StratfordShark

Here's a photo of brand new steering rack centering bolt (but bought too long ago to claim refund - I got it over 5 years ago but didn't open bag till yesterday!), alongside the plastic screw which normally covers the rack centering hole.

The bolt will not thread into the hole - can't get it started at all! The plastic screw goes in and out easily.

Any idea what problem could be, and anything I could do to the bolt to help it thread in?

Only difference I can see is that the threads start "immediately" at end of bolt, but the plastic screw has a small unthreaded area at the end.

Baffled!

928Myles

Looks to me that the threads have been distorted when the taper was put on. I would apply a file to the point where the taper meets the thread and file it down a bit. The use the file to 'chase' the thread around to where it exits the bolt onto the taper.

Myles

FredR

Looks like a pretty poor piece of machine finishing. As Myles says file back a bit so that the thread has a clean full pitch start- it is probably simply not engaging because it cannot find the start.

Regards

Fred

Ducman82

as stated above.. simple fix.

CraigL

I had the same problem. I used a small triangular file to clean out those first threads. Mission accomplished!

Jerry Feather

If you don't happen to have a triangular file, but you do happen to have a fine tooth half round file, you can us it because the angle formed where the round surface meets the flat surface at the edges is almost exactly the 60 degrees that the triangular file has and which is the same angle that the threads likely have.

StratfordShark

Thanks gentlemen. I will find my small files and get to work!