Excessive Play in Steering

How many miles on your car?

The largest part of your problem is your bushings holding your rack on the frame.
You need to replace them for sure.
They are too soft even when new(on purpose)
The original ones are of a red tone rubber and when you place them in your hands if they are still as new you will be amazed how soft they are if you squeeze them with your fingers.
Reason for it ?.........the old man did not want you to go very fast in this car plus the BB set right gets too tight .....the opposite you got now.

Proper solution is harder bushings.
How ever not as easy as it sounds.
Many put poly there which does not squeeze much upon installation and they alter the geometry of their front end in more ways that they know.
Reason is their bushings place the rack away from the frame than before and alignment in toe will change and more......

Best solution is to find the same exact bushings that are harder but flexible enough to keep the rack in the proper position after the bushings are pressed by the screws being tight on the support housing.

I remember many years ago the same exact shape bushings and very hard was made to support 308 AC parts
They are identical to the red BB steering ones except very hard and black in color instead of red.

As far as your rack goes it is adjustable but you need to be care full who touches it and what they do.
They do not get loose unless your car has very high miles,so most likely the bushings will do the job.
Other components up front can also effect your steering as faulty alignment

Mario

 

Before ordering bushings I would either inspect the front end or have it inspected by a professional familiar with these cars. The racks wear out especially the right inner bushing. The racks also leak so if your rack boots are damp either rebuild your rack or buy a rebuilt one. The rubber bushings are soft in your hand but once the steel insert is transferred from the old bushing and its compressed in the tapered mount its a different story. I don't doubt firmer bushings are better and possibly noticable but OEM ones won't be the cause of loose steering if they're not completely destroyed or mostly missing.

 

We send all our Boxer racks to John Haller. His workmanship is impeccable, every time. PM him at jh355.

Best,
David

 

Hold on... dont be so quick to buy a rack.. check the tie rods for wear. It may just be the tie rods and everything else may be fine.. tie rods in time wear and cause play in steering. Check that first then proceed with rack inspection.

R

 

There is nothing cheaper than some rubber bushings.....if I remember right I asked of them to Dave at GT car parts saying about 308 ac black bushings same shape as the ones on the the car that are red.
At 20k a BB rack will not be bad.
What Paul tells you is good advice so all you have to do place the car on an alignment rack and look at everything.
A decent tech can have the steering moved slightly back and forth and see if there is play and where (if bushings the rack will move a hair plus you can look at them and tell.)
If everything is nice and clean and if the rack needs adjusting there is instructions on the work shop manual of the car how to adjust it but it is doubt full you need something like that at only 20k.
Find an alignment guy that races cars and he can check all kinds of stuff for you that relates to loose steering feel.

Mario