Steering Rack Stops

[Westfield 129]

Huge difference in the feel of the car, and the speed of the steering response.

While the actual ratio change doesn't seem to be much numerically, the difference in on-center response is substantial. I have put the early, "fat" rack into several cars, much to the delight of the owners. With the quicker, more precise steering response is an improvement in on-center stability. All around, the fat rack works better.

The fat rack is available from Moss UK, NEW, at a reasonable price. I have installed a couple of these, including one in my RHD kit. Of course, you need to find the alloy rack mounts, or make some (which is not that hard to do). You will also need the steering arms, or a rod end that fits the fat rack AND the later steering arms.

My RHD car has 1.8 turns lock to lock (4.50X15 front tires) and only brush turning left. My early LHD car has 2 turns lock to lock. The tires only touch turning right.

The reduced turns in the RHD car really has to do with the faster ratio, along with the mounting in the RHD car.

The installation of the rack stops is to limit the steering angle, keeping the tires from brushing the bonnet. It is likely that the tires only touch in one direction, requiring the rack stop only on one side.

I run 185/70/13 tires on my LHD car, and don't really care if the tires touch on occasion. My car is over 30, and the bonnet is fine. The 185s give Caterham type grip, which really increases the speeds that you need to achieve to get a nice 4 wheel drift. And, with the extra HP I have, combined with the TranX, I can make a U turn in the car's length...

[jonclancy]

With my lock-stops removed, it was the asymmetric nature of the Midget uprights with their cast-in stops that was intriguing.

It's a minor point - the Midget must have had a wide turning circle, too. Maybe that's why the Triumph uprights were Lotus' choice! (Recalling my old Herald 13/60!!).