A poll sort of...anyone replace these?

 

Michael,

Do you think that the inner tie rod ball joint is the culprit? What makes you think so?

Regards,
John Petrich in Seattle

 

We have not, after countless track days, time trials, and autocrossing, although we see it in our future!

 

I've got an appt at the dealer on Wednesday to replace one of those under warranty.

 

May be replacing one/both on Wednesday. Also got an appt at the dealer.

Don't know if that's the problem, though. The car is wandering a lot. Had the (worn, but not shot) front control arm bushings replaced about a month ago, but that didn't stop the problem.

 

I'm not sure John...but I still cannot detect any losseness while grabing the wheel at 12&6 or 9&3. But the car wanders, gains steering angle out of sinc with the steering wheel, knocks around etc. Very unpleasant!

These are the only parts that have not been replaced. So using Maximum Parsimony as a diagnostics tool, these have to be the problem...

 

Michael,

Understand that you trying to solve a problem with only the symptoms and no clear diagnostic signs to go on. I feel your pain.

The inner tie rod ends could get loose from that accident, and it is possible that even a small amount of play would translate into a large amount of steering instability. I hope that is it.

Another thought is that the right side steering rack bushinig could be pounded out, another source of play. Not sure if you would see a leak or not. Depends on the seal integrity. On my old E-type, that outside bushing had worn out, the non power rack didn't leak, and fixing that bushing cured a significant bump induced steering wandering.

Good luck,
John Petrich in Seattle

 

John,

Thank you for the continued support!!! The steering rack bushing...I didn't know that was a fluid filled device. In any event, it was replaced with a powerflex bushing about a year ago...perhaps one of those fancy bolts has come loose???

I'll make some time this holiday weekend to get under the car and check a few more things out.


Michael

 

Michael,

Regarding the "bushing" I was referring to: I was speaking of an internal bushing that I am assuming is inside the steering rack housing. This bushing, if present, would locate the rack itself inside that housing. In my E-Type, that bushing was worn oval and would allow the rack to deflect under steering loads and, if the car hit a bump, the steering would wander. When I replaced the bushing, the bump induced wandering went away.

The MINI steering rack is a "black box" to me. I don't know if there is an internal bushing and if the rack is fluid filled or not. The racks in all my old British cars were grease filled, but none of them were power racks, either.

The Polyflex "bushing" that I think you were referring to is what I identify as the right side mount for the rack housing to the front sub-frame. Of course, if your rack mounts are loose or broken your steering would be seriously affected. That said, you already told me that you'd previously been all over that area with a pry bar and nothing was loose at all. So, I wouldn't expect that Polyflex mount to be the problem.

Best,
John Petrich in Seattle

 

...the inner and outer tie rod come as one assembly - $79.00. Not bad actually...the corollary here being, if the price of the component is low, the effort must be high.

John, as is typical with my time, I check many things very carefully and dismiss others simply due to time. It is unfortunate that I did not check the rack bolts while the subframe was off...