[Fot] Reproduction Steering Racks - INFO NEEDED

Wed Mar 5 09:13:42 MST 2014

FOT -

I again initiated contact with Moss about the faulty steering racks after
almost five months of silence.  This time I contacted their President and
Director, which ultimately generated the response below.  They state that they
are no longer selling the faulty racks, but make no mention of any remedy for
previously sold units.  I have responded with notes about prior failures and
an inquiry about existing units in hopes of obtaining needed fixes for any
owner.    I think Moss is listening, but the resolution so far is inadequate.
I will keep FOT posted of any further progress.

Thanks,
Chuck

Dear Mr Watson I would like to take this opportunity to bring you up to date
with the steering rack issue. We were made aware of the failure of a unit
fitted to a rally car by one of our specialist trade customers. As we take all
product issues seriously, particularly on safety critical components, we
decided to stop all sales of this product range and consult with our
manufacturer to seek a method of resolving this issue to remove the likelihood
of potential failures. Our
 manufacturer has successfully reworked the
manufacturing process to 
give improved strength between the tube and the
pinion casing. This 
improvement has been ascertained by the manufacturer by
means of the 
increased force required to separate the tube from the casing in
a pull 
test. This test was carried out on both original tube & casing
assemblies and the redeveloped tube & casing assembly. Also,
 in your email to
Glen Adams & Robert Goldman you mention that you 
can provide further
information. What information do you have? We would 
be grateful to receive
anything you have that you feel may help us.Please
 also note that we have not
sold any of the potentially affected racks 
since our original exchange of
emails in early November.
Best RegardsJeff MarksMoss Europe

Subject: Re: [Fot] Reproduction Steering Racks - INFO NEEDED
From: tr4.tony at virgin.net
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2014 08:45:38 +0000
CC: fot at autox.team.net
To: clw2000 at msn.com

Hi Chuck
They haven't bothered to contact me again so I'll probably go legal.
Regards
Tony

Sent from my iPhone
On 25 Feb 2014, at 21:47, Chuck WATSON <clw2000 at msn.com> wrote:

I see that Moss is again selling the uprated steering racks.  Does anyone
have an update on fixes or progress with the investigation of the faulty
units?  I have contacted Moss (Europe) about an update also, and will forward
any info I receive.

Thanks,

Chuck Watson

CC: fot at autox.team.net
From: tr4.tony at virgin.net
Subject: Re: [Fot] Reproduction Steering Racks - INFO NEEDED
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2013 18:32:11 +0000
To: clw2000 at msn.com

Hi chuck
Yes I'm due to meet Jeff on this as soon as they come back to me on dates.
Thanks
Tony

Sent from my iPhone
On 12 Nov 2013, at 17:40, Chuck WATSON <clw2000 at msn.com> wrote:

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 at 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 at virgin.net
> Date: Sat, 9 Nov 2013 09:20:37 +0000
> CC: clw2000 at msn.com; fot at autox.team.net
> To: tony at 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 at 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 at 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 at 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 at virgin.net
> >>>> Date: Thu, 7 Nov 2013 12:59:48 +0000
> >>>> To: fot at 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 at 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 at autox.team.net
> >>
> >> http://www.fot-racing.com
> >>
> >> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> >> Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
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> >> Unsubscribe/Manage:
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