effect that.
I took out the large rack spacers today. Had to use a pulley remover on one side… the other side fell off. Used a 1 1/4 inch long open end wrench to remove the inner tie rods. Both tie rods are 11.75 inches from the center of the ball joints.
Tomorrow I will adjust the inner tie rods to match the tire width measurements I took before starting today. There was 1/8" toe in when I started today…the difference between the front and
rear tires measured at the same tire tread from side to side.
Will confirm that removing the spacers reduced the turning radius when all is back together.
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