Steering Rack Mount Spacers

Here are the original spacers I removed from my 3.8 LHD rack. I ordered replacements but only got the small diameter steel cores minus the copper sleeves (C.19801). All the usuals show the same small spacers which makes me wonder if mine is a stock arrangement or someone’s long lost attempt to better constrain the lateral motion of the Metalastic mounts? The copper sleeves have a .010 clearance with the mount holes. Seems like a lot of trouble when a single piece bronze spacer would have accomplished the same thing. Or…are the small diameter steel spacers correct?


Rick OBrien
65 FHC in FL
30148

The steel spacers with large headed washers are correct.

Whatever you have is home made

If someone has enlarged the holes in the mounting plate you might need to either get them welded up or make some custom ones.

I do have a mounting plate you could have for postage cost but I am in Australia.

Those copper sleeves are clearly someone’s DIY attempt to defeat the purpose of the original mounting arrangement. Maybe they didn’t understand how it is supposed to work, or wanted to create a “poor man’s solid rack mount”.

I don’t think the holes have been enlarged. They are the same size on both plates, about 5/8" dia.

It is interesting to speculate on the intentions of POs. Keeps the mind occupied during marathon sand blasting sessions.

My car was 11 years old when I got it. It clearly had a hard life and sketchy service. It was on it’s second transmission, installed with the aid of an air chisel in the tunnel. A collision required replacement of the bonnet frame and picture frame plus a bunch of bondo not discovered until restoration. There were mysterious home run wires everywhere, and even at that the headlights could only be turned off by undoing the bonnet plug. So maybe one of these mechanics had some telescoping copper tubing laying around and decided to “tighten up” the steering.

All I can say is I’m sure glad I don’t have to come up with a replacement for this arrangement.

Thanks everyone
Rick

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