Skip to main content

Closed6 replies

Longchamp Steering rod, help needed

noquarternoquarterMember
Help needed, or my Longchamp will soon be stationary. At the biyearly checkup MOT approval, play in the left steering arm was detected. Right side is perfect. So I need a new part. Problem is that the usual sources tell me they haven't seen this before, and that DeTomaso at that time used many different parts from different vendors. So does anybody have this or know what vendor it is and what other car might have the same system?

See below, rubber boot removed. On the right is the toothed rod coming straight out of the steering box, no play there, perfect. On the left is the rod that connects to the outer steering arm. And holding it together is some kind of sleeve/nut. In that connection is the play, very visible. I have no idea about what is worn. Who has seen this system on another car, what car?

Thanks.
(in three weeks if I don't have it fixed my license plates are taken away from me Frowner)

Attachments

Hide
Images (1)
  • Longchamp_steering-2
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

joulesjoules"Racing is Life, anything before or after is just waiting" - Steve McQueen
On a Pantera rack the cup/nut are threaded on to the toothed portion. The nut is a lock nut and the cup can be tightened to pretension the ball so that it just holds in place under it's own weight. I would be surprised if there is no similar form of adjustemnt on this rack too.

Julian
T toy351Member
Apparently the Longchamp used two different racks. The early series 1 and 2 used a rack from cam gears, in the UK, similar to jags of that vintage. The later cars use a ZF rack. When I had my rebuilt the seals came from from a variety of Volvos.
By the way my car vin ends in 2515 a mixture of series 2 and 3 parts and locations of engine mounts etc.

Hope this has been some help
Chris
noquarternoquarterMember
Thanks to Tomas, Roland, Mike, David, Jack, Wellis, Chris, Jani, Raffaele, Steve Wilkinson etc. etc. and a few Maserati vendors as well. And those I've forgotten. This community is really helpful. I got the part from MIE Maserati parts, a reproduction that also necessitates changing the outer tie rod, fits my Longchamp with ZF steering and Quattroporte III. It cost $333, very very expensive, but I guess we have to be grateful that somebody still bothers to reproduce these things to keep our cars running.

Installed today, and tightened front wheel bearings, and it's like a new car. I've always liked the way it handled, but now it's even better. The steering is just so tight and communicative, amazing.

Took it for a spin, big smile, and just when I entered my favorite road, the CD started an Italian Opera, I turned it up loud :-)

Mikael
Views: 207
Post

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×