I greased my rack & tightened up the adjustment & replaced the u-joint. Good for another quarter million miles!

By go4mo (213.89.251.33) on Saturday, February 05, 2005 - 09:05 am:

ok --
so, no one cares to elaborate on their steering rack experiences --?? --
appreciate it if anyone is interested ..
cheers
mo

By go4mo (213.89.251.33) on Thursday, February 03, 2005 - 07:28 am:

hey all --
so, tell me more about replacing the U joint - i too am recently experiencing the "click click click" sound as i swing the wheel --

.. i suppose i would also have to FIND the bloody part herein sweden too ! -
thanks for any suggestions --
mo

By Andrew Fatseas (203.63.44.193) on Sunday, March 28, 2004 - 09:07 pm:

For those of you were just dying with anticipation to see how this worked out, I did the following and the car passed inspection:

* Greased the crap out of the steering rack - kept pumping grease into it and moving the rack back and forth until I couldn't put any more in.

* Replaced the steering column universal joint and made sure that it was snugged up against the bottom column bush as close as possible.

* Replaced the tie rod ends.

I was going to replace the tie rods themselves too (I actually bought the parts), but when I realised that it was going to involve pulling the rack again (couldn't access the lock washers), decided against it and prayed to the rego gods that the car would get through. It did

By Andrew Fatseas (203.63.44.193) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 05:15 pm:

Just to be clear (and completely non technical), it's kind of a rattly sound

By Andrew Fatseas (203.63.44.193) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 05:13 pm:

I actually got right underneath the rack and moved the wheels with my ear near the rack - it ain't the strut top bearings.

By shreck (24.112.121.191) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 05:08 pm:

I had some front end noise in mine and I replaced the tie rods and arms. But there was a noise too. It turned out to be the strut bearings. the only way to change them is to take the struts out. I did this all at the same time including new struts. Can you get someone to turn the wheel while you listen to better pinpoint the noise.

By Andrew Fatseas (203.63.44.193) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 04:58 pm:

Yes, I guess I'll just have to pull the whole thing apart and have a look. Shame it's such a bitch to remove.

By Adrian (Evocivic) (165.228.11.61) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 04:51 pm:

Can't hurt to grease it. May of course be an inner tie rod end (they tend to clunk when worn), not the rack.

By Andrew Fatseas (203.63.44.193) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 04:46 pm:

I actually replaced those too with some tight ones out of an EN1. The noise is definately coming from outside the cabin, as I wiggled the steering with my ear next to the universals and no noise coming from there. Maybe the rack just needs greasing?

By Adrian (Evocivic) (165.228.11.61) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 04:12 pm:

I doubt it's the rack. Far more likely to be the universal joints at the bottom of the steering column.

By Andrew Fatseas (203.63.44.193) on Thursday, March 18, 2004 - 04:00 pm:

I've just been knocked back for a Blue Slip (the Australain roadworthiness test for cars that have been out of registration for a while) as the mechanic reckons that my steering rack is worn and knocking.

Admittedly, there is a bit of noise as you wobble the steering wheel from side to side, but there isn't any play - the steering is tight, with new tie rods etc.

Just wondering whether anyone has fixed this before, perhaps the adjustment bolt on the rack gearbox will allow me to adjust the noise out? Or am I going to have to get the rack reconditioned?

Cheers,

Andrew