I hate steering racks

Progress has been slow recently for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I'm waiting for a few bits of the kit, although this isn't a major problem as there are lots of things to do, it does mean that lots of things aren't quite finished. Secondly the instructions are still work in progress, so I'm using the Tr1ke manual which is doing me ok for now, but things are starting to differ between the builds, I appreciate that this is a busy period for RTR though, so I imagine it'll turn up as we head into the autumn. Oh and the last reason why progress is slow, well that's mostly because I'm rubbish :)

I didn't think leaving the keys in would be much of a
security issue at this point.

It seems ages since my last update, and not a lot has changed. On the corners I have the cycle wing struts in place as well as the black bits which I now know are called steering arms (who'd have known).

I moved onto the steering rack and column. The column was pinned in place with the u-bolt, so although it's nice to see a steering wheel in place, it does feel like a little bit like I'm building a Ford Ka. 

The rack is a little more complicated. Physically fitting it was fairly easy, although I had to borrow a large enough drill bit (12mm) and then realised why I didn't have one, which was because my 'leccy drill only has a 10mm chuck. I was however due to pop around to Tim's house to water his garden (if you're reading this in the winter, think back to those lovely summer days) as he's away, but forgot to take my backpack with me and I was only my motorbike. So it was a fun journey home trying to hold a drill and ride a bike, but I made it alive, so those two holes took two days to drill, such is my slow progress.

The rack does need some internal work doing to. It's a standard Sierra rack, which needs converting to a quick rack which is supplied. However, our friends at Ford must hate me as they've the way the rack is assembled makes it very difficult to undo.

The instructions glossed over a little about how hard it was to undo the steering rack ends. So much so that I had to check on the forum that I was trying to undo the right section, I was, and everyone (including people on a Ford forum) agreed that it takes a bit of grunt! Apparently I don't have grunt, so I needed a new plan.

Steering rack ends, both difficult to Google for as well
as undo.

I decided that I needed to use the big vice at work again for this, and Steve the workshop manager who I will now refer to as God2 (don't want to piss off the actual God should be exist) lent a hand. God2 clamped the rack rather than the housing which made it much easier, he also used some serious grips.

The grips that did the job in the end.

Next the aluminium cover was removed, this time however in the instructions it had the warning: This is very difficult to undo. Turns out it wasn't so bad, with God2's advice a drill bit was used rather than a centre punch as it's pretty tough and just the right size.

So that's about it for now, it seems like I've written a page just to say "drilled two holes and undid a couple of screws" but it's more about how 2 little pictures in the manual can take up most of a week for someone like me.

We had to call it a day as God2 had to leave and I wasn't expecting so much progress so had left some bits at home, so tomorrow will be spent finishing the internals of the steering rack.