What is a quick rack ?

[Bobo W]

and how easy is it to fit.

[Sheds Moderator]

It is a steering rack which gives more movement of the road wheels for any given movement of the steering wheel. It's relatively easy to fit though you will need a track rod end splitter (£15) and a tracking check (£20ish) afterwards.

 

AFAIK Caterham offer a standard and 22% rack. My car has the 22% and it makes it VERY twitchy at speed on the road. It is however very useful on track. There are fewer than 2 turns lock to lock. Make sure this is what you want before fitting it.

[Weirdy]

If I understand your question,ur talking about the quick rack steering, which is great on track, and bad for three point turns? As to ease of fitting, depends on how technical you are, I wouldn't do it myself wth out assistance.... then I didn't build Minty the Fcatry did and I'm not allowed to play.. LOL 😬

 

Weirdy

 

Its not the winning thats important, its the taking them apart.......

[Myles]

There are (or were) a variety of options starting with '+8%' and '+22%' options.

 

Fundamentally, they increase the amount the wheels turn for a given steering-wheel input. Not always a good thing.

 

Project Scope-Creep is underway...

 

Alcester Racing 7's Equipe - 🙆🏻™

 

Alcester-Racing-Sevens.com

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[Bobo W]

I'm just changing from flares to cycles and it was mentioned that I should consider fitting a quick rack. Given my usage in respect to road / track it would appear that it may not be the best option after all. Thanks for your quick responses.

[Dannyboy]

Bobo.

 

I put an 8% uprated rack onto mine which has improved the car no end on track without compromising it on the road......

 

There are probably a few of these around if you look hard enough!

 

Dannyboy

[Sue Dinnim]

It's my understanding that my car has a +22% rack on it. Primarily road use and I have to say that I have not had any problems thus far with it. (That should be the kiss of death)

[Sheds Moderator]

If you are changing to cycles you will probably need to limit the lock available or the wings may meet the body on full lock. They will then crack. 🙆🏻. Dunno what mods are available to do this but it can't be too complicated. Good luck.

IIRC the 8% racks (which have become standard) were the original rack, with adjusted limits. Why was it a quicker rack? Because it had fewer turns lock to lock. The fact that the lock was less tight was not spelt out at the time...

 

Edit - I may be about to be corrected re the 8% rack... 😳

 

Edited by - batteredoldsupersport on 29 Mar 2005 16:33:01

 

Edit 2 - I don't have "problems" with my 22% rack, it just makes it very twitchy and direct, which may or may not be what you want out of your car.

 

Edited by - batteredoldsupersport on 29 Mar 2005 16:34:32

[Chelspeed]

First there were standard racks, on mine at least (93 chassis) this was a pressed steel fabricated rack.

 

Options were 8% and 22% faster. Both of these were cast alloy cased with the word Caterham cast into it. The cast body gave them great upgrade appeal!!

 

At some time racks were either flared wing or cycle wing specific, racks for cycle wings had lock stops fitted which stopped the cycle wings touching the side panels on full lock. The lock stops were white nylon spacers fitted over the rack internals that just limited travel of the rack. Not sure if these could be back fitted or had to be done at time of assembly. I think they stopped doing this and just kept restricted lock one because 1) they work equally well on cycle wing and flared cars, just flared cars have a bit less lock they they used to 2) they sold 10x more cycle wing cars than flared wings and 3) they needed less stock.

 

Then they dropped the standard rack and the 8% cast rack became the original fitment with 22% as an option.

 

Then came wide track, originally normal racks were fitted with extension pieces for wide track, then they started making wider racks to avoid the need to extension pieces, first for 8% racks then later for 22% as well.

 

And of course all of the above in LHD and RHD.

 

At one point, late 90s, all the racks were colour coded, black for RHD, narrow track, 8% and silver (well not painted anyway) for RHD, narrow track, 22%, green, red or yellow for dunno, LHD, 8% wide track or whatever. I guess it then got too complicated or they ran out of colours because they're all silver now.

[Alias]

From what I understand...

Normal rack - great for road driving and ok on track

8% rack - best allround rack. A bit heavy round town.

22% rack - very good on track - rather heavy on the road.

 

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1400 Supersport with 6 gears and clamshell wings

[Barry]

I have a 22% rack, nowadays I use the car exclusively on the road. Yes it's a little heavier than normal, but I wouldn't go back to more turns; with the 22% rack you just think the car through bends.

