Lotus Europa Community
Lotus Europa Forums => Garage => Topic started by: HoraceM22 on Monday,May 27, 2024, 01:06:35 AM
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Morning all, My recently acquired, restored, '74 TCS has been undergoing a few bits of attention since buying it a couple of months ago, to make it more to my liking. I has a TC when they were new in '72.
Removal of the (Banks and others) gear linkage to check and tighten, etc. Making a reverse gear detente plate which works well (I'll put this on - with drawings - later for your appraisal). Refitting the reconditioned original Girling servo. Fitting the "H" clips to the rear brake shoes which were missing and now have a semblance of a handbrake, still to get the fronts to bite like I am used to with my supercharged X/Flow Westfield, any suggestions? The Westy has a AP Racing master cylinder.
Today's question concerns the steering lock. I had a scary moment the other day when making a gentle slow RH turn out of a garage when the steering suddenly wouldn't unlock and I went " slowly" careering clockwise across the road to the opposite kerb. Luckily there was no other traffic about. It needed a REALLY hard tug to get it to unlock. This has happened on a much smaller level a couple of times previously and I thought it was something at the rack end, but I couldn't replicate it back home. This time when I investigated I could hear a clicking around the steering lock, and I have deduced that the steering lock has broken down and this time the locking lug went into the column. Strangely, after a fiddle about, even with the key out, the lock wouldn't engage at all!
So, after looking behind the scenes, I can see that to replace this (or just remove the locking lug, if poss, I'll need the drill out the two snap-off bolts, but to get at them I need to undo the bolts holding the column to the chassis (I think). This in turn means I will have to remove the dash so EVENTUALLY I'm asking "is the dash just held by the screws around the edge of it? or is there something more sinister lurking?"
As it's the Kit Car show next Saturday and Sunday at Malvern and I'll be there with the Westfield, I might be able to get a replacement at the right price. Are the lock actually Spitfire bits? If I can get mine off in time I'll be able to take it along to
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Sorry to drag this out but as it's one of my first posts I thought I'd give a heads up on where I'm at. Dodford, Northants, UK as it happens.
I'm sure Some of you will be able to offer advice.
Many Thanks in advance
ATB all
H.
Horace Marks
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Hi and :Welcome: from (sometimes) sunny Lincolnshire !
Locked steering sounds very scary, you've dodged a bullet with that one.
I don't know for certain but would guess that the lock is most likely Triumph, the one on my '72 TC definitely is but I think the later cars had a re-designed steering controls ? It might be worth scanning the Rimmer catalogue to see if you recognise anything ? Personally I'd be tempted to take it off and remove the locking mechanism, no-one is going to steal these cars for a joy ride and if someone does want it they'll turn up with a low loader in the night. A steering lock isn't going to stop them.
As for brakes, there's a fair bit of info on this forum about pad material and I guess you'll know most of it from the Westfield. The summary seems to be Greenstuff for initial bite & dusty wheels, personally I've gone for Mintex 1144 pads without a servo but I guess everyone has their own favourite.
Brian
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The steering lock is available from Rimmer Bros. Triumph Spitfire Mk 3 or 4 , I believe.
https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-GRID005829
To drop the column, the U bolt holding it to the bottom of the dashboard has 7/16" nuts holding it up. Just undo those 2 nuts (it takes ages as movement is restricted, and you are probably upside down), and the column drops down so you can drill out those bolts. Sometimes the twisting of the drill actually undoes the bolt for you.
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:Welcome:
....from a wet west country
That sounded scary. Think i'd bin the lock aswell
.....hmmm update just nipped to where I keep my S2 and it's not quite as easy to remove the locking rod as I'd imagined. So have left a working steering lock alone for time being.
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:Welcome:
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:Welcome:
Good first post Horace.
As 4129R says drill the bolts out and replacements are available from Rimmers. As an aside, where you are is near to http://www.guglielmimotorsport.co.uk/. Thoroughly recommend him for any Europa suspension issues and setting up. He has done a few Europa's and mine was a different car after a visit. I'm in Oxfordshire so not too far from you.
