308 Steering Rack Rebuild

Hi all -

For a very (very) long time, my steering wheel has been exhibiting an interesting phenomenon: after a nice bit on the road, the wheel begins to exhibit sticktion, and makes slight wheel corrections feel notchy. Once it starts, it doesn't cease until the next day's run. When driving slow (say, parking), you can hear the wheel groaning as you turn it - almost like rubber against rubber. You can feel it in your hands - and the sound is not from the front of the car, it's somewhere in the steering column itself.

The rack has only about 7K miles on it, and the rest of the front suspension and tires less than 5K. Alignment is good. I've replaced the small bushing at the firewall a couple of years ago (thanks for that tip, Martin), but the issue was not resolved.

I've noted on this image that there are 2 bearings in the column (parts #12).
Image Unavailable, Please Login

With a small mirror, I can see the slightest bit of grease on the ring nut next to 12-Lower; unsure if it's coming from the bearing. I'm pulling the wheel and collar off later this week, and will (hopefully) be taking a look at 12-Upper. Unless something is physically rubbing wrong inside the column, I'm going to suspect the bearings themselves.

Not sure how it's it's going to be to replace those bearings if needed, though I do have a press and a lot of tools. New bearings are about $20, so I'd prefer doing a refurb instead of buying a $1200 used column. I plan to get it on the bench, by removing the assembly at Nut 24 (the spline).

Any advice before I move forward on disassembly?

 

Day 2:

Due to waiting for a tool to arrive, decided to take one last look at everything before I start pulling it all apart. Have discovered that although the noise seems to be coming from the collar area, it's actually traveling up the column. Loosened the plate (part 31) to make sure it wasn't the ball pivot. Loosened the collar (nut 24) completely. No change in noise. Pulled the spare well out, grabbed my stethoscope and the GF wiggled the steering wheel.

Sound is most pronounced right about the gear area of the steering rack itself. Removed the preload plate/spring, noise still present. So it seems there may be an interior rack issue... something in there is rubbing in ways it shouldn't, once heated up.

 

Saturday Update:

Jacked the car up this morning, had the rack out within about an hour or so. Some pics:

Image Unavailable, Please Login

Those shims you see are not OEM, of course. A previous mechanic had done a speed rack shaft conversion. He left off 2 of the shims (which of course, I don't have now), installed 2 of them that he didn't drop on the floor - one in each bracket. This resulted in the rack being shimmed wrong, and crooked in the car when reinstalled. I corrected this as best I could with a lot of measuring and cutting custom shims a couple of years ago, when I was first attacking an issue of the car refusing to keep straight on the highway.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

Pic of the driver's (left) side shaft. I'm not familiar with what type of blue grease this is... have no idea if it's appropriate grease, or completely wrong for the type of use. Doesn't look like the black thick stuff I see other people using when they rebuild racks.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

Passenger side of the rack. Fun observation - neither of the end caps were restaked after previous tech did the conversion. So it's becoming an experience of "do you feel lucky?" if I disassemble the whole thing.

I'm debating buying a pin wrench, adjustable spanner, and a rebuild kit (with parts that may or may not be correct, that would be my luck).... or just purchase another damned rack.

 

Thanks for that confirm.

The roller bearing is packed with grey stuff (moly?) In any case, I'll stick to using a single grease.