FYI - I've got a Moss Quick Rack that I was planning to install this
winter - says "Made in Argentina" clearly on the sticker on
it. Guess I'll stick with the old stock one that's in the TR4.
Tony Drews
At 08:08 AM 11/7/2013, TR4 Tony wrote:
>Chuck
>
>I would suggest that it is worth checking all racks, but I only have first
>hand knowledge of the TR4 (TR6 etc) racks. I would be suspicious of any 'Made
>in Argentina'.
>
>Steve Hall at TR Enterpises is having a batch of weapons grade racks made now
>with an ETA of march 2014 - if anyone is interested I suggest you contact
>Simon Watson at simon@trenterprises.com to discuss. NFI but I will be running
>one of the first when they arrive.
>
>Regards
>
>Tony
>
>Regards
>
>Tony
>
>Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On 7 Nov 2013, at 13:24, Chuck WATSON <clw2000@msn.com> wrote:
> >
> > Serious stuff! Is that the quick-ratio unit from Moss USA? That one, they
>claim, is a heavy duty unit designed for competition. I have their unit for a
>Spit/GT6 application and would like to figure out if the issues are universal.
>If possible, please email or post some pics on the Facebook site so we can see
>exactly the areas you have identified. Thanks for the info Tony.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Chuck Watson
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > From: tr4.tony@virgin.net
> > > Date: Thu, 7 Nov 2013 12:59:48 +0000
> > > To: fot@autox.team.net
> > > Subject: [Fot] Reproduction Steering Racks
> > >
> > > All
> > >
> > > I thought I'd give you all a heads up on my position with reproduction
>TR4
> > > steering racks made in Argentina and supplied by MOSS or via others.
> > >
> > > I have had another near lethal failure this weekend on the Rally of the
>Tests,
> > > costing me a high placing and a class win as well as the car or worse.
>People
> > > could have been hurt very badly. This is the second time.
> > >
> > > The issues are threefold in my experience, the first two are serious
>safety
> > > matters hence my email to this group.
> > >
> > > 1. The main steel rack tube is pressed without any notching or machined
> > > scoring into the alloy pinion housing, meaning that on left hand lock the
>rack
> > > tube parts from the housing and control is lost. This is because the rack
>has
> > > nothing to bear against and therefore the wheels end up pointing in
>opposite
> > > directions. The alloy housing appears to be made from a material of
> > > insufficiently high quality in my opinion and the press fit is poor.
> > >
> > > I am aware of 7 failures now, 6 on competition cars, one of
> which was mine
>and
> > > which I was lucky to walk away from.
> > >
> > > 2. The nut and spring on the top of the pinion housing (which allows the
>rack
> > > preload / play to be adjusted) unwinds and falls off, causing loss of
>control
> > > and excessive play in the rack, as well as ingress of material as it's
>open to
> > > the atmosphere. This is another potentially lethal failure mode and
>caused
> > > because the peening of the pinion housing / nut fails and the nut just
>spins
> > > itself off. Again my opinion is that this is due to poor material, design
>and
> > > manufacturing.
> > >
> > > I am aware if two such failures now, one on my car again which we were
>lucky
> > > to survive unscathed.
> > >
> > > The cast alloy pinion housings also appear to be poorly cast, with blow
>holes
> > > evident in the assembly indicating poor material, process and quality
> > > control.
> > >
> > > 3. There is a third problem in that the threads on ends of the rack are
>not
> > > cut properly, so track rod ends will not fit. Theses need to recut and
>again
> > > is evidence of poor manufacturing and dimensional control.
> > >
> > > I am working with TR Enterprises in the UK to develop a short term fix
>(which
> > > we have done) and ultimately have some racks made that are fit for
>purpose,
> > > however meantime my opinion is that anyone who has one of these 'Made in
> > > Argentina' steering racks should talk to their supplier and satisfy
>themselves
> > > of their safety in use.
> > >
> > > I for one will not be using such a rack in an unmodified form and will
>replace
> > > it as soon as is possible with a product that is designed to be safe in
>use.
> > >
> > > Needless to say I wish to discuss this with MOSS and I am awaiting their
> > > response.
> > >
> > > Regards
> > >
> > > Tony
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > fot@autox.team.net
> > >
> > > http://www.fot-racing.com
> > >
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