To begin with I will describe an issue or two that I "had" with my steering. A grabbing, notchy feeling after driving for a while and car warmed up or in real hot conditions. Stiff steering requiring some effort ( attributed to the fast ratio steering rack mod) Meandering at high speeds Martin a member here (Martin308gtb) had suggested a fix he did on his car with similar if not the same issues. The fix wasn't steering column u-joints. Turns out that at the floorboard where the steering shaft goes thru there is a DRY bushing in a ball joint clamped by a bottom and top socket. The culprit was this cheap bushing in the ball that the shaft rotates in. Replacement is pretty straightforward. It only requires two nuts be removed from the outside. A nut/bolt on the shaft inside. And the most awful contortions one can imagine working in the footwell behind the pedals. Anyway the results: Notchiness gone Steering precise Steering effort I liken to variable power assist Even with the fast ratio rack at crawling pace it is now effortless Can't believe the transformation !!!!!!!!!! So, before spending $$$$$ on expensive parts I recommend spending $5.00 for the bushing available at T. Rutlands, SP and others I'm sure. There is also a rubbery gasket that goes under the assembly that is cheap and available. I changed that while in there. Hope this helps others and thank our brother Martin for bringing this to our attention. It was the first time I ever heard of changing this out. Old Old New Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I get that notchiness too but only when it's warming up. Do you have any pics or instructions on replacement? Thanks for the info.
I believe Martin will be doing s write up? Basically: Remove driver mat and seat Squirm in and remove cotter pin and castle nut (16mm) from the last u-joint attached to the splined shaft coming thru the floor. Part #6. Remove the bolt. Wedge open the u-joint (just a little)and remove from the shaft. (The big collapsible splined shaft part #3 should move freely enough to allow movement). Jack the car, place jack stand under driver side, remove front wheel. Remove two nuts (14mm) and washers on both sides of shaft coming thru floor. (Small hands required and various length ratchet extenders and u-joint needed and 14mm socket). Pull the ball joint brackets as an assembly with the ball sandwiched between straight off the shaft inside. The bolts are welded to the bracket so it is easier to reassemble. Separate the two socket halves, remove the ball and carefully press out the split bushing. Press in a new bushing. Reverse procedure to reassemble tightening the two nuts AFTER everything is done. ( important as this will allow proper alignment of the ball before it is made captive in the socket). 1) tapping gently with a hammer helps get the u-joint off and on the shaft 2) the sphere joint that holds the bushing is NLA so treat with care 3) make appt with chiropractor prior to job because you will want to be seen within 48 hours of doing this 4) be cognizant of steering wheel location because of turn signal orientation. (Hint) 5) do not lubricate the shaft or bushing. Clean off the shaft before placing the ball and socket back. This is a dry bushing application. 6) you will need a breaker bar to loosen the castle nut unless you have Herculean strength hands and arms. Good luck!
Hello Robert, no more necessary for me to repeat the description of the procedure. Anyway it's more than a decade, since I finally found the reason for this sticky steering issue and did this job. Back then it did annoy me for six years until eventually it got worse and started producing screeching noises. But this helped to track the problem in the end. Your perfect write-up with mentioning all the little details also (for instance tightening the two nuts last, NO lubrication, etc.), is all one needs for performing this task properly. Congrats for finishing this job and enjoy your new steering feel. And also thank you for finally confirming my theory, which I already often posted, when the 'sticky steering issue' came up, but which was widely ignored and people preferred to replace BIG $$$ universal joints and other valuable stuff. Cheap fix of an extremely annoying problem. Though; Did you have to pay the chiropractor? We over here are insured Best Regards from Germany Martin
Really interesting thread, thanks for posting. For years I've noticed a mid corner tightening of the steering, particularly noticeable in hotter weather. I'd assumed it was caused by the rack but it seems that may not be the case. The rubbers are beginning to perish on the rack so was planning on replacing, tempted to replace the whole rack as I'm there. I will definitely be looking to add the modification below at the same time. Regarding the rack, I was planning on replacing with a standard unit (purchased as usual from Superformance) but I noticed they have a faster rack. Anyone got any experience of the fast rack, is it worth using instead of original type?
Robert (Crowndog) has it. I think, he will reply on this topic after the time shift. Best Regards Martin
Absolutely yes, go for the faster rack. It is now a pleasure. There is talk about the "big" increase in steering effort at crawling pace and to an extent that was true. It no longer exists after doing this bushing change. It only makes sense that after all these years that this would need replacing. Duh. The faster rack is really responsive and gives the car a go-cart like feel. Can't imagine why it wasn't stock back then?
Thanks Martin. Actually have to give credit to my wife. It was her small hands that got the nuts and washers back on AND massaged my aching body back to health.
I get my car back this week and part of the service work is a rebuilt steering rack and new bushings, so I can't wait to feel how it drives. Mine had a ghostly "wander" right around center, and the rack leaked. Should be an amazing improvement.
I gotta get in there and do that bushing in my car. Probably deserves its own thread, but anyone tried the fast ratio mini rack? They are available. I know there's been concerns about the reproduction racks but I've been running one in my autocross 308 for 3-4 years and the passenger side bushing seems to be holding together. I figured at some point I'd have to tear into the thing. The fast ratio mini rack would be a nice bolt in mod if they are in fact the same. The pics didn't look like the column connection was angled ... maybe just a bad pic... Thoughts? cheers edit: link http://www.minimania.com/part/FAM7307MS-P/New-Steering-Rack-Mk11-And-Later-Left-Hand-Drive-Ratios-Available
Thanks for info, sounds like it is very worthwhile so will definitely swap over to a fast rack when I do the maintenance.
I should have typed 15mm for the castle nut, sorry. 16mm for the bolt end. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Personally have no clue as to if this rack works in our cars. Why not just rebuild your rack with the available faster ratio parts?
Last comment on this refurbishment I promise. Many of us never got to experience what these cars drove like when new. We buy these cars and forget how old they are and really have no idea in many cases how many miles are actually on them, how they where maintained or driven. Short of a complete restoration this simple bushing replacement gets the car driving as it was meant to be. I'm so giddy with how this has changed the character of the car. Seriously folks, give this a try and I guaranty you won't be disappointed. Unbelievable difference. Can't stop driving her its that good! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We've had my car in the family for 36yrs, it was just over a year old when my dad bought it. The steering malady was present from quite early on in his ownership but wasn't really a problem, only really showed in hot weather so not much of an issue in UK! Car was completely stripped and rebuilt in the 90s using all original parts as much as possible and the steering issue remained.
Sorry to hear this. You could try loosening the two nuts that captures the sphere and allow it to reset. If on reassembly it was done out of sequence it might explain the issue. Easy enough to do.
Thanks for info Robert. It's never really been a big issue, just a slight annoyance. Looking forward to upgrading the rack and making adjustments to the column in the next month or two, I'm sure that will sort the problem. Regards Robert
