Steering Rack Removal and rebuild project

By the calendar winter is 1/3 over and I have yet to begin my winter projects. I have the car up on jack stands and the first project is to rebuild the steering rack. So I have read a several threads and I have a general idea what needs to be done but I need some encouragement to get started. (It's pretty cold in the garage) Here is my plan, remove the front wheels, disconnect the battery (I don't know why, just because) Remove the access panel under the car. Take some pictures put a few small paint marks where things need to line up and then start taking it out. Some how it seems like I need a better plan than "start taking it out" I plan to leave the tie rod ends attached to the hubs and just unscrew them from the tie rods. Is there any problem with that approach? I will mark them and count the turns but I will probably need an alignment after I am done anyway.

I would say that the part I have the least confidence about is how and where I disconnect it from the steering column.

How many hours should I expect to spend on the removal phase of this job?

Any pitfalls or lessons learned that someone wants to pass along will be appreciated.

How much of the information pertaining to 328 steering racks is applicable to my 85 308? This thread make it look much easier if you remove the entire spare tire well. What do you think of that idea?

Are there any "While you're there" jobs I should think about while doing this project?

I am going to attempt to photograph and document the process for Birdman's growing library of service procedures.

Any ideas how to warm up a garage?

 

The project is more intimidating than it sounds....I did it exactly one year ago. I have it documented here:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=189851&page=2

If you can remove the spare tire well...do it. Its much easier to visualize everything in there. On my car it was going to be a major pain, so I did it through the wheel wells. You will need to be prepared to replace the steering rack bushings if they are worn. They are fairly easily sourced. Also, while you are in there, take a good look at the ball joints and other rubber pieces (bushings). Its very easy to just do this 'while in there'.

How are your shocks, you may want to consider this as you will need to atleast disconnect the shock on one end to swing it out of the way to get the rack out. You WILL NOT be able to get the rack out without taking the rod ends off of the spindles. They are threaded fairly far in to the rod end. Plus, you will want to get a good look at the rod end to make sure that it is not worn/torn and has lost its lube. You have the right idea in measuring the # of threads before you start. I also measured the distance from the end of the threads to the end of the rod end as a reference. You will want to get a 4wheel alignment. Porsche dealers typically have the latest Hunter machines and have 308 specs in there. My local dealer charged $100 for all 4 wheels as well as some custom alignment on the fronts, though any local shop with a newer Hunter machine should be able to do it. Ferrari will charge upwards of $1,000 for the exact same alignment!!!

PM me if you have any questions. Personally, I would consider shocks/springs (if needed), ball joints/bushings...droplink bushings/AArm bushings(If needed) and new rod ends (if needed) with this project. You are going to have all of this stuff off, so why do it twice!

JIM

 

I recommend the Superformance UK quick-ratio steering rack as a wonderful mod. I put it in my 77 GTB, transforms the car!

A bit more steering effort at low speeds, but the response is much sharper. The stock steering ratio is slow to prevent high-speed dartiness, but I think they chose too-low a ratio.

I just purchased the pinion gear,steering rod and new gaiters. The steering rod inserted into the old tube. I already had new tie rod ends. The shop that installed this system used LOTS of grease in the tube...

As long as you're doing this service, go ahead and improve your car's handling.

Greg

 

I would agree 100%. The Superformance 2.5 turn rack and pinion gear set works great. However...it is designed for use specifically in the Cam Gears steering rack that was used in most 308/GT4 cars. It will not work in a TRW Italia steering rack that was found in most 328's or often used as a direct bolt-in replacement for the Cam Gears rack...without modification.

If you purchase their "fast rack" kit, and intend to install it in a TRW Italia rack, the "rack gear" threaded ends will need to be machined down and retaped to fit the small diameter inner tie rod ends. For a competent machine shop, this is not a big deal.

Although the TRW and Cam Gears racks can be used interchangeably, as exprenally they are the same (except for the mounts used), internally, they are different in construction.

