Help Needed For Mot (barnsley Area)

[Mac210882 0]

As above really, I'm looking for someone who knows a fair bit about the 205 to help me check the steering rack on my 1.9 track car. It's had a recent new steering rack that the previous owner fitted, but it's just failed it's MOT as on full left lock, the wheels touch the chassis. Doesn't happen on right lock, only left.

 

Someone suggested to me that when the steering rack may not have been centralised when fitted, and that there's effectively too much 'left lock' being applied.

 

Does this sound like a reasonable scenario? I must admit I'm a bit out of my depth, I can do basic stuff like brake pad/oil changes but I don't know where to start

 

Will be more than willing to cover travel and also provide a bit of beer money if someone is willing to help me out. I've got just under two weeks to sort it to qualify for a free re-test.

 

Please let me know if anyone can help out!

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Iain

[Jrod 7]

Check both track rod ends are wound in roughly the same amount.

 

If one is wound in really far and the other wound out really far then the side with it wound out will touch and the side with it wound in will have plenty of clearance from the body.

[elrikos 0]

its been a while since i messed with steering racks but i do believe that the rack bolts to the subframe through rounded holes. No adjustment of the rack position on the subframe is possible. I'd check as above as that could quite easily cause it. Failing that it is possible that the racks been pulled to bits and messed around with.

Easiest thing to do its to pull the boot off the left side of the rack, unscrew the trackrod (the whole thing comes off the rack, not just the trackrod end) and fit a spacer (aka a bit of plastic or a whacking great O ring) on the rack shaft. That will decrease left hand movement a bit and may well make it find "lock" a bit earlier, thus resolving the problem.

[M@tt 77]

i had ths when i first rebuilt my 205 the prevous owners had the track rod ends wound in really far on one side and really far out on the other.

 

It's pretty simple to sort yourself.

 

1. Get the front of your car on axel stands and remove both front wheels for easy access.

2. Get some masking tape and wrap it round the end of the steering rod just before it meet the locking nut on both sides.

3. With a pen draw a line on the masking tape either on the top or the bottom of the rod so that you can tell when you have rotated the arm one full turn.

4. Crack off(loosen) the locking nuts on both sidesso thatyou are now able to rotate the steering rods easily

5. Starting on one side wind in or out as necessary the steering rod a set number of turns (ie 3 to start with) making sure you try and be as accurate as possible about performing a complete rotation.(Thats what the marks are there for).

6. Then go round to the other side and do the same but obvioulsly wind the rod in the opposite direction the same number of turns.

7. You want to try and get it so that there is roughly the same amount of thread showing on each TRE an both sides. but makign sure you do the same amount of turns on BOTH sides otherwise you'll screw your trackign up.

8. Once you're happy with that, you need to re tighten the locking nuts making sure you don't allow the steering rods to rotate whilst you are tightening it up.

9. Now you'll need to rotate your steering wheel so that the wheels look like they are pointing straight forward and then you'll need to remove your steering wheel and reseat it so that its straight again, now that the wheels are pointing forward.

 

HTH

Edited June 7, 2007 by M@tt

[Mac210882 0]

i had ths when i first rebuilt my 205 the prevous owners had the track rod ends wound in really far on one side and really far out on the other.

 

It's pretty simple to sort yourself.

 

1. Get the front of your car on axel stands and remove both front wheels for easy access.

2. Get some masking tape and wrap it round the end of the steering rod just before it meet the locking nut on both sides.

3. With a pen draw a line on the masking tape either on the top or the bottom of the rod so that you can tell when you have rotated the arm one full turn.

4. Crack off(loosen) the locking nuts on both sidesso thatyou are now able to rotate the steering rods easily

5. Starting on one side wind in or out as necessary the steering rod a set number of turns (ie 3 to start with) making sure you try and be as accurate as possible about performing a complete rotation.(Thats what the marks are there for).

6. Then go round to the other side and do the same but obvioulsly wind the rod in the opposite direction the same number of turns.

7. You want to try and get it so that there is roughly the same amount of thread showing on each TRE an both sides. but makign sure you do the same amount of turns on BOTH sides otherwise you'll screw your trackign up.

8. Once you're happy with that, you need to re tighten the locking nuts making sure you don't allow the steering rods to rotate whilst you are tightening it up.

9. Now you'll need to rotate your steering wheel so that the wheels look like they are pointing straight forward and then you'll need to remove your steering wheel and reseat it so that its straight again, now that the wheels are pointing forward.

 

HTH

 

Thanks mate, will give this a whirl at the weekend. Much appreciated!

 

Iain

[M@tt 77]

no probs and good luck