FOT -
I bought my rack from Moss Europe and I have contacted them about the issue.
They are interested in hearing about the problems encountered as they
determine the appropriate action. I would encourage those of you with
first-hand info to contact Jeff Marks at jmarks@moss-europe.co.uk even if
your rack was purchased from Moss USA. Hopefully this will get all of us a
good resolution.
Thanks,
Chuck Watson
> Subject: Re: [Fot] Reproduction Steering Racks
> From: tr4.tony@virgin.net
> Date: Sat, 9 Nov 2013 09:20:37 +0000
> CC: clw2000@msn.com; fot@autox.team.net
> To: tony@tonydrews.com
>
> Hi Tony
>
> I'm afraid I'd be very doubtful of it personally, although clearly I have no
knowledge of what exactly you have- you need to check it carefully. The
issues are;
>
> The tube pulls out if the pinion housing
> The pinion nut falls off
> The threads on the track rod ends aren't always machined properly
>
> I suggest you check with MOSS - I learned yesterday that MOSS Europe have
'frozen' sales of racks in the UK - I'm not sure what that means exactly, but
they have agreed to meet with me to discuss my problem at least.
>
> Meanwhile I'm using a modified rack before the Titan parts arrive - I will
not countenance a rack as supplied by MOSS for fear of our and others safety.
>
> Regards
>
> Tony
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On 8 Nov 2013, at 19:08, Tony Drews <tony@tonydrews.com> wrote:
> >
> > 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
> >>>>
> >>>> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> >>>> Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
> >>>> Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
> >>>> Unsubscribe/Manage:
> >> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/fot/clw2000@msn.com
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> fot@autox.team.net
> >>
> >> http://www.fot-racing.com
> >>
> >> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> >> Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
> >> Forums: http://www.team.net/forums
> >> Unsubscribe/Manage:
http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/fot/tony@tonydrews.com
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