Possible steering rack lumpiness...?

[dinkus 10]

I just took the C to get the tracking done and the very helpful and knowledgable guy at the workshop pointed out that there may be an issue with my rack (ooh err). I thought I'd run it by you guys to see if anyone can shed some light on it...

 

Essentially, it feels like there's some horizontal/vertical movement on the rod that is joined to the steering rack on the driver's side.

 

If you hold the inner boot where the track rod connects to the rack, you can feel the knuckle where they join. On the passenger side, if you twist the track rod, you can feel the rack-side bit of the knuckle twist, but stays put.

 

On the driver's side, if you do the same thing, you can feel the rack-side of the knuckle jiggling up and down as it twists. The guy was a bit concerned about that and seemed to think that might not be good.

 

Having said that, the boot on the wheel-end of the track rod was split and needs replacing.

 

So do you guys think that it's related to the split boot on the wheel end, or is it something more sinister? Does yours do it? :)

[Toad 0]

I think I've read that the joints wear on the rack ends as well as the ball joints going. Would be worth replacing the complete track rod I reckon, I believe the new VW one comes with the steering ball joint too.

[dinkus 10]

Hmm, so new rods would come with both the rack-end knuckle and the wheel-end ball-joint? If so, sounds like what I need :)

[davidwort 0]

new track rods, which do have the inner joint that screws into the rack as part of them, made a huge difference to the steering on mine (after 140K)

if you put the steering on full lock, get someone to hold the track rod in the middle, then rock it a few cm on the steering wheel you should feel and probably hear the play in the inner track rod joint.

[dinkus 10]

Yum yum, well guess what I'll be mostly buying this week :lol:

 

Beats a new rack, which is what I was worried it might be!

[davidwort 0]

PITA to get the old track rods off though, you need to drop the subframe a bit (wishbones still attached) to get at the flats on the joints to unscrew, but then the rack is moveable and thwarts you getting enough torque on them

[dinkus 10]

Hmm, I feel a bout of getting someone else to do it coming on :D

[Jim Bowen 1]

me and friend did it on mine and it seemed quite easy, i mostly did the watching tho :lol:

 

my steering is still cack tho :(