TRW Italia: Shinely chrome tube, with a reduced diameter on the RHS.
Cam Gear: Dull aluminum tube, with both the LHS and RHS mounts being of the same diameter.

With the replacement of the RHS mount, either rack can be used in either car. Also, the 328 used a different (larger taper) tie rod end, so a 328 rack can be used in a 308, simply by purchasing the correct tie rod ends for that car.

David

 

How much of the information pertaining to 328 steering racks is applicable to my 85 308? This thread make it look much easier if you remove the entire spare tire well. What do you think of that idea?

Richard, not that I have replaced my steering rack but I am pondering it.
I am also thinking about the quicker rack.
When I first drove my car I thought the steering was very slow (although I had previosuly owned a 85 GTS QV) now I am am sort of used to it.
I have the car for the track and I am sure there are opinions either way, but don't know if I will add the quicker rack although everyone says good things about it.

The main thing I want to mention is the removal of the tire well.
I have just been doing some work up the front end with new fans and removing the air con radiator.
I jumped in and removed the spare tire tub and although it means that you have to drill out those large alumininium rivets it was an easy job.
BUT, once you do all it is there in front of you. Again I haven't attempted what others have trying to take the rack out via the wheel well, but I can Guarantee it will be so much easier if you take out the tub.
It exposes everything. I didn't have to take off the front bonnet which is a good thing. I was able to remove the main radiator and air con raditaor easily.
As always, when you start I job like I have 5 jobs turn into twenty. One of the main things I uncovered after taking out the tire tub was surafce rust under that tub edge and all around the front subframe. Not nasty rust, just annyoing surface rust that I couldn't leave as is.
I got out the the wire brush on the drill, vacuum cleaner and got stuck into it. It really was quick and easy.
Then the cold gal paint and then the anti rust matte black paint and the car is so much better for it.
I cleaned up wiring, cleaned out the semi clogged heat exchangers for the heaters, disconnected the ventilation cables/wires and lubed/adjusted them, sent some lube down the clutch cable and so on. You will find plenty of things exposed that most people don't see.
So, my recommendation is; find a heater for that garage, take out the tub and get stuck into it. You will have so much to do you won't have time to worry about the icicles hanging off your nose.
Oh and of course take out that steering rack!
Strange as it may seem, this past Christmas holiday period and last year I tackled many jobs on the car same as you. The main difference being that the days here are mainly above 35 degrees celsius here at the moment and I am tackling the same same work in shorts, singlet, hot, sweaty and with a fan blowing on me to keep cool.


Steve

 

FWIW and FYI, I have a Cam Gears rack that is going to get rebuilt soon and sold on EBAY. I bought a quick turn rack when I did my steering/suspension rebuild. Time for the old rack to stop acting as a paperweight in my garage.

JIM

 

I just gave my 328 to the garage & they fitted a new rack for me! they upgraded the plastic bush to bronze? Car feels much nicer!

 

I have the wheels off and I have disconnected the tie rod ends. It is unclear to me, even after reading several threads, which bolts I should focus on next. There appears to be bolts that hold the rack to the bracket (Green arrow) and then bolts that hold the bracket to the car (red arrow). Then one bolt for the link to the steering column. My best guess is to go after the bolts that hold the bracket to the car (Red arrow) They look easier to get to. I see lots of potential "While I'm there" work with suspension bushings but truthfully there is only 30 minutes of work to get "There" so I don't see much effort duplicated if I do the suspension bushing at another time.
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So far so good. I had very little trouble getting the 4 bolts out (Red arrow). Using a 6 inch wobble extension (craftsman #44286) I was able to easily put a socket on each of the upper bolts through the battery access area. The pictures below show the tool in place from above and from below. The lower bolts were quite easily accessed from under the car.

The only thing holding it in now is the connection to the steering column. I have determined that one end of the bolt has a 10 mm head on it. I am having difficulty determining what tool to use to hold the other end. It looks like an Allen wrench might be the tool but 4 mm is too small and I can't seem to get a 5 mm to go into the hole. What is the proper tool?
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That picture above makes me nervous. Is that the positive battery terminal right under the ratchet handle?

