Gbs Zero Steering Rack - What Is It?

[brumster]

So I thought the Zero used a Mk.2 Escort rack, short-stem.

On stripping my down to insert a Quaife quick-rack kit for the very same, the pinion is significantly different.

Quaife on left; "OEM" GBS on right (bearing still in place)...

 

 

GBS assure me they are definitely not Quinton Hazel racks, which are not compatible with the kit.

 

So I'm out of clues now. Is it a misunderstanding and the racks aren't Mk.2 at all?

Or are they somehow modified from the original spec by GBS (and if so, why would they bother doing this?!)....

 

Help! Any ideas?

[brumster]

Exactly where my kit came from (it's basically Quaife). I might just return it and pay the extra difference for the whole rack. Bemusing though. Clearly the racks from GBS are something "special" inside...!?

[brumster]

Well I never got to the bottom of this. Quaife assure me the rack isn't Mk.II. GBS tell me it is.

 

My suspicion is that GBS probably bought some special deal racks that maybe were manufactured differently internally (or reman, maybe?). Either way, be very careful about buying a kit to convert an existing rack.

 

I'll return and just get the whole rack. A bit annoying to have to pay extra £££ for something that's a small job to do yourself, but seems they've got me by the short and curlies on this one...

[theduck]

How simple a job is it? I've bought a quick rack for my sierra rack and found some instructions on here for how to fit it, and it look rather more involved than I was expecting...

[brumster]

One tip, I would loosen the steering arms off the rack before you remove it from the car unless you have a nice strong vice. Once the rack is out of the car (which is probably the biggest piece of work!), remove the backing plate (2 bolts) which retains a spring with a number of adjustment washers and a plastic "cage" that guides the actual rack and takes up the slack in the rack and pinion. Then unscrew the housing around the pinion (22 or 24mm was it?) and remove the pinion; a bit of wiggling and jiggling will be necessary, a bit of turning it will help it come out.

 

Remove the bearing from the pinion; it is retained with a circlip (this might be fun depending on how tight it is on - may require a puller or press, or else just very careful systematic tapping with a long socket and a vice). Transfer to new pinion. Remove the steering arms and slide the rack out.

 

In the famous words or Mr.Haynes "refitting is the reverse of removal" with lots of grease!