| Author |
Message |
Kelly (Tifosi1)
Member
Username: Tifosi1
Post Number: 592
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2003 - 9:58 pm: | |
Greg, see if you can rotate the tie rods on the rack. Grab the tie rod with your hand close to the rack and see how much play up and down and side to side you get. If you get any, you need a steering rack rebuild, like I just did. Side to side movement on the highway gives me the sign thy you need to tighten you wheel bearings.
kelly |
Greg Owens (Owens84qv)
Member
Username: Owens84qv
Post Number: 732
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 08, 2003 - 10:53 am: | |
Philip, when I've got the front of the car on stands, wheel off and I turn the steering wheel so the front of the rotor points out, I'm a little confused on what I can do to test the tie-rod. Is there anything I can do with them intalled on the car to test thier aged condition? |
Philip Airey (Pma1010)
Junior Member
Username: Pma1010
Post Number: 194
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Monday, April 07, 2003 - 10:58 am: | |
Greg
You can test the tie rods: they should allow you to put them in any position and hold it, not "fall back" when subjected to gravity (now isn't that as clear as mud) -- generally when they wear, they lose their ability to hold in place and will "fall" back to a resting position. If yours do this, they're done and need replacement. I bought my outer tie rods quite cheaply from Superformance (UK). I am told inners come with the rack.
Philip |
Greg Owens (Owens84qv)
Member
Username: Owens84qv
Post Number: 729
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Monday, April 07, 2003 - 6:07 am: | |
Thanks Greg / Philip. I'm planning the parts list of things to buy for my suspension rebuild. In the back of my mind, I had tie rods listed and while I'm replacing stuff, I should probably jst do them as well.
Thanks for the input. |
Philip Airey (Pma1010)
Junior Member
Username: Pma1010
Post Number: 193
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, April 06, 2003 - 9:45 pm: | |
Greg O.
From my experience there are two types of wear. First, the bushings in the rack wear. Fix is replacing the bushings - usually about $300 - 350 at a machine shop. Usual culprit is the passenger side. Wide the steering all the way out to the right, disconnect the outer tie rod where it attaches to the hub carrier, loosen the gator so you can see the rack and the housing, grab theend of the rack and try to move it. You'll feel the wear.
Second is the wear in the rack and the pinion. Feel is "sloppy" on center, tighter towards the end of its travel. Only solution is new rack. Superformance (UK) has a "fast rack" - see archives for commentary. Interim fix is to tighten up the pinion by removing a spacer or two. Take care it doesn't bind at the end of its travel. Otherwise a new rack ($800 - 900 I think) will take care of both.
HTH
Philip |
Greg Rodgers (Joechristmas)
Member
Username: Joechristmas
Post Number: 729
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, April 06, 2003 - 4:31 pm: | |
The wandering can be partially explained by tie-rod ends with too much play. My rack had a good amount of play when sitting still. (1 inch or so) You could start with you tie-rod ends an see. |
Greg Owens (Owens84qv)
Member
Username: Owens84qv
Post Number: 728
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, April 06, 2003 - 3:42 pm: | |
Can someone tell me the tell-tale signs of a tired / worn steering rack when driving? I know that I need to replace the shocks and a-arm bushings, will also be replacing upper and lower ball joints...but what about the steering rack.
At rest, there is very little play in the rack. When cruising down the highway, the F-car tends to wander a little too much side-to-side, especially when you mash the throttle. |