Is it Kevin or Bubba-
You asked about opinions on clutches, and of course we all have one...
I have always used the B&B setup. They have always stood up to racing
stresses without too much trouble (the only problem with the stock disc was
that the springs would take a severe beating and get loose in the disc -
solid centers fixed that problem). The standard pressure plate always held
up. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I recall weighing both pressure plates
and noting that the B&B unit was lighter. The B&B unit is also easier to
balance because the irregular shape allows weight to be added/subtracted
easier than the smooth surface of the Laycock unit. (I highly suggest
balancing your new pressure plate as it doesn't cost much to do and often
these units are surprisingly out of balance).
In regards to your steering rack questions.
Grease is the way to go, and no you probably can not turn the spindle by
hand. A little late now, but, when you had the rack apart did you check to
see if both the housing and the inner rack are both straight ?
Even if hit in the back, the car could have been pushed into something and
bent either piece of the r&p. If the wheels were turned when it hit, it could
bend the inner rack and not the outer tube. Conversely, if the frame was bent
in the accident, it could have bent the outer tube and may or may not have
bent the inner rack.
A rough check to see if everything is ok is to afix something to the spindle
to allow it to be turned (vise-grips around a soft rag on the splines will
work ok - not too tight). Rotate the wrench using an even pressure so that
the rack extends from one extreme to the other. As long as the pressure
needed to turn the spindle remains about the same from one end to the other,
the rack is probably ok.
The Car Curmudgeon
Nick in Nor Cal
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