BWRex Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 I was wondering what the U-clamp on my '71 Z on the steering rack was for,or if I'm the only one with one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TeamNissan Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Pics? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWRex Posted February 9, 2008 Author Share Posted February 9, 2008 I don't have pics yet of mine,But it is exactly like the one in the Black Dragon catalog 2006 Fall edition,page 84,just to the left of the #10 LH urethane rack mount bushing.It isn't in the Modern Motorsports catalog,and really dosen't seem to serve a purpose... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 I think it's a bumper, meant to stop the side with the larger bushing from squishing really far. Probably serves no purpose if you've gone to poly rack bushings. I used a pair to mount my modified rack to my crossmember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWRex Posted February 9, 2008 Author Share Posted February 9, 2008 Mine is about an inch from the bushing/sidewall of the bushing channel,just like the schematic in the catalog,and isn't connected to anything.Is it a safety precaution if the steering rack slides from side to side?I'm going to leave it right where it is,it's just making me scratch my head wondering what the heck it does! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Its a factory/dealer fix. Keeps the rack from turning in its rubber mounts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
het976 Posted February 9, 2008 Share Posted February 9, 2008 Thanks John, I have always wondered what the heck that thing was for. The early Z's were a collection of kluges (I know it is a computer term, but it fits). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWRex Posted February 9, 2008 Author Share Posted February 9, 2008 I can see that as being the reason for it now.Thanks johnc,it was driving me nuts wondering what it was for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duragg Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Resurrecting:... I'm rebuilding my rack with new "Delrin" bushings from TTT. This is ok to delete? I suppose It isn't doing any harm but it does add that few extra grams of weight I am looking to delete... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Keep it. Car will hunt really bad without if There was a thread on this within the last year. Guy removed it and car was all over the road. Replaced it and car went straight again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 (edited) http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/48076-rack-and-pinion-u-bolt-clamp-71z/ Edited May 19, 2015 by Miles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnickel Posted July 20, 2016 Share Posted July 20, 2016 (edited) Keep it. Car will hunt really bad without if There was a thread on this within the last year. Guy removed it and car was all over the road. Replaced it and car went straight again. Was that even with poly bushings? In the process of replacing to poly bushings, the rubber snub brushed off with minimal force. I suppose I could try and glue it back on. I'd wonder how it would cause the car to hunt. looks to only stop the rack from rotational forces. But I can't imagine how those forces would arise; perhaps from torque from the steering shaft combined with the geometry of the u-joints. Otherwise, perhaps it was a factory/assembly piece put in place to put the rack input shaft at the correct angle during installation. Thoughts? Automotive "Goo" best product to stick the rubber to the metal? or maybe contact cement? RTV? Edited July 20, 2016 by mtnickel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted July 20, 2016 Share Posted July 20, 2016 Try it both ways. Then you will know. Share your experience with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage42 Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 With poly rack bushings, that piece doesn't nothing. The feel and response with poly is a big improvement and that piece was added to help reduce deflection with the stock rubber bushings. You know that the cars originally geared for ride quality & comfort over outright performance, while also having sloppy bias ply tires. You add wider radial tires and you can see why that piece would make a difference with the rubber bushings, but in this day & age, time to take out the rubber and go with poly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnickel Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 With poly rack bushings, that piece doesn't nothing. The feel and response with poly is a big improvement and that piece was added to help reduce deflection with the stock rubber bushings. You know that the cars originally geared for ride quality & comfort over outright performance, while also having sloppy bias ply tires. You add wider radial tires and you can see why that piece would make a difference with the rubber bushings, but in this day & age, time to take out the rubber and go with poly. Even still, the deflection rationality doesn't compute with me. I think it's just there to keep the orientation correct and to stop the bar from being clamped at the wrong angle during assembly. The poly setup is probably sufficiently tight that it won't rotate, but I glued it back on with a rubber type silicone (shoe goo/automotive 'goo') anyways. Then I at least was able to clamp the rack at the proper angle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage42 Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 With poly bushings being an exact fit for the rack & the mounts, along with the position the rack has to mount to the steering rack at the right angle, so you can't really mess up mounting the rack. I imagine that any deflection would be more from the force of the steering shaft trying to twist the rack than any side to side movement from the actual forces from the tie rods/wheels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 Gary, have you tried it? I'm betting you have. But, I have poly bushings and when I left the u-bolt off, my car wandered really bad and when going over grooved pavement like we have on heavily trafficked intersections, the car kinda went where ever it wanted to go. Replaced the u-bolt with the rubber pad touching the x-member, the car drive great. OP-why don't you like the u-bolt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtnickel Posted July 22, 2016 Share Posted July 22, 2016 I wasn't the OP, but I refreshed the thread because my nub fell off. I glued it back on, and am using it anyways, but wondered what people thought it was for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage42 Posted July 23, 2016 Share Posted July 23, 2016 Gary, have you tried it? I'm betting you have. But, I have poly bushings and when I left the u-bolt off, my car wandered really bad and when going over grooved pavement like we have on heavily trafficked intersections, the car kinda went where ever it wanted to go. Replaced the u-bolt with the rubber pad touching the x-member, the car drive great. OP-why don't you like the u-bolt? Well, first, it is ugly! ;^) I know of a half dozen Z cars owned by my Datsun buddies over the last 25 years and none of them used or had that piece. These were street & autocross cars and had no issues running without it, so just going off that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavy85 Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Bump steer without the bumper IME. Assume it's there to keep the rack from rotating due to forces from the u-joint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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