Steering rack movement

After replacing my tie rod ends, I decided to be sure and have the toe in checked professionally, Once on the rack the mechanic noticed what he thought were loose mounting bolts on the rack since it actually moved about an inch left and right as he turned the wheel. When I got it home, I found the bolts to all be tight, so what the mechanic and I believed to be excessive movement of the rack is coming from what I consider “new” mounts. They were installed years ago during the restoration, but have only been on the ground 1 or 2 thousand miles ago, I noticed that XKs unlimited, sells mounts that are improved and began worrying that years ago I got the original, questionable repros (not from XKS ) that needed to be upgraded, without going to the solid mounts.

Bottomline line, should the rack move an inch or more left and right when the steering wheel is turned? (Front end is off the ground). I never noticed this movement since my arms aren’t long enough to turn the steering wheel and see the rack at the same time.

your mounts need replacing they do not move when you turn the wheel. I have solid mounts and really prefer the feel, but others may not.

Hi Michael, I checked mine just now and took the attached picture. I can’t really imagine how it would be possible to get an inch of movement each way out of a “shallow” rubber section. All the more so with safety bolts? What am I missing? Paul

The rack absolutely moves sideways when the wheel is turned with the wheels on the ground but like you I’ve never watched it with the wheels off of the ground and do not know why it should move unless the rubber has separated from the metal in the mounts.
Bob
889076
Plymouth, Mi.

my rack mounts were separated and the rack moved about an inch side to side.

How are the solid mounts, I have a heavy duty torsion bar, GTJ springs in
the back, the red bushings and love the feel. I was a little concerned
that the solid mounts would transmit too much vibration to the steering
wheel. If they are fine, I won’t mind the solid mounts, since I really
like to be in control.

Mike,

I sold quite a few sets of solid mounts I made years ago. Feedback was mixed. Most people seemed to be happy with them, but there were several who found they added “harshness”, while not significantly improving “feel”. Personally, I find it hard to believe they would add much. The stock mounts, in good condition, will barely move when the car is moving at any reasonable speed, but the rubber does help damp the impact of bumps and pot-holes. I’ve stuck with stock mounts, and see nothing in need of improvement. Your mounts are obviously beyond gone, as even with the car sitting still, they will only flex about 1/4" max when the wheel is turned hard. If you’re seeing 1", one, or both, have clearly de-laminated.

Regards,
Ray L.

I went from broken mounts to solid mounts. so I really can not compare, you can feel the road surface, which I like. have not hit a pot hole yet.

Thanks for clearing up several issues. I’ll try XKs for their improved mounts.

Mike

Mike Oldak

202.262.5188

An inch movementI is impossible with standard parts, correctly fitted. The spacers on the driver’s side are about half an inch in holes about 5/8" so even with delaminafed mounts you’d struggle to get 1/2" total lock to lock. On the passenger side the threaded locknut bolts control fore/aft play and this is measured in thousandths, so even if you got 1/4" that still wouldn’t add up to ‘an inch or more’. Something’s not right…

I have Rays mounts from some years ago,I used to modify the standard ones as MOT stations here continually gave me grief because they did not understand the original rack moves under load, I also have the GTJ springs and torsion bars, polybushes etc, maybe a little more rack rattle but the car doesn’t “tramline” as much as it used to, the steering is precise , big improvement I would say…

solid mounts. Fit and forget.

Sozfingers, Sorry but my “english” isn’t that good :). I had to look up “tramline”. In “American” it seems as if your car doesn’t follow the straight lines of the tram /“trolley” cars that run on rails. I would have thought that the solid mounts would improve tramlining by removing the rubber. But if i understand, you find the solid mounts to be a great improvement and so does Phil.

Considering that you like the same suspension that I do, I’ll go with your recommendation and get a set of solid mounts.

Hi Mike, tramlining, for example, is when your car slips to one side and follows the undulation of say the ridged tarmac where the big trucks run , or deviates from a straight line when you only have a light touch on the wheel due to unseen ridging, .another thing which I have done through experimentation as I have the adjustable reaction plate is to lower my front suspension with the corresponding alteration to camber and castor so that I can hit 120 to 130 as I did yesterday without that steering lightness that you get from excessive nose lift …not my normal speed for runs, but even at a steady 100 which is how I like to go, I can get more feel of the road…thats with 215 60 section Toyos…and I can go deep and hard into fast curves without minor corrections of the wheel with the car from when it was more lightly sprung…

A few years ago I’d been racing my coupe for the weekend. It had solid rack mounts. I then took a friend out in my stock 68 ots. I went into the first turn at 100 mph or so, turned the wheel and nothing happened - the car kept going straight. I thought we were going off the track. Then it turned in. It was the delay in the rubber rack mounts acting. The comparison to the race car was stark. The rubber ones do move quite a bit under load though I doubt it is an inch. SNG sells polyurethane mounts part #C20087U. I use them on both my cars. They are a good compromise between the solid mounts and the stock ones.

There is another alternative’ fit standard mounts of known good quality and use top hat spacers instead of standard fixings. Make the od of the ring the same as the large washer and the od of the part that passes through the mounting a little less than the id of the hole. Cut to length to ensure mount is secure but outer part has minor free play, same as standard.

Imagine the bonnet hinge bush and you should see what the above describes badly.

The principle being to limit movement whilst securing rack and allowing some flexibility.

Regards
Pat

I pulled off the rack yesterday and found one if the mounts to be partially delaminated. All that wear and tear over about 2000 miles must have been too much. I AM GETTING CONCERNED that the poor quality of safety related parts continues.

I just bought a set of solid mounts from XKs.

Anyone who bought rubber mounts over the last 5 years or so should have somone turn the wheel while you look at the rack movement!