Drag-link clearance

[Graham Knight]

Dear All, I have been renovating the steering components on my TA and reached the stage of re-installing the track-rod and drag-link. I noticed that on full left lock the end of the drag-link that attaches to the drop arm passes across the top of the road-spring - but with only a tiny clearance. My guess is that, if the right-hand wheel was going over a bump whilst on full left lock, then the end of the drag-link would hit the spring. I have never noticed this before. Although I have had everything crack tested and have cleaned everything up, I don't think I have changed any settings - track-rod and drag-link lengths are the same as before. It may be relevant that my car has an XPAW engine and that the steering box mounting was modified to raise the column above the starter motor. However, it seems to me that this would give more clearance rather than less. I guess I can shorten the drag link a bit which may help but I wonder if anyone else has encountered this problem and has any ideas on how I should solve it. Thanks in advance. Graham

[Graham Knight]

Dear All, It has been pointed out to me that the problem I have with my drag-link end hitting the r-h road spring probably stems from a bodged conversion when the XPAW engine was fitted to my TA (some time in the 60s). I guess I have been driving the car with this defect for about 35 years and got away with it because the car is not often on full-lock! I doubt the problem is unique to my car so this may be another rare but plausible cause of steering box damage or drop-arm failure. Maybe it's something others with XPAG engined TAs with BC boxes should check. I have been able to rectify the problem on my car at the expense of a restricted l-h lock but I would like to do the job properly. So can anyone tell me what should be the relationship between the drag-link end and r-h road spring when on full left lock? Should the end of the drag-link pass above the road spring and, if so, how far above it should it be and how far past the l-h edge of the spring should it reach? I guess I am interested in the answer for the TA and the TC and, perhaps best of all, the TB. Thanks in advance. Graham