 

Anyway, 3 point turns are easy with a LSD 😬

[Mick Day]

I used to have a standard rack (0%) with flares. I fitted cycle wings & a 22% rack which I find more than OK on the road. Small hand movements move the wheels where I want them & it is not twitchy. It's a little heavier at parking speeds but hey a 7 doesn't do much parking or shopping at Tescos ❗

[Scalper]

does anybody know the cost of new quick rack?

how easy is it to fit a new rack and how long did it take you to do it?

 

 

 

Enrico

Headrests wanted

[Bobo W]

The problem with being a mechanical simpleton is you ask a simple question, make your mind up that the wallet can be spared and then more opinion comes and puts everything up in the air again. Oh decisions, decisions.

[V7 SLR]

Steve, you don't have to change the rack at the same time as you go to cycle wings anyway, so try someone else's. Next time you're in Worcs pop in again. V7's working now so I can demo a 22% rack to you. It's bloody heavy at parking speeds and even on the move it's not the "fingertip light" steering that Chapman envisaged.

 

An 8% rack is a good compromise. I love my 22% rack but it could be lighter. I think to retain that rack and make the whole steering lighter I'm going to have to wait until I can afford a chat with Freestyle whose suspension changes are often quoted as lightening the steering. An expensive way out of a problem I suppose.

[stevefoster]

Man or mouse! You'll be wanting power steering, or 'fly by wire'! Whatever next.

Get some muscles and think your way through the bends.

I guess you can tell I have a 22% rack and would not change it.

I don't find the 22%'er particularly heavy. It's great to be able to drive most places without shifting grip on the wheel - more F1'esq and impresses the passengers.

 

 

Hants (North) and Berkshire Area club site here

My racing info site

here

 

 

 

[Luke Beaumont]

I'm another fan of the 22% for all round use.

 

OOI, does the SV have an even wider rack or is it just a normal widetrack rack with extra extension pieces?

[Joe 90]

Depends on the size of your steering wheel of course. A large wheel gives your arms more leverage. A small wheel might be cheaper than a new rack.

 

SEP field working, not spotted in 103,100 miles. Some photos on webshots, updated 25 Jan

[Mark Gregory]

Oliver: Not strictly true! A 'quick' (higher ratio) rack gives you more angular movement of the front wheels for a certain angular movement of the steering wheel. Fitting a smaller diameter steering wheel will reduce the length of arc your hand travels through for a certain angular movement of the steering wheel. Both options increase the effort required to turn the steering wheel.

Suddenly veering off topic: Does anyone remember those little brackets you could buy to lower the steering wheel on Mk1 Minis, they were worth at least 10mph.

[old captain slow]

I've got a 22% rack and it is absolutely fine on the road. You just need to get used to it. If asked I would say I have no idea why Caterham don't fit them as standard. I changed the standard rack because it was not much cop for track use. IMHO it is much better on the road with the quick rack too.

 

C7 CDW

[V7 SLR]

Steve, I bet mine's a darn sight heavier than yours. Other people have commented about it but there's no binding. It's just not right.

[Joe 90]

It's true that a smaller wheel isn't exactly the same as a quick rack, the effect on steering effort is equivalent.

 

SEP field working, not spotted in 103,300 miles. Some photos on webshots, updated 25 Jan

[thinfourth]

thread hijack

 

i have widetrack and a quick rack and i want to increase the amount of lock i have so that the cycle wings just and no more clear the side of the car.

 

So does my car have little spaces in the rack or not?

 

Sod the heater wheres my shades

[stevefoster]

That's strange Nigel. I have the VX up front to weigh it down as well but really find no problem.

I did grease my rack by loading the right hand side gaitor and using it to squirt grease along an otherwise dry rack. This stopped a little play in it and made it easier to turn the wheel. not by much though.

 

Hants (North) and Berkshire Area club site here

My racing info site

here

 

 

 

[Normans_Ghost]

I have wide track and 22% rack. I've always thought it very good as long as you don't "hang" on to the steering wheel.

 

However, Mav drove my car at Anglesey and asked why the steering was so heavy. Yoko 48's don't help nor 7" wheels but I don't find it a problem even when parking.

 

Norman Verona, 1989 BDR 220bhp, Reg: B16BDR, Mem No 2166, the full story here