Symptoms of a worn steering rack?

[jake]

Hi all,

just wondering what the symptoms of a worn steering rack are? Starting to get occasional wheel wobble when driving straight, but not when cornering.

All wheels are balanced fine and it changes with road surface / comes and goes....

It's a Rev2 so getting on a bit...!

Thanks!

Jake

[g.lewarne]

first of all best thing to do is locate where / if there is any play

key in ignition + engine off. put down drivers window, close the door

while rocking the steering wheel look to see how much free play there is before the wheel itself moves. Any more than 1/2 mm and you have play either in the rack+pinion or the colums UJs

next, grab a wheel at 3+9 o'clock and give it a good rocking (as if your steering the wheel). feel any clunks? if you do its most likely track rod ends or the tie rods, or both (both easy jobs)

its best to do this with front wheels up in the air so your not fighting the resistance of the tyres on the ground.

I changed mine recently (play in pinion gear), and its made the world of difference after a new rack + ends + full geometry. Before i changed it, was getting lots of wheel wobble and some strange steering effects (i could feel the wheels moving before the steering wheel did)

even if you gotta change the rack, its relatively easy to do

by the way, if you do find play somewhere in the steering, i would check out just getting an entire recon unit. From my local factors it was only £10 more than just buying two tie rods, once i got the deposit back

[adam_ep82]

Just out of interest how much did you pay need to change mine soon

[g.lewarne]

Just out of interest how much did you pay need to change mine soon

it was 50 quid for the recon rack + a 50 deposit which was refunded when i took back the old one

[JDM-MAT]

I just got one for £80 with new tie and track rod ends

[adam_ep82]

I've been quoted 200 but it's rev 3 with power steering is yours without?

[JDM-MAT]

Nope mines power steering. Mine on my rev1 is worn. But they are all the same on every revision apart from the none power steering

[adam_ep82]

wonder why i got quoted so much then

[JDM-MAT]

Put a wanted post up

[adam_ep82]

rather get one new ill shop around on net see what i can find

[Mike 'MR2' McHugh]

Just out of interest how much did you pay need to change mine soon

it was 50 quid for the recon rack + a 50 deposit which was refunded when i took back the old one

Wheres that from mate ?

[g.lewarne]

it was for my rev1 without power steering, the PS rack was 75 i think


got it from my local factors, reconned by AMK