Steering rack clamp?

[blitzkraig]

How important is that exhaust clamp looking thing on the steering rack of my Z? I tore it off when i was refinishing the rack, thinking some half assed mechanic put it there for whatever reason but I found it mentioned in my restoration book......oops:dead:

[Alan Pugh]

This is an interesting question because I have removed mine too, not knowing what it was there for. I haven't seen it mentioned any where and have no idea what it does.

Having said all that, why would Nissan go to all the trouble of making a clamp like that with the little rubber bumper on it if it did nothing?

I look forward to the answer on this one.

Does anyone know??

Alan.

[Bambikiller240]

If memory serves me, the clamp and "bumper" on the steering rack was a NISSAN issued FIX for a problem that was encountered on the early versions of the steering rack. It is meant to limit FLEX of the rack which was causing a bind in the steering system. If you still have the parts, you might think about putting it back where it belongs. Safety first, and all that.

[LanceM]

My guess is to keep it from rotating under high steering loads, but why in just one direction I don't know...

[Alan Pugh]

I agree that the clamp with bumper would stop to a degree the flex and tendency to turn under load. If this was a fix for early model racks I am assuming we are talking about 70-73 240Z's and not the later model rack fitted to my 77 260Z.

I know in Australia we got a different version of the 260 than the US and there are a lot of questions that come from this.

My car is a 2/77 260Z 2+2 GRS30 015866.

I don't understand how I can have 2+2 #866 in 1977, two years after the start of the 015 prefix, the delivery figures don't make sense, but that's a whole new post.

I'm going to refit the clamp anyway.

Alan.

[Ivan]

hmm best put mine back on as well, thanks BambiKiller240

[blitzkraig]

oh well, one more thing to sandblast and paint