Cheers Neil
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The Europa has a very light front end. In order for the brakes to work properly, you need weight transfer to occur before serious braking begins -- very much like a motorcycle. Pads with a high initial bite may well lead to the fronts simply locking.
From personal experience, green stuff pads will fade in severe use. Mintex 1144s are better.
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Thanks for those replies, especially the brake pad bit. I have Pagids on my Westfield but they are outrageously expensive, but having said that they have been on for years and still show no signs of wear. Green stuff or Mintex looks likely to give me the response I'm hoping for. Of course I may be expecting too much after driving a Porsche 991 Turbo S cab with 15" ceramics!
On my question of the steering lock removal, I agree with the point about the potential stealability of our cars and was thinking along the lines of just removing the locking lug (if it is possible, unless a new complete unit is not too expensive), but to get it off I'm pretty sure I need to remove - or at least undo the dash to get at the bolts holding the lock to the column to give me access to be able to drill the snap bolts out., or is it possible with a lot of arm dexterity?
Do you TCS guys all have a dash with several screws on the front holding the dash in, or are they a variation on a theme?
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The wooden dashboard is held in place with 4 screws at the top 2 of which do into captive nuts, and the outer 2 are nuts and screws.
At the bottom, there are brackets at either end bolted to the dashboard, and bolted to the bodywork only by the micro switches which operate the internal light. Also 2 x nuts and bolts central below the window switches hold the bottom of the dash to 2 x L brackets bolted to the chassis which is a good place to attach earth wires.
But you only need to undo the U clamp to lower the whole column. 2 x 7/16" headed nuts. If they are Nyloc nuts, replace them with ordinary nuts and lock washers or you will be ages tightening them.
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:Welcome: HoraceM22!!
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:Welcome:
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:Welcome:
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:Welcome:
I have 74 TCS and can confirm you can drop the column without removing the dash as stated above. It's a PITA and I used a cut down (broken) spanner to make it a little easier.
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:Welcome:
HoraceM22
Dakazman
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Well, I found that I couldn't get my hand and a spanner around the back of the dash, but after a bit of wiggling, I was able to rotate the column sufficiently to enable me to get a drill into the two snap bolts. and when I drilled out the two tiny roll pins and had a look inside the lock - NOTHING WAS BROKEN !
I stripped it down fully expecting something to drop out, but nothing (well only the tiny spring which holds a lever on the outside of the actual lock bit). There were a few burrs on the ally but nothing of note, and when reassembled, the locking bar was protruding but when the key was turned the bar retracted and stayed that way until the key was removed.
So now I'm on to looking at the other end of the steering column and rack.
Grrrrrr.
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I have known the 1/2" diameter nut on the 5/16" UNF bolt holding the UJ to the rack, to hit the chassis
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So, when I sit by the side of the disc, grip it and go from lock to lock, it really does make a low rumbling sound and is not really smooth at all. After contacting a few specialists to get and idea of where I might get a replacement, one of the guys said to just take it off and gave a look inside myself, something I hadn't actually considered (or done in 55 years of mechanic'ing). Again, sitting and looking as my wife turned the wheel from lock to lock, it's more or less silent and smooth! Strange.
The bloke also said to undo the track rods to ensure the trunnions are rotating freely - they were.
Can the rack be removed without taking half of the inside of the luggage bay apart? It certainly looks like it's a question of undoing the four retaining bolts and the pinch bolt on the pinion and it should come off. Is that right? I did see about undoing the lower part of the column to assist in sliding the rack forward, but I think that was referring to an S2
Answers on a here would be most helpful
ATB
H.
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Can the rack be removed without taking half of the inside of the luggage bay apart? It certainly looks like it's a question of undoing the four retaining bolts and the pinch bolt on the pinion and it should come off. Is that right? I did see about undoing the lower part of the column to assist in sliding the rack forward, but I think that was referring to an S2
Yes, that sounds about right but personally I'd take off the closing plate to give you clear access to everything. It might be a struggle but will make putting it all back so much easier.
