Steering Rack

[convertibled]

I am just refitting my steering rack after a complete rebuild and I have two thin metal strips which have 2 holes which I kept with the mounting brackets and bolts when I stripped it down. I assume they go under the base of each bracket or under the heads of the bolts in the footwell? Does anybody know what they do ?

[bmcecosse]

I think under the bolt heads - although I've only ever seen them attached to the floor - but maybe only by paint!

[convertibled]

Yes under the bolt heads, They are longer than the mounting brackets so I guess the extended ends points upwards. Perhaps they were intended retain something in the footwell. I'll fit them anyway!
Thanks
Carl

[philthehill]

The plates fitted under the steering rack mounting bolts inside the car are reinforcing strips.
Even those 16 gauge x 1" wide reinforcing strips were not enough to stop cracking appearing in the toe board around the steering rack mounts. Subsequently extra reinforcing was introduced. See BMC wksp man Section R12 for details of the reinforcing strips and the additional plates subsequently fitted. The original reinforcing strips were retained even after the extra reinforcing plates were fitted.[frame][/frame]

[les]

Just out of interest jlh sell/did sell a large plate that covered the whole flat surface (inside) that the rack shares, stopping any flexing of the original area, It's designed to be welded but I used strategically placed bolts on the one I fitted.