Inner rack end ??

[karlous54]

On my last warrant the tester told me that i need to replace the inner rack end as i was getting a bit of play in the wheel, back and forward.
This was previously replaced about a 2 wofs ago, and before that i had to replace the whole steering rack as i had about 4 degress either way movement in the steering wheel before there was any movement in the wheels.
So what is causing this ?
The wof inspector thinks that it could have something to do with the car been lowered. (on tein adjustables) and maybe i have it too low. But that doesnt seem right to me, any ideas??

[Nick Mann]

How much time/distance is it from the last rack end change?

They do seem to wear out on thes cars. I have seen a few recently with rack end issues, mine included. Excessive forces will cause premature wear I'd imagine, so as well as lowering, I'd also be considering tracking, cornering speeds, turning the wheel without the car moving etc. If you are someone that spins the steering wheel without the car rolling regularly, then you are putting a lot of extra force on the steering mechanism.

[karlous54]

Car had done 75,362 when it had the steering rack replaced. 85,000km replaced both inner racks, and now at 95,000km the drivers side inner rack is stuffed. pain in the butt when each time you have to take it to get a wheel alighnment.

[CANDEE]

Karl,

Did you use Mitsi parts when you replaced the rack ends? Or were they sourced from BNT/Repco etc?

J

Oh and saw ya in the VR on Weds morning.. :P Was passing you going the other way by Angus & Burrell in my work car. :)

[Subaru ETA]

i doubt it is the tie rod. my money is on it being a ball joint. one of the members in auckland replaced his tie rods and there was nothing wrong with them, they were pretty much brand new - the wof tester just had his head up his arse when he checked it. it being lowered isnt going to cause it. mines done 165000km and 70000km of that has been lowered and i have never replaced mine.

put your hand on the lower ball joints when you check for the play and i bet you will feel it through there

[Gly]

yep i was told my inner rack was worn and had to be replaced,

but....

it was a worn lower control arm, the curved one

[Nick Mann]

It's normally easy to tell if it's the rack end or a ball joint by taking the wheel off, nuts back on to hold the disc in place and then waggle the disc. The movement in the gaiter on the rack end should tell you if it is in that area or not.

[Davezj]

when you had the rack replaced was it a new part or a second hand one.

you might have replaced old and broken with old and about to break.

but you have some good info to go on, i had not thought about holding the 2 lower arms and feeling for the knocking as i had always just held the steering tie and track rods and felt the knock and assumed it must be them.

i replaced the rack in mine and the knock did not go away. so i had assumed it must be steering colum.

you know what i will be doing tomorrow.

[wintertidenz]

i doubt it is the tie rod. my money is on it being a ball joint. one of the members in auckland replaced his tie rods and there was nothing wrong with them, they were pretty much brand new - the wof tester just had his head up his arse when he checked it. it being lowered isnt going to cause it. mines done 165000km and 70000km of that has been lowered and i have never replaced mine.

put your hand on the lower ball joints when you check for the play and i bet you will feel it through there

That was me :) the rack ends were almost brand new, Mitsi genuine parts as well... I replaced them with new TRW ones just in case. WOF inspector mentioned that it might be ball joints or the rack ends, he wasn't sure which it was.

However, we found that my straight lower arm ball joints were pretty stuffed - so check the lower arms out first. Believe me, it will save a lot of swearing and aggravation checking that first than getting the old rack ends out to find that they're still fine :)

[karlous54]

(when you had the rack replaced was it a new part or a second hand one.
you might have replaced old and broken with old and about to break)

The steering rack was a second hand one from mitsubishi and i believe the inner rack ends where from repco??? maybe.
Ill whip the wheel off and have a good look at what you guys have told me to look out for! :)

[Adam.Findlay]

yeah my car just chewed through a set of inner rack ends, they aren't to hard to change and pretty cheap.

[karlous54]

Riteoooo....

Picture one: is the lower control arm, Does this look warn out ?

Picture two: i found that i could get play side to side of maybe a couple of mm's
but i couldnt get any play up and down. When i pushed and pulled the rotor side to side i could clarely see the rack ends moving aswell and also the lower control arm but not as much.

Took the other side off and there is no movement at all! eveyrthing is nice and tight!

I was under the impression that the lower control arm had both been replaced, but i guess not ??

[dreamer]

yeah my car just chewed through a set of inner rack ends, they aren't to hard to change and pretty cheap.


Just had mine done at 175,000 - first time I've done them. Got the car at 95,000
I also have Tein Adjustables (came from Japan with them).

They were actually worn.

[wintertidenz]

There are two lower arms - one straight, one curved. The first pic is of the curved one by the looks of it - check the straight one as well... the suspension fork attaches to it.

[karlous54]

Well been busy this arvo, ended up getting a new inner rack. It was stuffed, had loads of play in it, so hopefully that should fix me little issue for now.

[dreamer]

Well been busy this arvo, ended up getting a new inner rack. It was stuffed, had loads of play in it, so hopefully that should fix me little issue for now.


Fingers crossed.

[karlous54]

So far so good, there was a clunking noise in the steering and now that has gone, and the steering seems to have a more positive feeling to it!