More problems....

last week I had the tires road force balanced at an Acura dealership. They were able to get 3 out of the 4 Federal S595 tires balanced but that's another story. Damn I wish we could get decent tires without buying the Toyos at $150+ each. Anyway, while they were in there, they had a look at the front end and it was a loose on the right side, the tech suggested a tie rod end, so we ordered one up and today went to install it. Well, let's just say, now we're ordering a new steering rack. Aaaarrrggghhhhh, hopefully one day it will end. The tie rod end is fine and doesn't need to be replaced. On the positive side, I think I'll order the new shocks at the same time, get it all done and then go for an alignment. Should make for a nice ride when its all done. Now where is that winning lottery ticket.....

There is a plastic bushing that disintegrates, replacements in various materials are available from our parts suppliers...

I'll second the bushing comment by sdlsaginaw. Pretty much every X 1/9 I have ever owned has need this bushing replaced. They are plastic and don't last. They are pretty easy to replace you just need to take off your tie rod end, clean out the broken pieces and then slide and press the new bushing in place (of course re-grease too). I have always replaced with OEM style plastic bushings, but I do remember seeing someone selling some metal ones that have a little screw to hold them in place. Its an easy and inexpensive fix.

On a side note I have never had to replace a steering rack on an X 1/9 and one of my X 1/9s had over 350,000 miles on it.

Bushing

Thanks, I'm going to call suppliers this afternoon and see what I can find out. The 74 seems to be different that later models, what I have doesn't seem to match with the service manual. If anyone has a pic/diagram from a 74 service manual it would be great to see it. I didn't look too closely yesterday when it was apart.

WildWilly said:

Thanks, I'm going to call suppliers this afternoon and see what I can find out. The 74 seems to be different that later models, what I have doesn't seem to match with the service manual. If anyone has a pic/diagram from a 74 service manual it would be great to see it. I didn't look too closely yesterday when it was apart.

Click to expand...

The '74 is different in many ways, but that bushing isn't one of them.

rack

I have been digging into the shop manual and all my parts bulletins to no avail. there was a "non modified" and "modified" rack, but I can't locate the spares number when the change was implemented. I did notice a difference in that in the modified rack, the stroke angle (up down, left, right) is 62% a opposed the earlier with a stroke of 60%. also the mod rack it looks like the inner ball joint in a bell shaped housing the un mod has a spring to maintain tension. points probably moot on a forty year old car, since it has probably had a few racks in her day.
mikemo

confused....

Just called VAS and they insist that the inner tie rod end on the left and right is the same for all X1/9 steering racks. Attached is a pic of what I have on the right side of mine and I can't see how the complete tie rod end will connect to this. There is indeed a bushing that can be replaced, but I think I'll just order the entire rack to be safe.

I'm baffled as I've looked in two different service manuals and neither of them show the same tie rod end on the right and left side. Am I missing something?? Starting to feel like a dummy. Sadly, VAS doesn't seem all that helpful.