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Tickford Racing Team Principal Tim Edwards has come down hard on Gen3 control steering racks following repeated failures across both Ford and Chevrolet Supercars competitors.
When asked by Speedcafe if there needs to be a change, Edwards was adamant that the current system is inadequate.
“Oh 100 percent,” he said. “It’s just not fit for purpose. Yes, we can carry on and we will carry on, because it’s not like you’re not going to find a new steering rack overnight.
The Gen3 hydraulic steering racks, which cost approximately $10,000 each, came under greater scrutiny at the Darwin and Townsville rounds after multiple failures led to questions about their robustness.
Criticism of the steering system preceded the 2023 Supercars Championship, with the location of the rack – as a ‘front steer’ system – contributing to the issue, with suggestions that the rack is being overworked due to its position, and therefore failing prematurely.
‘Front steer’ is the term used to describe the steering’s rack being located ahead of the front axle, which has also been criticised as making the steering arms linked to the rack more susceptible to damage during wheel-to-wheel racing, as well as during what would have been minor contact with the previous Gen2 Supercars.
Triple Eight Racing Team Principal Jamie Whincup said that there is a fix in the works when speaking ahead of the Sydney Motorsport round, with Supercars ‘on the front foot’.
Edwards has said that a change is a must, with a two-stage approach underway in Supercars, the long-term goal to find a replacement.
“There’ll be a parcel of work going in for that; there’ll also be a parcel of work going on with rectifications to what we’ve got, because you don’t want to go to Bathurst and have mechanical failures with it – you don’t want to go any race – so you’re just constantly evolving what we’ve got.”
“And then there’ll be the short-term solutions and the long-term, but fundamentally it’s not fit for purpose as it is at the moment.”
One potential solution, says Edwards, is to use the Woodward Precision Power Steering system used in NASCAR. This system is the first rack-and-pinion set-up in NASCAR, replacing the previous recirculating ball steering.
“It’s one of the options they’re looking at – it’s a front-steer, and they had issues when they went to it initially, but they’ve sorted that out; their’s was a completely new car as well.”
Edwards isn’t alone in his criticism, with Ryan Walkinshaw frustrated after going through four steering racks – one due to significant wall-hit by Chaz Mostert, admittedly – between the two Walkinshaw Andretti United cars over the Townsville weekend.
The issue is also not isolated to Ford, with Chevrolet teams also suffering multiple rack failures.
In March, Matt Stone Racing’s Cam Hill suffered a rack failure in his official Rookie Test aboard the #35 Truck Assist Camaro at The Bend in South Australia.
Brad Jones Racing suffered multiple failures at the Australian Grand Prix, the second round of the season, after what was considered minor contact caused unexpected damage.
In last week’s Sydney SuperNight round, BJR’s Andre Heimgarter, who started Race 18 from pole position in the #8 R&J Batteries Camaro, said his steering “completely shit itself” during the race, which saw fall down the order to finish 14th.
That was despite the steering rack in the #8 Camaro being replaced before the race – meaning Heimgartner used three across the event.
In the same race, a part failure that saw David Reynolds’ Penrite Racing Mustang slam into the wall at Sydney’s Turn 9 – the 2017 Bathurst winner suffering a 38g impact – may be linked steering damage from earlier contact in the race with Broc Feeney.
Steering issues also impacted Shell V-Power Racing’s Will Davison and Tickford’s Cam Waters in Sydney.
Round 8 of the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship is the OTR SuperSprint at The Bend Motorsport Park on August 18-20.
