917 steering gear & linkage

[Farfel]

Does anyone have any insight into why IXO came up with a peg and lever steering device (can't really call it a gear) rather than a correct rack and pinion steering gear and why they went with an incorrect one-piece "rack"/tie rods unit rather than separate articulated tie rods? The Cobra and E-Type managed to get R & P steering gears, although they also have an incorrect one piece rack/ tie rods unit. The Miura, at least, got a R & P gear along with correct separate articulated tie rods.

This is a very disappointing design decision for a model in this scale & price class and is such a large departure from the level of accuracy and detail throughout the rest of the model. It begs the question: why? Its hard to argue that these were cost-related decisions in light of the fact that the Miura, at least, managed to get an accurate steering system. I'm guessing that the one piece "rack"/tie rods was used to keep the front suspension from drooping too far when the model is lifted, causing the shock piston rods to pull completely out of the shock bodies with the resulting difficulty in reinserting the rods in the bodies. I'm also guessing that the use of the incorrect peg and lever steering device was simply expedient; it's easier to produce and won't be seen when assembly is complete. I hope I'm wrong and that there are more compelling reasons for these design decisions.

Any theories or perhaps an authoritative explanation from an Agora rep.?

From Mark's Official Build thread:

[Foster]

To do a proper rack & pinion would likely add cost and design effort.  In my opinion, steering is not necessary on a static model.  In the case of this one, it's pointless because the damn brake cooling tubes limit steering travel quite a bit.

I agree this setup is bad.  You need to loctite the steering wheel screw, otherwise it's coming loose by turning the wheel (because the steering is anything but smooth), and good luck getting a screwdriver in there to tighten it after the model is fully assembled.  I wouldn't count on thread lock fully keeping it snug either ... would have been better to use a tiny nut and bolt here, not a wimpy little screw.

Needless to say I will only grab a front wheel to work the steering, not the steering wheel itself.