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So, I've been living with the car for a few weeks now and seem to have racked up somewhere around 1500 miles. So mostly it's a blast, and the handling is steadily improving with my tweaking. The thing I'm finding least convenient is the turning circle.... I mean, sometimes when turning out of narrow roads or driveways, you need to do a 3 point turn. And don't get me started on parallel parking... the danger of being blocked in by someone is, err, high.
So, the tyres are nowhere near fouling anything so I've been wondering what options there might be for improving the lock. Does anyone know if you can get higher ratio racks? The difficulty might be finding one that fits. Alternatively I wondered about shortening the steering arms. The steering is currently very light so could certainly cope with the reduced lever arm. My biggest concern would be what other effects this might have on the handling. I can see it altering the ackermann angle but not by a lot I don't think, and I'm not sure how significant it would be anyway. I thought I might have a look at the existing arms and see if I can add another set of drillings to move them forwards and see what happens...
From what I understand, others have just pulled the gaitors off the rack, and given the plastic lock limiting collars a persuasive hit with a wood chisel. This splits the limiters, enabling their removal, thus increasing the movement of the rack and giving the car a sensible turning circle.
As I understand it, the collars are only there as a belt and braces approach to ensuring the steering easily self centres during the SVA test. Steve (SDMC....) told me his steering still self centres, having removed the collars.
Aha, cheers John, I didn't realise it was limited at the rack - I'd just assumed it was a 2 turn quick rack.
To be honest my steering has never self centred particularly well - I was concerned about it for SVA but the inspector didn't seem too fussed. It certainly didn't "anti-centre" if you know what I mean! Bit puzzled why it's not more positive centreing though - it's not like you can adjust the castor independently of camber anyway.
I'm still tempted to shorten the arms anyway to quicken up the steering. I'll do some measuring at the weekend :-)
I'll try to explain. But don't know any of the technical terms. I beleive the reason for the limiters on the rack were that on full lock, there was a chance that track arms would go beyond the straight angle and cause problem.
I don't think i'd fancy reducing the lever on the hub, instead I'd look toward a quicker rack to keep the stiffness.
Turning circle does need sorting one way or another - it's utterly pants as standard, and the rack isn't even that quick for the angles the wheels turn!
Im looking at the moment into a rack and column as i dont like the way they join at the moment. I have found a company that come re-work/make me a quicker rack, using the Honda Civic Type R rack and column.
The Type-r rack is a stupidly heavy and bulky device with electronic assistance - I've got the one I removed from my donor in the garage still.
Is it possible to strip it of the assistance gubbins? I'd have thought it'd be complete ball ache - better starting with a westfield / caterham rack, or something designed as non-assisted, with a high-ish gearing on it.
As John (Alackofspeed) has already pointed out yes I have remover my spacers, took about 15 mins aside, lets not forget that you would not be likely to be on full lock at any speed, so lock out PROBABLY wont happen. No one can say for certain it wont, but, I have done some 800 miles and I have had no issues, and to be honest, the extra taking the spacers out has made, has been more that adequate. Things were so bad for me I had some times had to take two bites at parking on my driveway, no longer an issue.
Hope this helps, and maybe avoid you buying new racks.
The Type-r rack is a stupidly heavy and bulky device with electronic assistance - I've got the one I removed from my donor in the garage still.
Is it possible to strip it of the assistance gubbins? I'd have thought it'd be complete ball ache - better starting with a westfield / caterham rack, or something designed as non-assisted, with a high-ish gearing on it.
I have just spoken to the company that are looking into it for me and have the colunm and rack there, it is rather heavy but it saves me corner wieghting the car ,
They have standard racks and columns which are quick racing racks 2 turns lock to lock, with a colunm, all in alloy. only problem is the price but it shoudl be worth it.
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