Steering Rack and steam... ???

[Stumpy Nugget]

Anyone got experience here...

1. Looks like I have a weird clunk and a bit of play in the steering rack.. Is the titan refurb option still the best route to getting this sorted... I plan to give them a call later to get prices etc. I know from reading, the rack can be serviced myself, but I want it done right and probably best I ship it out.. any other ideas or better ways of doing this?

2. Bit of a daft one. Not generally using my car in the rain I stopped at the lights under pretty heavy rain(standard summer weather these days). On pulling away it looked like steam coming from the radiator grills. I ASSUME this is just rain hitting the radiator and not a leak... I dont seem to be loosing fluid levels and it has never done it in the dry???

Cheers,

[BiggestNizzy]

Anyone got experience here...

1. Looks like I have a weird clunk and a bit of play in the steering rack.. Is the titan refurb option still the best route to getting this sorted... I plan to give them a call later to get prices etc. I know from reading, the rack can be serviced myself, but I want it done right and probably best I ship it out.. any other ideas or better ways of doing this?

I see you have an S2 this will probably have the later SOMA rack and not the titan rack that is easy to recon.

2. Bit of a daft one. Not generally using my car in the rain I stopped at the lights under pretty heavy rain(standard summer weather these days). On pulling away it looked like steam coming from the radiator grills. I ASSUME this is just rain hitting the radiator and not a leak... I dont seem to be loosing fluid levels and it has never done it in the dry???

Cheers,

Yes Steam at the lights is just the water sitting on the radiator boiling off.

[robin]

Yes, it's rain water running over the radiator.

I had my S1 rack refurbished by Kenny Brown - he replaces the nylon (?) parts with brass parts so that they don't wear as quickly.

I think this is him: clicky

That said, it was a long time ago, so not sure if he's still in business or offering this service - I had it removed elsewhere and sent to him - I suspect that's the best way.

Cheers,
Robin

[Stumpy Nugget]

I see you have an S2 this will probably have the later SOMA rack and not the titan rack that is easy to recon.

I thought the S2 used the titan up to about 2004? Mine is a 2001 so I assumed it was a titan... If it is SOMA then I assume it is a new rack...

[BiggestNizzy]

I see you have an S2 this will probably have the later SOMA rack and not the titan rack that is easy to recon.

I thought the S2 used the titan up to about 2004? Mine is a 2001 so I assumed it was a titan... If it is SOMA then I assume it is a new rack...

I have no idea, my S1 has had a SOMA rack fitted to it but thathappened sometime before 2006 when I bought the car.

Pray you have a Titan

[woody]

Check it definitely is the rack; the universal joints in the column can wear, and the upper column can develop a bit of play. Neither are expensive fixes.

[Stumpy Nugget]

Yes, it's rain water running over the radiator.

I had my S1 rack refurbished by Kenny Brown - he replaces the nylon (?) parts with brass parts so that they don't wear as quickly.

I think this is him: clicky

That said, it was a long time ago, so not sure if he's still in business or offering this service - I had it removed elsewhere and sent to him - I suspect that's the best way.

Cheers,
Robin

Just got my rack back from Kenny Brown. Great Service and cost effective. Paid 46 quid for a refurb, new gaitors and retapping the threads on it. FAB! I spoke to Kenny an he can do full geo setups also... Will certainly be using him as soon as I build the Elise back up. He can even do specific setup by track eg nurburgring vs Knockhill... would recommend him. Thanks for the tip Robin.

[r055]

Yes, it's rain water running over the radiator.

I had my S1 rack refurbished by Kenny Brown - he replaces the nylon (?) parts with brass parts so that they don't wear as quickly.

I think this is him: clicky

That said, it was a long time ago, so not sure if he's still in business or offering this service - I had it removed elsewhere and sent to him - I suspect that's the best way.

Cheers,
Robin

Just got my rack back from Kenny Brown. Great Service and cost effective. Paid 46 quid for a refurb, new gaitors and retapping the threads on it. FAB! I spoke to Kenny an he can do full geo setups also... Will certainly be using him as soon as I build the Elise back up. He can even do specific setup by track eg nurburgring vs Knockhill... would recommend him. Thanks for the tip Robin.

does he do a drive in drive out service for the steering as I cannae be arsed taking rack out myself and dont have the facilities to do so.

[Stumpy Nugget]

I get the impression he will do anything if asked, been in twice and saw everything from a single seater to a 4x4 being worked on... So I would give him a shout, he seems to know what he's talking about.

I completely understand why you would want to drive this in and out. It is simply 4 bolts (plus the U/J) and 2 track rod ends to remove which on any car except an elise would take about 20mins... Elise = a lot longer to get a socket to go on the bolts, 20 mins fighting with them to get them loose, 15 mins to clean up the blood from a cut to the head, 15 mins to junior off the Track rod ends as dinosaurs put them on back in 2001 B.C. and a hour to wiggle the thing out of its location...

It keeps you young..

[r055]

i done my ball joints and Track Rod Ends last year and the TRE's were a complete PITA!
I too had to hacksaw them off, then I had to take the uprights round to a local garage to put them into a press and apply some heat - even then, they were refusing to come off without a fight!

R