Rover Metro rack in a Mini?

[Pete D16]

I'm trying to find a bit more room for a D16 unit in a std fronted Mini using std suspension - trial fitted a Rover Metro rack and it appears to solve the issue of room but rack travel is greater and track rod arm length
would be very short. Has anybody else tried it or does it create more problems than it solves?

Pete

How much shorter are the track rods? could and extension be turned up?

Gaz

[Pete D16]

Gaz

Track rod ends are, I think, the same but when they are fitted to the Mini steering arms the track rod end would virtually butt up to the rack gaiter, with little threaded rod length left for adjustment, angle of track rod to arm on full lock would be a bit strange as well, wondered if early Metro steering arms would help this, are they longer? if so they would also take out some of the extra length of the rack so it doesn't overlock . What do you think?

[duck]

Could you explain how the metro rack creates more space ? does it solve the diff hitting the steering rack problem ?

I have not seen a metro rack so I cannot visualise how it would improve things, is it a narrower design than a mini one ?

Thanks

Pete,

The A series metro arms are about 25 mm longer and the angle is different to obtain the correct ackerman angle. I've looked at using these and moving the Mini rack backwards as a solution and it would appear to work.

I've got a contact in a steering rack company, if i get the time I'll pop in and have a look at a Rover Metro rack.

Just an aside, did you know that Triumph Spitfire trackrod ends are the same as Mini ones only with 3/4" longer thread in the body, and have a sturdier joint.

Gaz

[Pete D16]

Duck,

The rack is longer overall, therefore the rack and pinion joint is offset further than a Mini's, so it doesn't interfere with the diff (D16).The pinion, and therefore the column are approx. 75mm to the right of std position. I haven't got the pedals in yet but Watsons and the like must get over any
problems (assuming they retain Rover Metro rack with modded Rover Metro frame) and the UJ wuold sort out column rake angle.
I only trial fiitted it yesterday, using Mini 'U' clamps, the O/D of the metal rack tube is less than that of a Mini's where it iclamped ,effectively moving it back 2 or 3 mm. However, unlike the Mini's, there is a lot of rack beyond the std clamping points. Like the Mini, the Metro rack clamps around an alluminium casting with locator groove (pinion end). When fitted to the Mini this is unsupported and i'm not sure how this is fixed to the rest of the rack , with a little fabrication this point could be used but this aligns with the diff.... if its not neat you're back to square one!
In terms of room it provides more than a LHD rack but with all the other issues it creates- excess lock, short trackrod length, possible pedal problems- i,m hoping that if it is a crap idea some kind soul will tell me, so i don't waste time finding out , anyone building their own frame will know what i mean. Thankyou in anticipation!!

[Pete D16]

Gaz
Being a fellow member of the 'old git brigade,' i was aware of the Spitfire trackrod, but trackrod is not the issue. ideally the Rover Metro rack wants to be a couple of inches shorter, could your contact effect a cut and shut?

[duck]

Thanks Pete for the info - I remember reading the article about Bob Olivers VTEC mini (watson frame) and it mentions a metro rack is used, I guess it works out ok as it uses the metro subframe.

[duck]

Has anyone had any further luck with the metro steering rack idea ?

I'm going to get a secondhand metro rack and steering arms to test out this idea but I thought I'd check to see if anyone had made any progress before spending the cash (if it is a definate no-go idea I won't bother getting them).

Cheers

[Pete D16]

Hi Duck,
I've had to resort to moving the rack back horizontally by 25mm, this means cutting into the origional rack mounting, but not affecting the floor inside. I've also found that the Rover Metro rack will have to be modified to copy the Mini's dimensions to maintain the critical length between track rod end spindle and the rack ball joint. I think it's all do-able, i'm using the Rover metro rack as opposed to the earlier Austin metro rack because it uses a UJ and will make life easier adjusting the column. The longer early Metro steering arms should put things right but retaining the Minis rack travel will mean a reduced lock. With the rack 25mm back the back of the diff is about 6mm away from the rack but the shaft alignment
is very good. Incidently, distance from back of diff. to shaft centre line on my D16A9 is- like Strudel's- 4 1/2," so you're 1/2" up on the deal!. I paid £10 for the Metro rack from the breakers but it will need to be stripped to shorten the rack shaft, i'm not sure yet if both ends will need doing, been quoted £40 for one end. I will shorten the rack housing myself. Seems a lot of work to end up with basically a Mini rack but i figure its worth it if it
doesn't intrude inside the car- a Mini rack would.

Pete

[duck]

Thanks Pete for the info, looks like you may have cracked this old problem.....well done

Is it a specialist company that have quoted £40 to shorten the rack ?

Pete

When you say shorten the rack, are they just gonna cut the rack down and retap it to screw the ball joint into it? (not sure if I can remember how the rack goes together)

I'm gonna have a look at an A series metro rack this weekend, cos I think that might help.

But good work so far fella! anything that stops me hacking my floor is good!

Gaz

[Pete D16]

Hi Duck,Gaz,
Steady Duck ,this is a work in progress!, but it's hopeful, I don't think mods would be that difficult, read on.
Gaz, I'm using '92 Rover Metro rack and i guess mid to late '80s Mini rack. I reckon Rover rationalised production of racks around this time because the Mini rack ball joint will fit the Rover Metro rack, its an internal thread fitment so it needs shortening on a lathe, redrilling and tapping a new thread, the steel part of the rack housing can be reduced, sleeved and welded to suit. From what i know of the early Metro rack, i wouldn't use it. The pinion casting is the same as the Mini one and it doesn't use a UJ, but more importantly it uses an external threaded collar type arrangement to secure the rack ball joint which might make mods more difficult ( i'm talking pre' 84 Metro's ones here , post '84 did, i think, use the all important smaller pinion casting and internals may have changed but i don't think they were ever fitted with a UJ),
You're probably wondering why you can't just slip a Mini rack rod into a Rover Metro housing, unfortunately they didn't quite rationalise enough!, Although the o/d appears to be same the angle of the rack teeth is reversed so it's a non-starter, a bit academic but tooth pitch is slightly different to.
There are a few other tweaks required but thats the nuts and bolts of it, hope this helps.

Pete

Pete

I'm picking up another D16 sohc engine this week, it's from a written off 95 jdm crx del sol, it's the shoppig version (non vtec but its free!) but the gearbox looks to be different to the one on the Rover D16 sohc, I'll let you know when I've got them side by side!

Gaz