[Fot] Reproduction Steering Racks - INFO NEEDED

Tue Nov 12 11:26:36 MST 2013

Kelvin Dodd in the US        doddk at mossmotors.com

He likely knows about this and is working diligently on the problem, but he
might be interested in hearing about the first hand experiences and field
fixes.

Joe A
Sent from my iPad

> On Nov 12, 2013, at 11:40 AM, Chuck WATSON <clw2000 at msn.com> wrote:
>
> FOT -
>
> I bought my rack from Moss Europe and I have contacted them about the
issue.
> They are interested in hearing about the problems encountered as they
> determine the appropriate action.  I would encourage those of you with
> first-hand info to contact Jeff Marks at  jmarks at moss-europe.co.uk even if
> your rack was purchased from Moss USA.  Hopefully this will get all of us a
> good resolution.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chuck Watson
>
>
>
>
>> Subject: Re: [Fot] Reproduction Steering Racks
>> From: tr4.tony at virgin.net
>> Date: Sat, 9 Nov 2013 09:20:37 +0000
>> CC: clw2000 at msn.com; fot at autox.team.net
>> To: tony at tonydrews.com
>>
>> Hi Tony
>>
>> I'm afraid I'd be very doubtful of it personally, although clearly I have
no
> knowledge of what exactly you have-  you need to check it carefully. The
> issues are;
>>
>> The tube pulls out if the pinion housing
>> The pinion nut falls off
>> The threads on the track rod ends aren't always machined properly
>>
>> I suggest you check with MOSS - I learned yesterday that MOSS Europe have
> 'frozen' sales of racks in the UK - I'm not sure what that means exactly,
but
> they have agreed to meet with me to discuss my problem at least.
>>
>> Meanwhile I'm using a modified rack before the Titan parts arrive - I will
> not countenance a rack as supplied by MOSS for fear of our and others
safety.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Tony
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On 8 Nov 2013, at 19:08, Tony Drews <tony at tonydrews.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> FYI - I've got a Moss Quick Rack that I was planning to install this
> winter - says "Made in Argentina" clearly on the sticker on it.  Guess I'll
> stick with the old stock one that's in the TR4.
>>>
>>> Tony Drews
>>>
>>> At 08:08 AM 11/7/2013, TR4 Tony wrote:
>>>> Chuck
>>>>
>>>> I would suggest that it is worth checking all racks, but I only have
> first
>>>> hand knowledge of the TR4 (TR6 etc) racks. I would be suspicious of any
> 'Made
>>>> in Argentina'.
>>>>
>>>> Steve Hall at TR Enterpises is having a batch of weapons grade racks
made
> now
>>>> with an ETA of march 2014 - if anyone is interested I suggest you
> contact
>>>> Simon Watson at simon at trenterprises.com to discuss. NFI but I will be
> running
>>>> one of the first when they arrive.
>>>>
>>>> Regards
>>>>
>>>> Tony
>>>>
>>>> Regards
>>>>
>>>> Tony
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
>>>>> On 7 Nov 2013, at 13:24, Chuck WATSON <clw2000 at msn.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Serious stuff!  Is that the quick-ratio unit from Moss USA?  That one,
> they
>>>> claim, is a heavy duty unit designed for competition.  I have their unit
> for a
>>>> Spit/GT6 application and would like to figure out if the issues are
> universal.
>>>> If possible, please email or post some pics on the Facebook site so we
> can see
>>>> exactly the areas you have identified.  Thanks for the info Tony.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>
>>>>> Chuck Watson
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> From: tr4.tony at virgin.net
>>>>>> Date: Thu, 7 Nov 2013 12:59:48 +0000
>>>>>> To: fot at autox.team.net
>>>>>> Subject: [Fot] Reproduction Steering Racks
>>>>>>
>>>>>> All
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I thought I'd give you all a heads up on my position with reproduction
>>>> TR4
>>>>>> steering racks made in Argentina and supplied by MOSS or via others.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have had another near lethal failure this weekend on the Rally of
> the
>>>> Tests,
>>>>>> costing me a high placing and a class win as well as the car or worse.
>>>> People
>>>>>> could have been hurt very badly. This is the second time.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The issues are threefold in my experience, the first two are serious
>>>> safety
>>>>>> matters hence my email to this group.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 1. The main steel rack tube is pressed without any notching or
> machined
>>>>>> scoring into the alloy pinion housing, meaning that on left hand lock
> the
>>>> rack
>>>>>> tube parts from the housing and control is lost. This is because the
> rack
>>>> has
>>>>>> nothing to bear against and therefore the wheels end up pointing in
>>>> opposite
>>>>>> directions. The alloy housing appears to be made from a material of
>>>>>> insufficiently high quality in my opinion and the press fit is poor.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I am aware of 7 failures now, 6 on competition cars, one of which was
> mine
>>>> and
>>>>>> which I was lucky to walk away from.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 2. The nut and spring on the top of the pinion housing (which allows
> the
>>>> rack
>>>>>> preload / play to be adjusted) unwinds and falls off, causing loss of
>>>> control
>>>>>> and excessive play in the rack, as well as ingress of material as it's
>>>> open to
>>>>>> the atmosphere. This is another potentially lethal failure mode and
>>>> caused
>>>>>> because the peening of the pinion housing / nut fails and the nut just
>>>> spins
>>>>>> itself off. Again my opinion is that this is due to poor material,
> design
>>>> and
>>>>>> manufacturing.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I am aware if two such failures now, one on my car again which we were
>>>> lucky
>>>>>> to survive unscathed.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The cast alloy pinion housings also appear to be poorly cast, with
> blow
>>>> holes
>>>>>> evident in the assembly indicating poor material, process and quality
>>>>>> control.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 3. There is a third problem in that the threads on ends of the rack
> are
>>>> not
>>>>>> cut properly, so track rod ends will not fit. Theses need to recut and
>>>> again
>>>>>> is evidence of poor manufacturing and dimensional control.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I am working with TR Enterprises in the UK to develop a short term fix
>>>> (which
>>>>>> we have done) and ultimately have some racks made that are fit for
>>>> purpose,
>>>>>> however meantime my opinion is that anyone who has one of these 'Made
> in
>>>>>> Argentina' steering racks should talk to their supplier and satisfy
>>>> themselves
>>>>>> of their safety in use.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I for one will not be using such a rack in an unmodified form and will
>>>> replace
>>>>>> it as soon as is possible with a product that is designed to be safe
> in
>>>> use.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Needless to say I wish to discuss this with MOSS and I am awaiting
> their
>>>>>> response.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Regards
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Tony
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> fot at autox.team.net
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://www.fot-racing.com
>>>>>>
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>>>>
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