So..........today I took a look at my Roadster rack.
I had re-tensioned the rack plunger a few years ago due to a bit of free play, and to be honest didn't notice the stuck plunger. so maybe it was OK at that time.
When removed, I found that the plunger was stuck fast. The spring was doing nothing. What is interesting is that before I did this, there was the tiniest amount of free play at the steering wheel. Only detectable with a really gentle wobble of the steering wheel, and no more than 1mm (if that) but as a perfectionist I knew it was there.
![[Linked Image]](https://tm-img.com/images/2024/07/16/P1060649.jpg)
I don't have quick access to a lathe, and so I opened up the centre hole very slightly with a drill, and then found a thin self tapper, long enough to go all the way through and into the jaws of my drill. Having mounted the drill in my vice.......I used lubricated 150 grit and slowly reduced the diameter of the section which fits inside the cover. It took a while. The bush is a really hard nylon type material, and it's amazing if this does expand, but it certainly looks that way. After four sessions, and finishing off with 250 grit, I had a sliding fit.
![[Linked Image]](https://tm-img.com/images/2024/07/16/P1060650.jpg)
Here are the parts all cleaned up.
![[Linked Image]](https://tm-img.com/images/2024/07/16/P1060651.jpg)
Having re-assembled, I tightened down, backed off a quarter turn, and that 1mm "free play" was gone.
