Question on Step for 308 Steering Rack Removal:

Yes, you first need to loosen the steering column from the rack, then remove the outer tie rods from the hub (just taps up/out), then loosen the 4 bolts and pull through one of the wheel wells.

This job is easier if you remove the spare tire shroud... at least it was on my 77 308 GTB.

Have fun.. also, I recommend the Superformance UK quick-ratio rack and pinion mod...

Greg

 

Ive had the racks out of both my 1977 308 GTB's, the second car several times in and out. I have NEVER loosened anything in the steering column except to take off the clamp bolt at the rack pinion. The stub shaft of the steering column will slide up into the cockpit through the shafts bearing.

If you want to save yourself some work, do this.

I layed a large tape measure down on the floor at the back of the car, perpendicular to the cars centerline, so I could see it from the front. I sighted down the side of the front tire, on a line from the front outer edge of the tire sidewall, across the rear portion of the tires sidewall, and recorded the distance indicated on the tape so I could align the wheels toe in/out back to that point later. Why? Because if your car is aligned correctly now, you can return it back by knowing where you started.

Next, remove the rack after popping the tie rods loose, remove the steering at the rack pinion, and take off the bolts securing the rack to the frame. When you replace the rack, after you have it bolted down to the frame, wait with putting the tie rods on, you have to center the rack first. You have a bunch of splines and no way you can eyeball the center point. You start with the rack in a generally middle area, and with the steering wheel centered (the key locks the column in the center position, so if the wheel is not correctly centered with the key locked, you need to recenter the wheel to the column FIRST) re-attach the stub shaft to the rack pinion loosely, so you can take it back off easily.

With the steering unlocked, you turn the wheel first one way, and mark its farthest position. Now you wind it the other way, counting turns, and mark the location of the wheel as it stops. Now you turn it back "exactly" to the half way point you just measured. Now, without disturbing it any more than you can, remove the stub from the rack pinion, re-center the steering wheel and lock it, and re-attach the stub back onto the rack pinion. Unlock the steering, and double check that you have actually found true center by turning the wheel back and forth as before and noting the wheels position. Dont feel bad if you have to do this a time or two to get it perfect.

Once your satisfied its all centered with the steering locked, bolt down the stub shaft to the rack pinion, and re-attach the tie rods. Once the wheels are on the car, and hopefully the car and your tape has not been moved any, sight down the wheels as before and check that they align with the tape measure as before you started. You can re-adjust the tie rod joints to align the wheel with that measure. If your not comfortable with your alignment, the car should at least be safe to drive to a nearby shop that can set the toe position for you. Just make sure as close as possible you have the rack centered, check all bolts and fitings to make sure they are tight, and drive carefully at first to notice any driving trouble.

Once I had the car together, I drove it and checked especially the wheel position in the straight ahead. I marked the discrepency and pulled back in the shop. Equal turns on the right and left tie rods will simply tend to move the steering wheel. I made and use a trammel rod. Simply its an adjustable length rod I can place between the inner edges of the front wheels, and see if they are parallel in the straight ahead position by measuring between the back part of the rim, and the front part of the rim. If the wheels are parallel, the measure would be equal. By turning the tie rods small amounts, taking test drives, and remeasuring with the trammel rod, I can get the car perfect. And its not as time consuming as you might assume. I could slip the trammel under and measure the car sitting on the floor, and could loosen and turn the tie rods by simply reaching in behind the wheel with a wrench and turning the rods with a pliers.

Have fun~

 

hey how are your cars and are they both running!

Rob

 

Well, the parts car I bought turned into the cannibal. It runs really good, and except the paint being mostly original, it dont look to bad. The other car I have thought several times of piecing away, but I keep holding back. I was going to pull the motor on this second car over winter and really clean up the engine and the bay, but have stood back. Thinking I may focus on turning the old car around and putting it back together with it painted Blue like it started out, and keep the second car around as a driver for a while.

 

Well, I wouldnt call myself any authority, there are many others on here that are far greater authorities than I am. I just have some fuzzy old professional experience working on wheel alignment and applied it to the Ferrari.

The trammel rod is made of 3/8" ID black pipe, 24" long. The rods are from 3/8" mild steel rod that was originally about 60" long, cut in half. This is just standard stuff you can find at a neighborhood hardware store. Just make sure the rod fits inside the pipe before you buy it. I drilled and tapped two 1/4" 20 holes in the pipe, and found some knobs to screw in to hold the rods secure to whatever length I need. I simply bent the rods in a vice to give me about a 6" drop with about 3" ends, ground the ends off round, and there ya go. Its a little springy so I set it to just lightly touch the rim. I shoot for just a titch more toe-in than zero, like you see in the manual, a max of 3mm (1/16"-3/32"). Again, I just eyeball it to have just a hair of clearance on the back side compared to the front.

I have attached a copy of page 96 from the GT4 OWM (hope this is kosher) to help better explain setting toe-in, as well as some pictures of the trammel rod I made. I always intended to buy a "real" one, but this works just fine and has lasted me now over 10 years.

I use plain old chalk to mark the top of the steering wheel at whatever point it stops, and make a light chalk mark on the instrument pod for reference and just eyeball it.


I think you confused what I wrote about turning the wheel back and forth. You do this "after" you re-install the rack to locate the racks center. I think it would be somewhat difficult trying to re-align paint marks and once you start taking it out, and taking it apart, your paint marks will probably get messed up anyway. I really doubt it took more than 10 minutes to locate the center.

You dont need wheels or tires on the back to sight down the front tires, just a tape on the floor in back of the car will do. All your after is a reference point to put the front wheels back to after you have the car together.

Just remember that where the steering column, the steering wheel will always be in the straight up position. If its not, you need to take the wheel off and correct it. When the rack is centered, the steering wheel should lock, and the tires should be aligned straight ahead, toe-in set at that position. If you get it right, the car should drive straight down the road with the steering wheel perfectly straight. Just to be clear, the car pulling to one side or other has nothing to do with toe-in, that has to be corrected at the control arms by altering caster/camber.
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