Steering rack mount question

I had to remove my radiator due to a crack in the upper tank and I decided to snoop around the front end while everything was apart. I jacked the front end up and inspected the suspension.....I discovered some play when I wiggled the passenger wheel and thought it was another bad trunnion bushing. I watched carefully as I wiggled the tire and the trunnion didn't budge.....the rack itself was moving side to side!

According to the blow up picture of the steering rack, there is something that goes between the rack and the mount bracket (they call it "seating"). Nobody I talk to has any idea what I'm talking about (British shop in town), but it looks like some sort of bushing...maybe made out of rubber? Does anyone know what I'm talking about? My Bugeye does not have this and neither does my '66 parts car.

While the rack doesn't move much (it can only go so far), it is still loose and has to have a negative effect on handling, etc. Short of grinding the top part of the bracket down, where can I get one of these bushing things at??

It's #47 in this diagram (this is from AH Spares website....I don't want to have to order them from England!):

https://myfiero.com/uploads/23547_

I had mine apart just the other day and it seemed like there was a little strip of rubber in there. I would say just cut yourself a strip out of an old bicycle inner-tube and it would probably be a perfect fit.

JACK

I use hockey stick tape.

Bicycle Inner Tube tire glued to the top part of the clamp. Use a bottoming tap to clean out the junk in the rack mounting holes. Lots of stuff gets in there. Be cautious about torque specs as that casting you are mounting to is aluminum. If replacing rack bolts be sure you get the correct size as the bolts will bottom out and then it can't get to the correct torque. Been there and done it.

My first BE had a paper material. I believe it is there to prevent an dis-similiar material corrossion between the two parts. This time I used some grey painter's tape.

Thanks for the replies.....I'll give the tape a try.

Early cars used 'packing'. The closest English equivalent I have found and used is some of the OLD cloth fabric electrical tape.

Good luck :thumbsup:

Steve

Aye steve, thats what Miss Agatha has.

If you find out horn no longer works it's because the ground connection goes through the rack.

My horn hasn't worked in years anyway.

The slop in the bracket is gone now.....I'll have to wait until I get around to fixing the horn to see if there are grounding issues.

spritenut said:

I use hockey stick tape.

Click to expand...

Thats a real good solution, I went to an old shcool electrical shop and bought a roll of friction tape for this reason, but this is about the same exact type of product. Put about 4-5 rounds of the tape arounf the rack where it will be pinched by the mounts.

I've been tearing apart a '59 Bugeye and mine had a heavy paper. Was curious what I was going to use as well when I reassemble. Think I'll go the tape route.

Kurt

Yeah....so far the tape seems to be working well.