I use that quick rack from Moss in my TR3 as well. I sure will take a close
look at it now. Is there a made in Argentina stamp on the housing somewhere
that i should look for?
Thanks for the heads up.
Greg
> On Nov 7, 2013, at 7:24 AM, 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
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