Steering rack

[LarryDuff 0]

Well this is a job i have been putting off for as long as possible, but the problem seems to be worsening over the last couple of weeks.

 

My usual garage (local VAG specialist) told me when i asked them to diagnose it a few months back that i need a new steering rack, obviously this is v expensive and i wondered what people think before i get it done.

 

The steering is imprecise and kind of light at lower speeds - it drifts to one side (but not always the same one!) and feels a bit notchy. At motorway speeds it seems to drive fine. Bumpy roads are a bit of a nightmare as the steering tends to get pulled around, and if you go through a tight, bumpy corner pretty fast there is a kind of judder through the wheel as you hit the bumps! :shock:

 

The garage say one of the teeth is chipped (not had a look myself). This is probably consistent with when some tw*t (ie me!) smacked into a curb at 40+ mph about a year ago (it was totally hidden by standing water and i didnt know the road, in my defence - still pretty embarrasing tho! :oops: ). At the time just the front nearside wheel bearing needed replacing (and a buckled wheel) but i expected something else to show up in time.

 

Any input would be much appreciated, and also if u agree it needs doing is it worth getting a recon unit as it's half the price of a new VAG one?

 

Thanks v much

Anthony

(sorry the post's so long)

[dr_mat 0]

Could be the rack... Could be the column or the PAS pump also.

Notchiness usually points to the rack. The looseness is more likely to be the column or bottom ball joints or something else..

[LarryDuff 0]

Could be the rack... Could be the column or the PAS pump also.

Notchiness usually points to the rack. The looseness is more likely to be the column or bottom ball joints or something else..

Err, right :roll:

 

What about recon units - have heard bad things, but is it really worth spending £400+ on a new one?

 

Ta

[dr_mat 0]

What's it worth to you? Recon units have short warranties, and there's lot of stories of them failing again in 6 months. But if done *right* i.e. all new moving parts and all new seals, a recon unit should be just as good as a new one.

Reason I'm so vague is that a brief description of the symptoms isn't really enough to decide what the problem is. Looseness can obviously come from anywhere in the system, but notchiness usually indicates rack itself - particularly if it's in a particular spot each time.

The garage can't know one of the teeth is chipped on the rack, you can't see the rack itself. That's just their assumption. A fair one, if you have notchiness or looseness at a particular spot in the steering..

[LarryDuff 0]

Ah I see, I assumed that the garage could see the chipped tooth, but obviously it's a sealed unit. :oops:

 

Thanks for the advice, wasn't meaning to imply that i wasn't grateful - more that i didn't really understand as i'm pretty knowledge-less mechanically!

 

One other thing is that steering to the right is 'easier' than to the left.

 

Have got a price for a remanufactured rack for £125 exchange, but wouldn't be too confident of what i was getting was any good!

 

Cheers tafkadm.