 

Whoa!

If you bridge the terminals with that ratchet (touch both terminals with the ratchet handle) you will get shocked badly!!!!!

 

The tool was in fact a 5 mm Allen wrench. The hole was just filled with a tar like substance that needed to be removed. I now have the last bolt removed. What does it take to get the steering rack separated from the steering column after the bolt is out?

 

The steering rack is out. Wiggle and pry was the method employed. I was then able to extract it through the drivers side with no further disassembly required. Remove the wheels, unscrew the tie rod ends, remove the 5 bolts, wiggle it loose and pull it out the drivers side. My immediate observation is that it needs new rubber boots. I guess I will wait till I know what else I need before placing a parts order. I recall someone mentioning that these racks were used on some other cars so parts might be a bit more reasonably priced. Any advice on where to buy the parts?

"Rebuilding" my steering rack means; Take it apart, clean it, replace broken or worn parts, put it back together.

So the next step is "Take it apart" any pitfalls or warnings for this step?
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I have pretty much decided to let someone else rebuild my steering rack. T. Rutlands sells a rebuilt rack for $595 I also found another company that will rebuild my rack for $350. They claim that they do several Ferrari 308 steering racks a year and have the parts on hand. Does anyone here have experience with this company. The local Ferrari Dealer said they would match the T. Rutlands price and have it back to me by the weekend. I can't explain why but I would prefer to have my rack rebuilt instead of trading mine in on one that is already rebuilt.

Anyone here want to talk me out of this decision or suggest another vendor?

 

My thoughts as well. Get zapped once and it won't happen again.

 

You won't really get shocked, it's only 12 volts, unless you are bridging the gap with your tongue or wet, salty hands. But the metal will get too hot to touch real fast, unless the battery explodes first. You could try to take it off as soon as it hits, but it will probably have welded itself to the terminals. Fun.

 

12 Volts, by itself, won't hurt anything. I have had tens of thousands of volts running thru me several times in physics class. BUT .......................

It is the AMPS that will (can) kill you. I would NEVER fart around with a car battery 55-65 (maybe higher) AMPS could really ruin your day and might even cause you to cancel Christmas.

Get "hit" by a car battery and it will definately put into you a "Cha(n)(r)ge you can believe in."

 

PM Sent...

 

Atlantic Steering, in Longs SC.

 

Here is my YouTube video of a Ferrari 308 Steering Rack Removal.

 

*Fantastic job with that video !!!!

 

I dont have the stats but several mechanics die every year from car batterys stopping their hearts. Im very careful, 850amps from a single battery is bad news. 15 amps from a wall socket can kill you. Its all about how much pressure (or volts) are behind the amps that are trying to go through you combined with your bodies resistance level to current flow. If your body has a naturally low resistance (everyone is different) presto you're the conductor.

 

There is only one way that the steering column and the steering rack can line up. The steering column has no internal stops of its own, in other words when the steering rack is disconnected the steering wheel can spin forever. When I put the rack back into my car I set the alignment as close as I could so that I could take it to a shop. I took care to match the number of turns on both tie rod ends. This is not the way it was before so now the steering wheel is turned to one side when the wheels are pointed straight. I think there is something like the steering wheel lock or the thing that shuts off the blinkers that needs to be positioned in a particular way. Right? So my question is which part of the linkage do I disconnect/adjust to get that lined up correctly? I guess I will do this after the alignment is done so I don't end up doing it twice.

 

Richard this part was a pain to do.It would have been much easier with a helper.I made a littlemark on the spline on the rack and evenly turned it to the left and to the right.From memory it was 3/12 turns each way.When I found the centre I then centred the steering wheel and connected it up.I had to connect and disconnect a few times as I was off by one spline.If I had a helper keeping the steering straight and testing while I was under the car it would have been much easier