So I finally got my Z back on the road after a total rebuild but have a couple of springs that I can't figure out where they go.  I have a feeling the smaller one goes with the steering rack, but I've looked through the FSMs and threads here and can't find any picture showing this spring.  It's actually kind of baffling since I don't see how it can have any normal spring function since it can't be compressed or twisted.  Perhaps it is used as a spacer??  Captain Obvious:  do you recall anything like this during your rack rebuild?

The second spring appears to be used in a twisting application, but I can't recall where it came from.

I've taken about 400 pictures of my project, but sure wish I had taken a lot more during the tear down phase.

Thanks.

How about a door mechanism spring for the first one?  The detent thing that stops the door at various positions.  I think it might be a pull-type.  Just a guess.  The bottom one looks like a twisting action.

I don't think that is a door spring. They have space between the coils when uninstalled...

They don't look like any springs from a Z to me. Unless one of them is the gas pedal spring located under the dash?

Chuck

 

That first spring... There was a compression spring for the adjustable friction shoe that put pressure on the rack. But unless it is completely collapsed with the coils binding and touching, that isn't it. Can you take a pic showing one of the ends?

I don't know about the second spring either. It looks a little bluish in color. Is it painted the body color of your Z?

Here are some pics of the steering rack springs. They're all compression springs with space between the coils.

Friction shoe:

Inner tie rod ends:

 That first spring looks more like a thread insert from the side view. 

I was thinking the same thing.

 Spring #2, Is the tang on the upper end broken off or is the end a clean cut?

Thanks for all the replies.

Zed Head:  Definitely not a door spring.  I have both of those in the car and they are both larger in diameter and quite a bit longer as well as spread open so they can be compressed.

Captain Obvious:  Yep, my rack looked just the same as yours and all the parts are back in it.  The second spring came off the car all rusty, like most of the hardware.  It's been sand blasted and replated with zinc and a chromate coating on top of the zinc.  I used Caswell's CopyCad system and have done a ton of plating on the car.

Mark Maras: The ends on spring 2 are both clean, no indication of any breakage.  I looked at Heli-coils and they all seem to look like a spring that has been spread apart a bit.  But a threaded insert is the best guess right now.

I've attached a couple more pictures of spring 1 and one more of spring 2.

Sorry. but I got pretty much nuthin. Second spring probably gets installed over a shaft with a slot in the middle, and as you mentioned, is used in a twisting/rotating application.

First spring? No idea. Looks like a collapsed compression spring that is binding all the coils which is very unlikely. Not used for rotation or extension. Weird...