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[chrisgixer]

....to match a ball joint shaft cone shape. Such as that in an omega hub or centre tie rod etc

How do dat den...? And no an off the shelf taper drill doesn't give the right angle.

[Varche]

Taper reamer? You would need to be able to hold the item acurately

.http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/how-drill-tapered-hole-205835/

When I was a lot younger I needed a similar job doing and ended up taking it to Premier Screw and Repetition Engineering in Leicester. Must be somewhere similar near yourself.

[Andy H]

Do you feel lucky?

I don't think you will be able to hand cut a taper good enough to be used in the steering system.

The 'safe' way would be to spend a load of time perusing parts catalogues to find ball joints that have the correct taper to fit you steering arms and correct threads to fit your rack.

[aaronjb]

You need an off the shelf taper drill of the correct angle 

Or, actually, a "ball bin reamer": http://www.drill-service.co.uk/Product.asp?Parent=080540000000&Tool=198

These folks might have one cheaper under another name: http://www.mscdirect.co.uk

Now when you've recovered from the price.. is the hole already "almost" right?  If so I'm told an old track rod end cut off and put in a drill along with a lot of grinding paste will get you there (commonly done building Pilgrim Sumos to make the TREs fit the Sierra uprights)

What angle are the TREs?

[05omegav6]

A good old fashioned engineering shop is what you need

[kevinp58]

A good old fashioned engineering shop is what you need

 

[chrisgixer]

A good old fashioned engineering shop is what you need

Oh now come on Al, where's the fun in that..?

Probably cost £100 to....  Mmmmyeah maybe not

[chrisgixer]

You need an off the shelf taper drill of the correct angle 

Or, actually, a "ball bin reamer": http://www.drill-service.co.uk/Product.asp?Parent=080540000000&Tool=198

These folks might have one cheaper under another name: http://www.mscdirect.co.uk

Now when you've recovered from the price.. is the hole already "almost" right?  If so I'm told an old track rod end cut off and put in a drill along with a lot of grinding paste will get you there (commonly done building Pilgrim Sumos to make the TREs fit the Sierra uprights)

What angle are the TREs?

Christ almighty

Answers my question though thanks Aaron.

I'm not at the point where I'm ready for absolute final finishing yet, I just need to get the sizes of everything lined up, in right place and not fouling. It all needs to be in place to finalise that so I'll just drill a hole to the larger size for now. Once I'm sure its going to work, and the position of the inner ball joints is correct, that will be the time to invest in one if those little buggers.

Edit to add, I'm on the mark 1 version currently

[05omegav6]

You need an off the shelf taper drill of the correct angle 

Or, actually, a "ball bin reamer": http://www.drill-service.co.uk/Product.asp?Parent=080540000000&Tool=198

These folks might have one cheaper under another name: http://www.mscdirect.co.uk

Now when you've recovered from the price.. is the hole already "almost" right?  If so I'm told an old track rod end cut off and put in a drill along with a lot of grinding paste will get you there (commonly done building Pilgrim Sumos to make the TREs fit the Sierra uprights)

What angle are the TREs?

Christ almighty

Answers my question though thanks Aaron.

I'm not at the point where I'm ready for absolute final finishing yet, I just need to get the sizes of everything lined up, in right place and not fouling. It all needs to be in place to finalise that so I'll just drill a hole to the larger size for now. Once I'm sure its going to work, and the position of the inner ball joints is correct, that will be the time to invest in one if those little buggers.

Edit to add, I'm on the mark 1.5/6 version currently

Fixed

[chrisgixer]

One rack with cranked travel bar.



Very rough mock up so far, the two witches teach you can see sticking up on the travel bar are the desired position for the inner track rod ball joints, and will be sited either side of the sump.

Hopefully the two "teeth" are long enough to cover all eventualities and will be hopefully drilled about half way up for tre ball joint position.

Once that's correct I'll probably make another one all in one piece, with ends bent 90degrees and the "teeth" cut out if one piece, so no welds can fail.

[05omegav6]

Good effort

Presumably you just now need to find a way to mount the rack to the chassis in line with the original position of the tie bar

[chrisgixer]

Good effort

Presumably you just now need to find a way to mount the rack to the chassis in line with the original position of the tie bar

That's the next bit. Yes.

Speaking of aligning with the tie bar. Did you know, that the ball joints for the idler and pitman arm on the centre tie rod, align perfectly with the wishbone pivot points? NOT the inner track rod ball joint, as you might expect, which Are sited outboard of the wishbone pivot centre line.

So what I hear people cry...? (Well some might anyway ) well, the accepted ideal for rack position is to a range it(or a box mechanism)  so the inner ball joints are in line with the wishbone pivot, or you get bump steer.

The omegas inner ball joints are in the wrong place, if you accept that theory.

[05omegav6]

Probably to prevent/limit vertical load on the tie bar as the wishbones move up and down, as it makes it impossible for suspension travel to vertically affect the ends of the tie bar... I think

If the rack width allows it, using plates from the steering box/idler mountings run forward along the inside edge of the chassis rails should keep the area clear for the exhausts... 

[chrisgixer]

Probably to prevent/limit vertical load on the tie bar as the wishbones move up and down, as it makes it impossible for suspension travel to vertically affect the ends of the tie bar... I think

If the rack width allows it, using plates from the steering box/idler mountings run forward along the inside edge of the chassis rails should keep the area clear for the exhausts... 

I think the inner ball joints are compromised because, they couldn't put the idler and box ball joints anywhere else. They couldn't come in board, as that would mean moving the steering box into the engine bay more than an inch, and they couldn't move the box outboard as the body is in the way.
So they put the tre ball joints as close to the ideal as they could.

The delights of packaging.

[05omegav6]

Packaging... isn't that management speak for compromised design