• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

Any ideas on a steering box with less play?

AlexMayer

Freshman Member
Offline
Does anyone in the forum know about a steering box replacement that has less play than the original one? I´ve got mine already refurbished which improved the play in the center position a bit. But overall a more precise steering would make the car much more fun to drive. Any ideas to improve the steering are welcome. Thanks, regards
Alex
 

glemon

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
Did you replace all the tie rod ends and connecting rod ends in the steering gear as well? I did all at once on mine and saw good improvement, it is certainly not the same feel or directness of rack and pinion(like on a Sprite for example).

Some people in my club are doing rack and pinion conversions on early TRs, which have a similar set-up to the Healeys, but have not heard of as much activity on the Healey front, although I am sure someone is doing or has done it.
 

MarkA

Jedi Trainee
Offline
DWR has a gear setup for the steering box which eliminates the center high point which stiffens the wheel at center and loosens it at full turns. With this, you get a more consistent free-play setting throughout the entire turning motion. I do not have one myself, but I hear it does do a good job.

Mark
 

Dave Russell

Yoda - R.I.P
Gold
Offline
Hi Alex,
As said above, all of the joints must be tight. All big Healey steering boxes were worm & peg.

Additionally, there is an adjustment for peg end play, located on the top of the steering box. Also the steering shaft (from steering wheel) has a shim adjustment for end play. Shims are removed from the steering box end cover. With things correctly adjusted, there is usually no free play or binding.

In rare cases, if the worm gear is too worn, a replacement worm/shaft is available.

Denis Welch, UK has a "constant clearance worm" available which removes any "off center" play, but it is quite expensive. The original design allowed for slightly more play when the steering is off center.

I don't know of an easy replacement rack & pinion conversion, but someone else may know of one.
D
 

Keoke

Great Pumpkin
Country flag
Offline
Hi Alex, There is one I can think of if you can find one someplace in Europe. It is the Pre war Buhrman box. Will take a bit of fitting though.---Fwiw--Keoke-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cowboy.gif
 

GregW

Yoda
Platinum
Country flag
Offline
Hi Alex,
SC Parts lists a “high ratio” steering box. 12.5:1. Allowing you to turn the car with less rotation of the steering wheel. Downsides are more effort to turn the wheel (especially when parking) and price. £850 is more than I will spend for that part, unless I really need to. Michael Salter adapted an MG rack onto a pre-production Healey, the story can be found HERE
 

bob hughes

Luke Skywalker
Country flag
Offline
OK It is doable, but it is a bit of a lash up, and so is this reply, :- look up Austin Healey club uk on the web, then go to Healey forum, you can enter as a guest. Go to Restorations and then Members restorations and look up UNCOBRA there is a host of pictures and one of them shows a Mk1 Escort rack and pinion installed in a Healey 100/4 of sorts, one heck of a motor.

If you don't like the idea of all that work just drool over the car.

bob
 

john_j

Jedi Trainee
Offline
Bob Hughes said:
look up Austin Healey club uk on the web, then go to Healey forum, you can enter as a guest. Go to Restorations and then Members restorations and look up UNCOBRA.........

Or click here !
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
RickB New steering wheel, ideas about adapting? Spridgets 23
A Steering Wheel Resto Paint Ideas ? Austin Healey 16
B Cove Paint Color Ideas Austin Healey 10
AngliaGT Need Ideas on Selling Our Midget Spridgets 10
L Tyre diameter less than 680mm but bigger than 640mm, any ideas? Austin Healey 11
Y MGB Battery relocation ponderings and considerations [and ideas?].... MG 6
pbraun Ideas on tires for Bugeye with 13x6" wheels Spridgets 3
nathandarby67 Ideas for organizing hardware when plating Restoration & Tools 6
BoyRacer Ideas needed for under dash radio mount, cup holders, glove box Austin Healey 39
Sarastro General Tech Any good ideas for removing liners? Triumph 20
Sarastro TR4/4A Any ideas for repairing jack damage? Triumph 13
Jim_Gruber Need your ideas on a How To Do it - SpeedHut Gauge Install Spridgets 11
Rut TR4/4A Shop with lift ideas Triumph 21
maxwedge5281 third brake light ideas Austin Healey 34
B TR6 Seat Belt Brackets - Any Better Ideas? Triumph 1
M TR4/4A Covers at side of H frame over the trans tunnel...ideas please. Triumph 9
M General Tech Creative ideas, shop equipment, fabbing techniqes, etc Triumph 0
chuckmcb Baffled by BJ8 Ignition light...any ideas? Austin Healey 9
MikeAH100M Ideas for an Alloy Racer Austin Healey 13
trotti Stuck drum - any ideas? Austin Healey 5
CJD TR2/3/3A Engine Storage Ideas Triumph 2
T TR4/4A Lowering my TR4a - ideas? Triumph 18
catfood Any Ideas? Austin Healey 7
aeronca65t Christmas Card ideas Other British Cars 5
RickB Any temporary Bugeye grille ideas while I send mine off? Spridgets 16
bthompson Using the brakes kills the engine! Any ideas why? Spridgets 17
I Bugeye bonnet hinge bolt head busted off - ideas? Spridgets 8
RJS Top Frame Repair - ideas needed Triumph 8
Mychael Ideas for a parcel shelf in a Frogeye Spridgets 8
T ideas on fixing - one carb keeps "rusting" Triumph 4
I TR6 TR6 difficult to start - ideas? Triumph 6
M Any Ideas Triumph 26
K Any ideas for a Handbrake Warning Light??? Triumph 11
bighealeysource ideas on how to fix dents on frame Austin Healey 15
Darrell_Walker Alternator cleaning ideas Triumph 10
ahealey1004 bn4 drum brake issues...any ideas? Austin Healey 7
apbos TR2/3/3A Ideas for moving my TR3a????? Triumph 4
M 948 vs 1275 - Looking for opinions and ideas Spridgets 34
Brosky Upholstery makers in England? Any ideas? Triumph 21
T Ideas on fixing this? Triumph 19
eschneider leakdown test readings - ideas? Restoration & Tools 12
D help...? Air Filter ideas needed...nothing fits! Spridgets 23
A TR4/4A TR4 mistery engine problem - any ideas Triumph 14
startech47 Any ideas? Spridgets 8
gubba Slight front end shimmy @ 52 mph any ideas? Triumph 13
T Ideas on getting this bolt unstuck Triumph 42
bighealeysource Ideas on where to get ID plates stamped Austin Healey 3
M Need Engine Swap Ideas for '76 Midget Spridgets 21
T TR2/3/3A TR3A vibration - looking for ideas Triumph 38
RickB Ideas about modifying seats to fit rollbar? Spridgets 6

Similar threads

Top