Found one problem while fixing another

[regularman]

I took my steering column out last night to get to the ingnition switch. I took a punch and hammer and undid the bolts and removed the switch. After taking it apart I found that there is a plastic cklip inside that broke. I am trying to figure a way to fix this and keep it all original. Anyways. since I put the car back together I had always felt just a little play in the steering. I thought it might have been the rack internal or the rodd ends or something. I found out what it was. It is the entire rack moving back and forth about 1/8 inch in its clamps. The clamp bolts seem to be tight. Was there some sort of rubber or shim material that is supposed to be wrapped around the rack before it goes in the clamps?

 

[2091351]

Hi Kim, yes they were wrapped with 'packing'. Closest recreation would be to use old cloth electrical tape. Don't laugh!! It works!


Steve

 

[regularman]

Hi Kim, yes they were wrapped with 'packing'. Closest recreation would be to use old cloth electrical tape. Don't laugh!! It works!


Steve

OK, thanks. Well, looks like its time to pull the radiator out to get to all that. Might as well go ahead and pull the head and check for that crack while I am at it.

 

[Silverghost]

Uh oh......he said the dirty words......"Might as well...."!!!
Where do we send our condolences??!! :laugh: LOL

 

[RickB]

So the winter projects are starting a bit early this year??

 

[tweety]

Hockey tape would work too. Dirt cheap at Dick's or Sport's authority

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Kim, I used a piece of bicycle inner tube glued to the clamp, Be sure and use a bottoming tap to clean out holes in the rack. Pay careful attention if you replace lock washers and bolts. They need to be the exact size as they bottom in the hole. A skoosh over and they won't get tight. Those parts are aluminum, don't over torque. Be sure and replace pinch bolt nut with a new metal locking bolt not a nylock.

Not sure what year your Spridget is but consider changing out the pinion gear. On Bugsy the pinion gear 7-8 years ago for a '68 Spridget ran $8.95. Later racks saw the pinion gear priced at 10 x's that. Guess supply and demand. Replacing pinion gear really tightened up the steering feel.

 

[losmorob]

Uh oh......he said the dirty words......"Might as well...."!!!
Where do we send our condolences??!! :laugh: LOL

This is where we get the 2010-2012 calender out. Everyone buys days a dollar a day. Who buys the day the car is back on the road, wins the pot.

We kid, because we've all been there. Like when my overdrive installation in my B turned into a full blown engine rebuild. "Might as well."

 

[regularman]

Kim, I used a piece of bicycle inner tube glued to the clamp, Be sure and use a bottoming tap to clean out holes in the rack. Pay careful attention if you replace lock washers and bolts. They need to be the exact size as they bottom in the hole. A skoosh over and they won't get tight. Those parts are aluminum, don't over torque. Be sure and replace pinch bolt nut with a new metal locking bolt not a nylock.

Not sure what year your Spridget is but consider changing out the pinion gear. On Bugsy the pinion gear 7-8 years ago for a '68 Spridget ran $8.95. Later racks saw the pinion gear priced at 10 x's that. Guess supply and demand. Replacing pinion gear really tightened up the steering feel.

I went through the rack when I restored the car Jim, so Its pretty much all new and tight and shimmed correct, I just never figured the rack could get loose in the clamp. I got to work on this sunday and see how far I get. Not really winter project time yet. I got lots of them besides the midget. An 86 motorcycle ready to go back together and a 1970 model that I am fixing for the wife to play on, plus some solar and wood heating stuff to finish, oh and the midget exhaust mods as well. I might not pull that head yet though. I have not even been through that one from living in the past. Better do that first in case I find a crack. Swapping heads on the 1275 is probably one of the easier jobs. Gotta love push rods, no chain or rubber band to take loose and retime

 

[regularman]

Well, I did a bit more work today on the midget. I took the switch apart and found out that a tiny piece of plastic had broken off which I can fix with a bit of wire and put it back together. I also fixed the steering lock mechanism that seem to work sporadically, then all was going well until I realize that one of the two ball bearings that go in the switch with springs was now missing. I know it was there earlier. I swept and cleaned and used a magnet on the floor everywhere I could think of that it might have went. Whew, this is a demotivator. I am tired now. I need to find that little ball or find one like it and that wont be easy. That switch in my 1971 is NLA from what I can tell, so I have to make it work. I could put it back together with one ball and spring but it wont have as much "click" in each position and I like it to be like original if I can. Anyways, hope all is well in the spridget world elsewhere. Starting to rain here.