When I've done it I've had to move the bottom universal joint an inch or more to get it clear of the rack and the easiest way is to slacken the clamp holding the lower part of the steering column from inside the footwell.
On the "rumbling" I don't think mine's that smooth either if I do as you've described. The leverage is all wrong, you're pushing the rack/pinnion at an angle whereas with the steering wheel everything is lined up properly. Depending which road wheel you're turning, a worn rack support bush would make it even worse by letting the end of the rack move up/down as well.
Other things to look for - that univeral joint breaking up/loose bolts (never seen it personally but possible) or marks from where a bolt head/clamp has been binding ?
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When undoing the long 1/4" UNF nuts and bolts holding the rack to the 2 clamps, one of those pairs of bolts has the 7/16" head inside the chassis. It is a pig to get at to stop it turning. There are 2 ways of stopping the bolt from turning when undoing the 7/16" nylok nuts.
1) Get a long 7/16" combination spanner (wrench) and bend it into a C shape so you can get the O part of the spanner onto the bolt head inside the chassis.
2) Cut a slot in the threaded end of the bolt with a thin hacksaw, and put a thin screwdriver into that slot to stop the bolt turning and undo the nut with a ring spanner.
If those bolts come out of the chassis, they are a real pig to get back into place.
Mark the position of the rack where it meets the two clamps, as its position should be absolutely central so that the arms on the ends of the rack are exactly the same length, or else the steering will not feel right and you might get bump steer.
I was told by a Lotus employee that the length of those arms is critical to the millimetre to get the car to handle properly over bumps.
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So, after NOT having to fix the lock, and checking the steering column, I moved onto the rack itself. After reading the "would be" Workshop Manual, and not finding most of the stuff it tells you to remove I just undid the four rack location nuts / bolts. (why they didn't just put four captive nuts inside the crossmember I don't know, but hey-ho!) after then undoing the column nut and grub screw
I could remove the rack and after numerous phone calls I had an amazing stroke of luck. One of the Lotus specialists gave me the best kept secret in the Lotus world. THE NAME OF A COMPANY WHO MAKE AND REPAIR RACKS! Yes really, and for £25 each, I'll tell you who they are.....
It's Regal Engineering - or Powerracks and for me they're only 30 odd miles away at Mountsorrel, just north of Leicester.
I gave them a call told them my situation, and the very helpful guys said "Yes we can sort that out for you, bring it up" So I took it up early the next day they were open (only Tues, Weds & Thurs) gave him the rack and he called me about mid-afternoon to say that it was done. And only £180 incl. tax Bingo. picked it up the next morning and fitted it. The guy said it was bent by 6mm or so (1/4") and that it had been shimmed incorrectly and that would have caused the locking as the pinion went over the point of bend.
Just had the tracking set and now we're onto the next bug to iron out. Finding how to get a DAB+ aerial set up without having to fix it to the 'screen.
NEXT.....
the next day at about r
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Make sure you put the rack back completely central with the same length of floppy arm including track rod ends both sides, and that you have just over 1 steering wheel turn each way when the wheels and steering wheel are in the straight ahead position, and make sure the 1/2" lock nut on the bottom of the UJ does not hit the chassis.
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Cheers again guys. Re the positioning of the rack, mine has two "flange plates" that locate against the mounting brackets, so that it can only be positioned in one place. Regarding accessibility of the bolt head inside the crossmember, I did indeed have to sacrifice an OE spanner, bending it about 30 deg. such that I could get it on. Annoying but it had to be done. got a couple of shiny replacements at the National Kit Car Show at Malvern last weekend.
Jobs to still be done:
Try and re-position the bite point for the clutch nearer the floor
Make the clutch pedal so it only needs one person pushing it!
Fit a Dab+ radio - I can't be without music - I hope I can find an aerial that doesn't need fixing to the screen, I've read that a splitter does the job.
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RE aerials, since we have fibreglass cars, some have had success placing one in the front trunk.