Just learned that the new steering racks are made to the “latest design”. So it was not assembled or manufactured incorrectly. As suggested best to re-index the pinion depending on which model you have or in my case I already installed the rack so I drilled and tapped a new location for my turn signal canceling pin

I had the same problem with a new steering column shaft, after i installed it with the steering wheel in the straight ahead position the steering lock did not engage like it did with the original one it was off about 30 degrees.
Quality control at its finest.

Sucks we have to Skin these Cats.

 After all the effort it takes to bolt the rack in and re mount the sub frame back in place.. THEN to find out the pinion is out of sync.. HUGE annoyance.  i currently live with no canceler on one car.... assuming you need to remove the rack again= to re index the steering input pinion. and HOPE you get it right after all that.... Frustrating.
 
Minisport /Minispares should really have the quality checked on these.. (assuming they all proabbly come from them as the suppling source / from being manufactured with specifications in China.. ( all assumptions)

I too am finding new racks with the pinion indexed wrong. I take them apart and correct placement and move on. Steve (CTR)

PS as we all know more than one way to skin a cat.

Congrats  on the install.

 I too have had this same 'rack out of sync issue with the canceler pin"   

Correct FIX  + and a rather big annoyance..

Changed out the steering rack (RHD). Wasn’t to difficult, but then again I had the benefit of input from this forum and others on what to look for. I did run into one interesting problem. After installing the rack and centering it, I found the pinion spline cut out located at the 11/12 o’clock position. Basically 180 degrees out from where it should be (6:00 o’clock). I rechecked everything recentered the rack and still had the same problem. On my old rack the cutout runs the circumference of the spline on this new one it is located in one position. So after discovering someone else who had the same problem I elected to follow his fix which is to drill and tap a new location for the turn signal canceling pin and re orient the steering wheel. The pinch bolt is now located at the 12 o’clock position. The input I got was that it most likely had been assembled at the vendor incorrectly.

Thanks BC. Hope to get another moke once I get to NC, so I may look you up.

Thks judduh01 on the brake lines. I’ll be watching the radiator/shroud for possible inference. I plan to remove the SUs they are very close to the bulkhead ( 1 1/2s).

zami  . nice area in Southport NC..  peter braum.  lives  in that part on NC. I am in the western part on NC.. if you ever need anything.. laterbc

Another thing to watch when lowering the sub-frame. The brake line that runs to the front brake to rear brake union is attached to the firewall near the dog bone.    To get the frame to drop usually need to disconnect that brake line for the movement.

Also watch the carburators if they might tilt or move into the fire wall. 

Ive never had luck only loosening the Rear subframe mounts and the Bulk head bolts. I have always had to loosen the front subframe bolts in the lower valence to let the whole subframe drop down more.  The more clearance the better in the long run= you wont fight the U Bol

If you also have a Mk1 = watch the radiator and the metal fan shroud on the fender..  if the assembly cocks one way unexpectedly it can bend or push on the rad badly and cause issues.  Keeps everything Tight.

not yet. been getting the house ready for some real estate showings. hoping to sell soon so we can move to Southport, NC

well Zami .. get  it done??

thks malsal most helpful.

No you don't need to loosen the rod change. I have sometimes had to disconnect the top (dog bone) engine mount though.
As stated the U bolts sometimes spring outwards and need to be tweaked into shape in a vice and then test fitted into the holes from the top before re installing them.
Also take the grommet out of the passenger floor and remove the plug from the rack then center it with a suitable drift or drill bit by turning the rack back and forth until the tool drops in the hole, if you do not do this you will have more turns one way than the other.

Thks johnincm it’s a fresh rebuild and they only had rod change tranny available. Good comment on the U bolt installation.

Sorry, I won't be much help here but a 65 Cooper would have a "remote" style shifter instead of a "rod-change". I don't recall if I had to drop the remote shifter housing when replacing the steering rack in our 64 Cooper. It is very easy to do if required ... providing it is a remote style. I have no hands on time with a rod-change unit. I do have a vivid memory of fighting the U-bolts that hold the rack in place under the floor. Test fit the U-bolts to make sure they are spaced correctly to fit through both holes at the same time with the steering rack in place. Also do not tighten the U-bolts until the steering column is reinstalled and attached to the steering rack.   

Brand new

zami. I hope you bought a NEW OEM steering rack.. and NOT just a rebuild one.. I replaced 4 steering racks in my wagon. before I got it finally sorted.. over rebuilt racks.. later  bc

Getting ready to replace my steering rack (‘65 cooper). I have read up on what the sequence is to drop the rear of the sub frame (3”) in order to get the old rack out. My question is there is no reference to disconnecting the rod change linkage. Can someone confirm this needs to be done. Thks