Steering

[Youngseven]

Hi all,

Below is some pictures of the steering set up on my car. However after looking at pictures of it set up on other sevens it appears wrong. Can anyone advise me on what needs changing and if I need to purchase new bits.
Many thanks

[Howard Wright]

Hi Youngseven

You’ll get lots of responses from others more knowledgeable than me but here goes...

The brake pedal lever seems quite large diameter (I don’t think it’s a standard lever) and is offset from the pin.  The lever should be quite close to the steering box.  This has necessitated the odd brake actuator rod. This should be straight!  Bent like yours it will deflect and make the brakes feel less than hard.  The steering side tube seems a little long but that might be the way the pic has been taken.  Interesting spring on top of the track control arms!

Hope this helps

Cheers

Howard

[Steve kay]

Usually the opening chorus is, put a David Cochrane steering arm on it right away. This time, however, it is difficult to know what to say about that brake rod, other than to find it difficult to imagine anything worse. Well done for showing the pictures and asking for advise, things will get much better from here on.

["Slack Alice" Simon]

Somebody has been solving problems they themselves have created as they go along, and ended up with a horrible final set up.

We have all done it, most of us have realised it, taken it apart, and started again.

Which I would do in this case.

The brake operating rod MUST be straight, the steering arm coming out of the steering box should be more or less vertical.

Start from there, and solve the new problems it gives you.

Cheers

Simon

[Ruairidh Dunford]

I hope these help you.

   

   

   

   

   

[Colin Reed]

Hi, I would be inclined to get a new steering box housing from David Cochrane and do away with The WEDGE, Which is what is causing the problem.

COLIN 
NZ

[Youngseven]

Thankyou all for your replies, they are very helpful. Just to confirm the drag link needs to connect on the inside of the steering box arm not outside. With the drag link is there one set Length for all sevens.

[Ian Williams]

I never understand why when fitting a wedge people don't keep the brake pedal in it's original location, it solves all those problems and requires very little more fabrication than making the wedge did in the first place. I would not drive a car with a brake rod that had been altered in such a way, your life depends on this rod! Colin is of course quite correct and the best solution is one of Davids steering boxes.

[Henry Harris]

Its a very late chassis fitted with an early steering box, probably in a random position.
Check the length of the steering tube.
Set the front wheels EXACTLY straight ahead.
The steering tube and the steering box drop arm should now be at 90 degrees.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Just to confirm the drag link needs to connect on the inside of the steering box arm not outside. With the drag link is there one set Length for all sevens.

Yes, I also think that the main problem is that your drag link is too long. Can you measure it? It should be 24”, although I learnt recently that you will need to lengthen it slightly if using a wedge - can let you know later in the week by how much.

You can (and should) buy a brand new brake rod to replace the bent one.

I can see that your car was originally fitted with an hour glass steering column - these mounted to the side of the chassis only, through the two holes you can see. You can lower these without the need for a wedge by altering the rearmost hole, that ensures that the brake pedal pivot retains original position. You can only do this if you still have the original column of course.