Steering rack riddle

[ianmack]

Today I’ve been replacing the gaiters and track rod ends on my ‘54 saloon. I bought the parts a while ago and ordered the early type small diameter track rod ends. The car has a lot of later parts fitted so I wasn’t entirely surprised when they didn’t fit. I bought some late type ones and they didn’t fit either.

The rack looks like a Minor one in all other respects. The gaiters fitted and I was able to recover the old track rod ends with new rubbers so can go on using them.

There are only two types listed so I’m mystified as to what I have here. The early type ends are too small and the late ones too big. The track rods are half an inch in diameter, not precision measuring but from the fit of an open ended spanner. Does anyone know what this strange rack is?

[philthehill]

MG Midget or Mini?

[ianmack]

Wouldn’t they be narrower?

[paul 300358]

Is it possible that someone has swopped the ball ends for some off a different vehicle? The minor and midget one's can be a bit of a pain to adjust. The attached has a picture of the minor/midget ends http://www.spridgetguru.com/TA0141.html

I think that the later midgets had Triumph spitfire racks, but I could have dreamt that.

[philthehill]

If I remember rightly the Midget steering rack can be inverted and used for L/H drive Minors so possibly the right width for the Minor.