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 Posted: Feb 26, 2017 11:22AM
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US
Agree with Steve, sort of, by it being the offside bushing that seems to be the one that goes bad first. A leverage issue I would guess, but caution with the use of "offside." In English English offside means the side of the car farthest away from the curb or road edge; i.e., the driver's side in a RHD car as driven on RHD roads. The near side would be the side closest to the curb or road edge; i.e., the passenger' side in a RHD car on RHD roads. Steve's American English means the side away from the driver -- the passenger side regardless of whether the car is LHD or RHD. It's the longer rack shaft side that is the usual issue.

 Posted: Feb 26, 2017 09:48AM
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CA
Thanks Steve, your comments will help on inspection!  Rick

 Posted: Feb 26, 2017 05:30AM
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US
Kind of like Chuck I have a shelf of old used steering racks. Most were removed and I placed tape on them and wrote who's and what car they came from. Over time the notes have gotten grease on them. I know I have steering racks from 59/60 850s and a couple of Sport Pac's as well. The Sport Pac ones have spacers that limit turn radius. A lot of racks have adjustable and rebuild able inner ends. The later ones the ends screw into the rack and are one pc. and not rebuild able. Most run into an issue with the off side rack bushing. While some offer the bushing for that end I have not been able to buy a bushing that is correct. I think the early racks had a bushing held in place by a metal band that is pressed in place after the bushing. The later racks Have a bushing head in place by either a flat snap ring or a round section wire ring I think I formed some up out of coat hanger wire. I'm still experimenting with bushing materials, I have used Delrin, nylon and oil lite bronze. The bronze one is for a race car. 

Weather has been so good here the trees are blooming and people have started spring cleaning. I'm picking parts to reman in mass. I did four racks two for me and two for others this past fall. I have 35 diff. side covers ( yoke type ) I'm cleaning up, pressing old bushing out and new in place. They are then set up and align honed for .001 clearance new seal installed and bagged. I have found this is very important to a well sealed tranny. I guess racks will have their turn when I figure how many of each type and how many different type bushings and retainers I need to machine up. I also have 5 gallon buckets of yokes, CVs and pot joints. I have been able to rework a few recently. Steve (CTR)

 Posted: Feb 25, 2017 05:27PM
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CA
I'm fairly confident that they came from early 1970s Minis...we bought 3 (2 parts cars) when we were getting ready to build Jeremy's 1976 Mini in 1992/93.

Both racks were manufactured by CAM GEARS LTD. but the castings for the rack ends have different data - one is LH21111, the other LHS1111 while both have ST67 cast into the pinion gear casting.  Both have the centering hole location - one with a plastic plug the other with an Allen keyed plug.

Rick

 Posted: Feb 25, 2017 04:46PM
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Chuck? Chuck's not here.

OK. That's a question no one has ever asked me before, and I don't think I've ever seen it discussed before.

What doesn't help is that it's been at least 40 year since I rebuilt a steering rack. That probably accounts for the shelf in my garage with about a couple dozen used steering racks on it.

I don't have a good answer, but I pulled some off of the shelf and checked for the mystery number. This is what I found.

Not one of the Mk I racks had the number.

Eight out of ten of the MK II racks had the number. That included one of those cheap ones sold for a while without the hole for aligning the rack. The two that didn't have the number were from a South African car and from an Inno.

Make out of that what you will!

 Posted: Feb 25, 2017 10:33AM
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Hello Chuck,

I am getting set to strip, inspect & rebuild two classic Mini steering racks.  I suspect they are from the early 1970s.

Both have 18275 stamped on the pinion gear cover plate.

Do you recognize them?

Thanks,

Rick