Steering rack issues solutions and swaps....

[bcstudent 0]

To put it very simply, not a lot.

Basically you have a "rack" Length of metal bar with teeth cut in it and a piston part way a long. A "pinion" gear which drives said rack and a clever little torque valve which when it "twists" because a big enough load is experienced (slow speed steering) opens up and allows hydraulic fluid under pressure to assist the rack by pushing the piston.

 

Jay

 

Well, since replacing my PAS pump hasn't solved my initially-heavy-steering-when-cold problem I'll have to assume that the valves in the rack are dodgy. I only have the problem in the winter months so it's definitely related to low temperatures. Incidentally, the car hasn't ever lost a drop of PAS fluid.

 

To confirm...are we saying that any Corrado PAS rack will fit a 1.8 16v with the right UJ?

[24V Renshaw 0]

AFAIK yes. The only possible issue is the pump not matching the rack, i.e VR6 pump not working right with a g60/16v rack and vica versa, but I can't see why there would be any difference, otherwise its the same.

 

Jay

[24V Renshaw 0]

Saying that my mate has a G60 rack in his Rado with a V5 engine and that works fine.

 

Jay

[24V Renshaw 0]

Dr.Mat do you have fully poly bushes in the front suspension? Kev I know you do. I do and we have this same "clunk/pop". Just wondering if its something to do with the wishbone rear poly bushes, dislocating/re-locating?

 

jay

[corradophil 3]

Mine has poly bushes and did it when I had std ones too, although the nearside rear wishbone bush was completely shot.

 

I don't beleive it is anything major i.e. which would alter geometry under load, mine handles very well, with 100% predictability when on the limit.

[_leon_ 0]

i can get a clonk - have always put it down to the cv joints i know needing replaced. i have new wishbones with new bushes. i'll be replacing my driveshafts with new cv joints very shortly - so could confirm this for a few of you....

[24V Renshaw 0]

But as I have said many a time now everything in mine is brand new and I mean everything. New Balljoints, new CV joints, New Track rods, New rack (dodgy but rebuilt), new bearings, new wishbone bushes (poly) new steering rack bush (poly), everything. So unless the Corrado clunk/popped from new its something somewhere thats not right.

I have the brand new OE SEAT rack on its way so I will see what difference that makes, but I have absolultely nothing else to replace.

 

Jay

[dr_mat 0]

Dr.Mat do you have fully poly bushes in the front suspension? Kev I know you do. I do and we have this same "clunk/pop". Just wondering if its something to do with the wishbone rear poly bushes, dislocating/re-locating?

 

Nope, I have standard bushes all round.

The only non-standard bit of rubber is the VT front engine mount. It could easily be something to do with the wishbone rear bush - it is, after all, responsible for keeping the wheel position central. Mine are new though, as are most people's round here. More likely to be what it mounts into though.

Could also be the bottom BJ mounting shifting? (They're screwed onto the wishbone.)

[dr_mat 0]

Did you replace the subframe?

[24V Renshaw 0]

Yes. Not with a brand new one but with a stripped, blasted and powder coated VR6 one. So as good as new.

 

Jay

[Geo 0]

Just an idea that occurred to me: When you did the wishbone rear bushes did you replace the little metal sleeve that the bolts goes through? Sometimes if they are left out it can cause problems, and not all the dealers supply them with new bushes or even know what they are.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Jay, the only poly in my front end is the rack mount. Could it be that?

 

Geo, the VAG bushes don't use those metal guide sleeves. Only the Powerflexes need them as they don't have metal centres, and yep, without the sleeve the bush will shred itself on the subframe bolt over time.

[corradophil 3]

Geo, the VAG bushes don't use those metal guide sleeves. Only the Powerflexes need them as they don't have metal centres, and yep, without the sleeve the bush will shred itself on the subframe bolt over time

 

I had a thin walled split sleeve on both my Corrado and Mk2 Golf with std bushes. which the bolt passed through.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah it's stainless....

 

I've never seen one with the VAG ones (that i've noticed) so maybe Geo is right, the dealer doesn't always give you them!

[24V Renshaw 0]

I have the poly rack bush too. Could be that, but why a clonk/pop noise rather than a creak?

 

jay

[24V Renshaw 0]

Oh and yes I have the stainless sleeves in there. They came with the Powerflex bushes.

 

jay

[_leon_ 0]

Jay the only thing you havent got new then is the column/UJ... isnt that the only thing left thats in the related area? as youve mentioned - youve replaced everything i am about to

[destructiv dave 0]

Have just checked on the Russian ETKA site and the part number for the Seat rack is 6K2422061B and was fitted until some date in 2002, before it changed to a more upright (a la Mk4) input shaft.

 

And the part it is replacing is 192422061K on the Corrado for the 22 spline input shaft.

 

Have spent today on the phone trying to convince breakers yards that I did want to fit an Ibiza rack out of a 2001 car into my 1994 Corrado, without a whole deal of success. But will go back tomorrow armed with this part number and see how it goes.

 

Just a thought about this clunking noise as the noise I hear almost sounds springlike: has anyone experienced this noise on standard suspension?

[24V Renshaw 0]

Result. Thats exactly the part number of the brand new one I bought for £75 :) :) :)

So its the later type spline then. Which means it will fit straight into mine :) Cool

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... %3AIT&rd=1

 

Jay

[VRTrickster 0]

Sorry where abouts do these metal sleeves go, or located ,I didnt notice them when changing complete wishbones on mine?

[24V Renshaw 0]

They go in the hole through the rear wishbone bush and subframe. They go in after the wishbone is fitted and before the bolt.

 

Jay

[VRTrickster 0]

Im still a bit confused :? Could I of fitted my new bones without disturbing them ,therefore they are still in position?

[24V Renshaw 0]

Nope you would have chewed them up if you didn't remove them as they are slightly longer than the bush is deep so they stick into the subframe a touch. I never saw them on OE bushes only with Powerflex ones.

 

Jay

[Geo 0]

They are definitely supposed to be on oe bushes but aren't always there. I always make sure they are fitted when replacing bushes as I have seen wishbones come loose and move around without them fitted.

 

The strange thing is that of the 2 local dealers that I buy parts off, one of them gave me the sleeves no problem when I bought bushes for my mk2, but when I went to the other one to get bushes for my mates corrado they didn't know what I was talking about and said they couldn't get the sleeves at all.

[VRTrickster 0]

I still dont fully understand what they are sorry! maybe mine has had wishbones inthe past and they have not been replaced ,I didnt notice them anyway! Ill have a look at the old bones and a look under the car when I check and tighten everything next week.