MK1 Escort Steering Question

[Herr Doktor]

The doors on my Mk1 Escort are currently taped up prior to painting so I'm unable to gain access to the steering wheel.

 

A method I've implemented for many years is to put a person on each front wheel then both push/pull simultaneously until the desired turn is achieved.

 

After using the same method tonight prior to putting the car onto the lift I was somewhat perturbed to notice they no longer point in the same direction!

 

In fact, when I turn the drivers wheel until it's at full lock, the passengers wheel is at a good 15 to 20 degres greater lock!

 

Have I fecked something up?

[Vista]

I guess so........................

[Herr Doktor]

lol

 

There's no play in the rack and the track rod ends look ok

 

confused.com

[Ray]

pictures tell a thousand words

[Herr Doktor]

That's my plan today Ray. I'll take some them pop them up

[Herr Doktor]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ray]

i think the steering rack is fubar, and certainly unsafe of anything other than a laid up car, i would change the rack asap

 

i can only think it was either like it and you didnt notice or dragging it has ripped the threads in the rack itself and started pulling the bar out, as clearly the track rod ends have not been touched

[Ken B]

 isn't that called Ackermann where one wheel turns more than the other on full lock. They should be more or less parallel when pointing forwards though. Cant see how you bent anything unless you jacked it up on a steering arm. I would have said its nigh on impossible to have stripped the rack gear teeth too unless its been kerbed hard or the like certainly unlikely in a workshop scenario.

[Herr Doktor]

It wasn't jacked up on a steering arm and it worked perfectly fine prior to my moving the wheels. I drove it in a few days ago and it's only recently had an MOT [6 weeks ago in fact]

 

You're on the money with the track rod ends Ray: there's approx. 10 threads showing on the passengers side with 7-8 on the drivers side so they seem fine with no sign of threads being ripped.

 

When I grab the wheel at the 12 and 6 o'clock positions and try to move/ wobble it there's zero give. Grabbing at 3 and 9 o'clock and moving results in both wheels moving

 

Is the general consensus I've knackered the rack?

[robert maguire]

Its only a suggestion but any chance the inner track rod arm is unscrewing from the rack when turning the track rod itself.Probably not but just in case. Cant see the teeth on the rack getting damaged.If everything else is tight, like arms from hubs,  it cant "adjust" itself.

[Herr Doktor]

Thanks Robert. Everything feels tight with no play anywhere regardless of how hard I "wiggle" it. It makes no sense to me whatsoever tbh. Why would moving the orientation of the front wheels damage the rack? I'm only doing what the steering wheel would have done!

[Ray]

from where im sitting, i would get the spraying finished and dont worry about it just yet, its not as if your driving it

 

then on re-assembly, as a safety precaution, replace the rack at minimum, i would even do the track rod ends

 

something is clearly at fault, anything from un noticed mall adjustment, to some serious wear or damage