Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi, anyone know offhand what thread the steering arms are where they screw into the ends of the rack? (Not the track rod end end, but the inner end). I need to re thread one, and it would be easier if someone could say its a .... whatever, rather than going into an engineers supplies and saying 'got any taps wot fit this?' or some such ignorant sounding comment....

Steering arms are the parts that fit into the king-pin uprights. Track rods connect to the main rack body with large ball type nuts to secure them. Dunno the thread for these - although I do have new spares. The thread is very fine and you are unlikely to get a die that size - they would be machine turned during manufacture. Hard to imagine how these threads could be damaged - but only hope will be patient work with swiss files!

Yes, ok I called them the wrong name... It was late when I typed it It is the track rods I mean. It's a narrowed rack for a non standard application, so needs one of the threads completely re drilling and tapping.

Hello Iain,

as this seems to be a relatively obscure question you may be quicker measuring the diameter and thread pitch (use a thread gauge) and identify the thread that way.
It's a long time since I dismantled a Morris rack, so I assume the cup end of the rack is screwed into the rack itself? as the track rod is a ball and the cup that holds it is a male thread?

Alec

Yes, thats right the ball and socket joint has a male threaded end which screws into the end of the rack. Yes I expect I'll have to take it to an engineering place and measure it, as I dont have any thread gauges. It was just a thought that if anyone knew offhand, it'd save a bit of hassle.

I 'think' a Mini rack is very much the same rack - but narrower!! Try that first. Otherwise - would it not be much easier to just shorten the track rods ? I know that won't give absolutely perfect geometry - but it won't be far off.

Hmm, will look into a Mini rack. That could be the answer. Lopping a bit of the end of the track rods was the obvious solution, but was trying to do it 'right'. As you say though, probably not a lot of difference in real life...