Rack and Pinion Steering Assembly - Rebuild

Yep, any of the Pantera shops will have this bronze bushing. Yep, the 308 and Pantera use the same rack. I've rebuilt dozens of Pantera racks at tech sessions and did my 308 with the same parts... it can be done in the car and most of the Pantera parts will come with instructions on how to do so. I chose to take mine out. Here's a step by step if it will help anyone. If you ARE going to remove yours, I'd strongly suggest you get a new pinion shaft seal too. The Pantera shops sell those too.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/moseley_ferrari/sets/72157602899521527/

BTW, I've argued this on other threads, but I did take the time to track down people who used to work for CamGears and found the current recommended lube is ZERO weight grease... but I have used the 90w oil and it worked fine for years.


Rick

 

Friends,

I am bumping all these steering rack threads as I want to rebuild mine. Does anyone know the correct williams adjustable hook spanner part or size. The pin wrench is part 0-471. I kind of want to try to do this myself as I get quite a bit of enjoyment out of working on the car but want to make sure I have all the tools and parts before i get started. I have a few more questions:

Can you leave the tie rods on , my car track perfectly and not sure there is a shop close I can trust to do an alignment?
Is there any trick to keep the alignment of the rack to keep the steering wheel straight?
Ive never remove a tie rod from the front hub, It looks simple other than remove the bottom nut do you need a special tool?
I used Redline CV high pressure grease in my CV and gear lever box, would this work as a good lube?

Rick your photos are cool, why do you have to tap a new hole if there is already a set screw in there?

Does this look like all the stuff I would need?
http://www.panteraparts.com/cat/kits_steer.html

I have an early GT4 which does not have the AC type rubber bushing but 4 smaller ones, and a thin rubber spacer on the frame. Do you guys think I can do this?

Thanks to all

Rob

 

Hello Rob,

since it's almost 2 years since Rick posted the last time here, I try to answer your question.
It's almost impossible to find the original position of the metal sleeve of the bushing when pressing it in with the new bronze or plastic bush. Therefore it's difficult to impossible to get the two holes flush ( in the bushing sleeve and the rack housing ).
It's better to press in the metal sleeve with the hole on a clearly different angle and tap a new hole into the bushing's metal sleeve. Be cautious no to damage the thread in the rack housing. Otherwise you will need a next size set-screw.

Sorry I cannot answer your question regarding the hook spanner, because I have a later rack and needed no hook spanner but two adjustable pin spanners.

You don't have to remove the tie rod ends. I left them on too. But nevertheless I had to do the alignment. After the procedure the steering wheel wasn't straight any more. ( splines on the pinion were on the original position ).
I think, the reason for this is simply, that the rack was removed from the car and that the last alignment was done already with too much play in that bushing, which significantly affects toe-in.

Your suggested lube is too thick. On later 3x8 cars Ferrari switched from gear oil to semi-fluid grease. Just as good as gear oil but not so prone to leakages.
This is, what I have in my rack since 5 years. A 00-grade semi-fluid grease. No problems, no leakages.
This steering rack is no delicate issue regarding lubrication. No high speed sliding, no big heat, etc. No matter, whether you decide to install a bronze or plastic bushing.

Best Regards from Germany

Martin

 

how do you get the bushing pressed into the passenger side of the rack with the tie rod end still on?

You can do this, Rob! I didn't use the spanner, just vise grips and it did leave a little marking on the piece. No one can see it of course, but I don't fault you for trying to find the right tool.

 

Thanks Guys,

I guess I still dont understand a few things. Is there a bushing on the drivers side?, Someone mentioned a gap in the plastic bushing to let the pressure through how does this work with the bronze one? I thought there was a step that the bronze bushing is pushed against. So you basically drill a smaller hole through the already threaded hole in the rack to hold the bushing with the same set screw. I think after i remove this I will understand it better.

Did any of you mark where the rack went before you removed it to get it back in a similar location?

My plastic bushing has lasted 38 years, is there any way to find one anywhere?

 

I posted a link in another thread about rack that has all the pictures and instruction for the hole for the screw. Try with search. Also the boots from a Pantera will not fit the tie-rod size of a 308.

 

Claude,

Thanks I found that. the Pantera place above shows only one bearing, but Peters pics show two? Now Im not sure to do, I feel better about rebuilding it myself, than being able to find the correct parts!!! but if I cant find the correct boots, the bronze bushing is not correct, not sure exactly what to get. I pm'd John but have not heard back from him and not sure he is selling the kits anymore.

Thanks for all your advice,

Rob

 

To my knowledge, there is only 1 bushing, on the passenger side. The drivers side is held in place and guided by the pinion assembly. Attached the bushing size that my '83 Mondial rack built by "CamGears TRW Italia" needed. Hope this helps.
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Maybe you misunderstood me. I of course removed the tie rod, but left the tie rod END on it. But only on the passenger side, because you can pull the whole rack with the driver's side tie rod still installed.

Robert; you don't need those gaps in the plastic bushing on this application, because there is enough room around the metal sleeve for pressure relief. There are three notches around the seat of the bushing's sleeve.

If you have someone with a lathe, it's a matter of a few minutes to fabricate a perfectly fitting bushing. I did mine in half an hour.
But if so, do not go over the top with the tolerances. The bushing should not be too exact, because there is some angular deviation between the pinion assembly and the passenger side. This is unavoidable with this design.
If the bushing is too tight it will work while trying to install it on the rack, but will finally bind, when all is finished.

Best Regards from Germany

Martin

 

Rob; here are two pictures regarding the pressure relief notches where the bushing is located.
One with the bushing removed, one with the spacer which sits between bushing and rack housing shoulder.
Best Regards

Martin
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The bushes used iin the Ford Escort Mk1 rack look the same as in the Ferrari 308 rack. Both were made by Cam Gears.

See here
Steering : Rack rebuild kit - Cam gears/TRW nylon bushes

or here for bonze.

Steering : Rack rebuild kit - Cam gears/TRW bronze bushes
They also mention the need for the grub screw.

M

 

there are some keys on the bushing. These will not fit the old CamGear-steering racks.

Best Regards

Martin

 

Martin, I can confirm that the pantera bronze bushing fit in my 77 camgear rack because I did it. The rack body look exactly like your pictures Inside it. You can get the boots from most Ferrari parts guy. Superformance also list the inner tie-rod which I had never seen before. http://www.superformance.co.uk/a-308/steering.htm

 

My old '86 Testarossa is in need of either a rebuild or a new rack & pinion...it has a loose spot right in the dead ahead spot on the rack.

I have heard that there are services where the rack gear can be built up with a spatter welding process and then machined back to tolerance.

Poster Rifledriver has said in the past that this process is not a good solution and that he has never had success with it - however a new rack for this car could be rare & expensive.

Does anybody else have a second opinion?

BTW - this car is in the shop now for an engine out and something will be done about the rack and pinion while this is in progress - after that it will be up for sale.