Caterham Quick Rack Transformed......

[Clay Head]

For a long time I have put up with the play in my Caterham quick rack . If you tighten the adjustment allen bolt you can remove the play but at the expense of the self centering, freedom and feel of the rack. Having spoken to a few people I believe that this is a common problem so I decided to do something about it. I recently had my engine (X-Flow) rebuilt by Dave Brookes in Crewe and decided to seek his help as his rally car experience and specialist engine building shop means he can make/fix almost anything. The thrust block in the rack is a rather looking cheap nylon affair. Dave made a bronze replacement whilst also modifying the rack to ensure that it self-lubricates with use (something that the original design lacks). It cost 4 hrs labour and £15 for the parts. The rack is now superb and has transformed the driving experience. I can't believe that I put up with it for so long. I'm sure that this problem may sound familiar to many people so if you want to get the problem sorted Dave Brooks is on 01270 661850. I guess the best solution is to send your rack to him as I did. By the way, I'm running my engine in and it already feels very, very fast! Roll on September track days.........

[edmandsd]

I know that Ray Addis at HT Racing said my 22% uprated alloy Caterham quickrack needed modifying before fitment.

[V7 SLR]

I don't suppose either of these contacts would do a kit of parts and instructions detailing what modifications are necessary would they? I've put my steering rack down as one of those winter jobs... Would like to do it myself so as to avoid the labour cost but would be willing to pay for the parts necessary and instructions.

 

Worcs L7 club joint AO.//Membership No. 4379//Azure Blue SLR No. 0077//Se7ens List Tours

 

[Clay Head]

I suggested as much to Dave Brooks ref a kit. It would be worth giving him a bell to discuss although I think he is away on holiday for a couple of weeks. However, the labour is not really in fitting the parts, it is in making the bronze thrust block on a milling machine as it has to fit perfectly. I reckon it would be no cost to send him your rack and save yourself the job, but have a chat with him anyway

01270661850

[V7 SLR]

Excellent. Thanks. I'll give him a ring.

 

Worcs L7 club joint AO.//Membership No. 4379//Azure Blue SLR No. 0077//Se7ens List Tours

 

[ashaughnessy]

Hi ClayHead, funny you should post this. I picked my newly built xflow up from Dave Brooks a few weeks ago while he had your steering rack in bits in the vice. He was telling me all about the problem and I told him that any fix he came up with would be popular. I was looking at your car, very nice.

I haven't finished fitting my engine yet, I'm a bit scared of starting it for the first time!

Anthony

[stevefoster]

I second the lubrication issue.

My rack was pretty dry.

I worked grease into the adjuster hole but that really only get grease to the short left hand side.

The long side was still dry. So I partially filled up the right hand side gaitor with grease and

tie wrapped it on tightly. The gaitor can then be used as a bellows to force grease into the long side of the rack. This I repeated a couple of times as the grease disappeared.

This worked a treat and the action is much improved.

 

Steve

My racing pics here

Hants (North) and Berkshire area club site

here

 

 

Edited by - stevefoster on 9 Aug 2002 08:52:39

[V7 SLR]

Just spoken with a chap at Dave Brookes place (he is on hols for another week, back Monday 19th). Chap explained that the nylon bush is to blame (as explained above) for the stickiness when adjusting, and to improve self lubrication you just drill a hole in the passenger side of the rack. "Where" exactly I didn't understand, but apparently is is obvious when the rack's apart. It simply lets the lubrication back into the main part of the rack. Currently is is sealed off.

 

I'm assuming that the reason for using a bronze block is simply that it's harder than the nylon block yet is easy enough to work with. If so, I might investigate it myself.

 

Mr Clay Head, I am interested in your experience of the improvement over the next few weeks. Could you please report back with your impressions? I'm very happy that you appear to have found a solution to this because this is the single most frustrating aspect of the Caterham. It is supposed to have feel and delicacy but this kind of ruins it for me, and always has.

 

Thanks.

 

Worcs L7 club joint AO.//Membership No. 4379//Azure Blue SLR No. 0077//Se7ens List Tours

 

[sjwb]

Assuming that the std rack and the 'quick' one are the same, please see the following. I posted this a while ago. You may find it useful - especially the last sentence.

If I remember correctly the damper button should have 0.002 / 0.004 endfloat. This needs to be measured along the complete used length of the rack in order to avoid preload (binding). The damper spring will keep the contact of the pinion and rack only to alieviate rack knock (not really relevant to a Seven.

The bottom line, as correctly mention previously, is to avoid binding.

By the way, one of the best rack lubricants is EP140 - yes 140, at about a 1/4 of a pint.

In essence a bronze damper is not required - careful adjustment and suitable lubrication is the answer.

 

Steve B

[Clay Head]

The 22% quick rack and standard rack are different. The nylon thrust block is definately the problem. The issues that I had were as follows. When the car was cold cold, too much play in steering so adjusted it up on this thrust block. When the car became hot the steering became far to stiff with no self centre. I eventually got to a point where the play when cold was such that when the car was hot it was just about acceptable and not to stiff! My (and Dave Brooks) theory is the greater expansion of the nylon vs the metal rack. However, to report back after a few miles, there is no play at all, the steering is beautifully free and at last, I have real feedback! Dave based his work on the Quaif quick rack from rallting escorts that he seems to have spent his life working with!

 

Thanks for the comments about the car. Let me know how your engine runs. I'm just easing mine into service but the increase in power is evident already with bags of torque. It feels almost as torquey as my friend's Vauxhall at low revs!

[Paul McKenzie]

" Almost as torquey as my VX" - I don't think so.

Track day beckons,

Paul