View Full Version : Photo of a steering rack anybody?
I need a photo of the q4 rack. I'm in Italy and trying to source a replacement as mines leaking badly. I'm happy to fit a quick rack from another car or model but need to see if the mounting brackets are the same. I have found a place with a big pile of steering racks. Hopefully one have you have a car in bits ....
Steering rack from 145 2.0 ts QV is quick rack. U need to modify 1 bracket and its done. Thats the only quickrack that i know fits to 155Q4.
Ok thanks so 155 2.0 16v is not a quick rack or doesn't fit ?
I had a problem with the steering rack a very long time ago.
It's replaced with one from a 155 1.7, including the ball joints.
This was a normal steering rack, no quick steering one.
It's replaced in a work shop, can't remember if they had any trouble adjusting the steering rack to make it fit.
thanks for this It's all confusing but helps :thumbsup:
some 155 2.0 TS 16v had quickracks some didnt.. but for shure i know that 145 QV has one..
when I do the swap I will take photos and post here
the wombat
19-11-13, 22:51
IIRC the 145 quick rack and 155 Sports pack rack that some had is identical. Subframes are the same on both cars, so the rack mounting to the subframe should be the same.
Hole in the bulk head is in the same place on both cars for the column, so no issue there either.
Here are the things to look out for:
- Q4 has a big hump in the subframe for the transfer box, so rack might be in a slightly different place, but not sure if this makes any difference.
145 and 155 2.0 and engine sizes below had a rod controlled gearbox with a pivot casting on top of the steering rack for the rods. This can just be angle ground off.
2.0 and below had different front suspension uprights, with the link for the TRE in a different place to bigger engine cars (155 V6 and Q4). The tracking arms and TREs are different but the core rack is the same. Tracking arms on the bigger engine cars are thicker, but these can still be bought, and fit straight on.
Ratios are different on different models. Fiat Coupe also comes into play here as the rack should also fit.
In short, the Q4 and V6 models had a rack with thicker tracking arms and different TREs than smaller 155s and 145, but everything is interchangeable, and the core rack should bolt straight on with no problems. Fiat Coupe is the same situation - non turbo had the rack with smaller tracking arms, and turbo had the beefier set-up.
Without modification of 145 QV rack wont fit to Q4. We allready mounted some quickraks on Q4 and without welding mounting point to other location it just wont fit.. ill try to find some pictures of steeringrack thats modified to fit..
I don't mind moving mounting point but is the gear linkage point the same ?
the wombat
21-11-13, 22:21
Interested to see the pictures and understand more about what mounting point is being referred to as needing welding.
Looking at Fiat EPER, the part numbers listed for the Q4 rack overlap with the part numbers listed for the 155 widebody rack. There are some different rack part numbers there, but the 155 widebody front subframe, which the rack bolts to, was the same for all models (narrow body, wide body, and V6), so whatever changes were made to the rack, it still mounted to the subframe in the same place.
If the Q4 part numbers overlap with the widebody 2wd, which they do, logically the same thing applies even though the subframe is different (it has the hoop over the transfer box.
Looking the 145 rack part numbers, the same applies. There are at least 2 racks for the 145 that have the same part number as the 155. Front subframe on the non-boxer 145s was also the same as the 2wd 155.
From EPER, it definitely suggests that the external steering rack casting will bolt onto a 155 2wd subframe, a 145 subframe, and a Q4 subframe.
Beyond the casting, the tracking arms, TREs, and internal rack (for the ratio) will have differences.
So, very interested in the mounting point welding as EPER is not in agreement with this.
I'll make some photos this weekend, the engine is gone anyway so space enough.
Well, here are two photos from the 1.7 rack fitted in my Q4
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n288/BrulTM/Alfa%20155%20Q4%20repair/Demontage/IMG_0818_zpsab8f531a.jpg
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n288/BrulTM/Alfa%20155%20Q4%20repair/Demontage/IMG_0819_zps0d83365e.jpg
As far as I can see, no adjustments where made to make it fit.
the wombat
22-11-13, 19:00
Yep, that looks pretty much as I would have expected. It looks like your gearshift is cable controlled, so I would have cut the rod pivot off the casting to stop the shift cables rubbing against it, but pretty much looks like it bolts straight on and runs just in front of the transfer box hoop.
That confirms to me that pretty much any other core rack from a Coupe, 155 or 145 will fit. Just need to get the right ratio and tracking arms.
All Q4 & V6 are only cable controlled gear selection equiped.
Not sure about the 2.5 TD, all other 155 models are controlled by rods.
the wombat
22-11-13, 22:26
EPER shows a single rod to dual rod mechanism which looks like it was on very early models.
IIRC, this was very similar to early Integrales, although that is based on a relative telling my what was on their 8v 'Grale
That's great guys thanks for your help. Just ordered a coupe rack ... May need to change arms and track rod end but will see when I get it .... Looks a lot easier with the engine out if the way ! ......
I need to change the clutch as well .... Would it be less trouble to drop the whole power and transmission I wonder ?
I just phoned my friend and ask him about rack as he was allways changing them. As wombat mentioned.. u realy dont need to change positions for mounting point so im sorry for wrong info. But there is wise to reinforce mounting point as they love to crack there... thats the modification he made allways before puting it on car...
Still thanks and that extra bit of information about reinforcing is good
I found the picture where it shows the reinforcment of mounting point
http://www.moj-album.com/slike/10558364/m3xBpLKLbj5m8Ukr.v.jpg
I bought a used rack but after taking mine out I decided it was too risky and had the rack rebuilt. It's a big job and I didn't fancy doing it twice.
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