Steering Rack issues
Steering Rack issues
Hey Guys , happy to hear us insane dudes still hold onto the car we take for a drive with mobile phone in hand with Fred's towing number on speed dial. I've had mine now for 15 years and the only thing that hasn't been replaced is me the nut behind the wheel!
I now have to replace my steering rack (pretty soon) as i found the car verring to the left without force and then having a minor heart attack until i turn to the right and then i have my life back again only to turn another corner and go through the same thing.
Has anyone encoutered the same problem ? And is it an easy job to replace? How many hours?
Bartamann.
I now have to replace my steering rack (pretty soon) as i found the car verring to the left without force and then having a minor heart attack until i turn to the right and then i have my life back again only to turn another corner and go through the same thing.
Has anyone encoutered the same problem ? And is it an easy job to replace? How many hours?
Bartamann.
Mine was like that even with new mounting bushes, alot better than the old bushes though. Damn factory mounting bush isn't wide enough and allows rack to move around and break the bush.
So I took the original bush, added some width to it and am going to make a mould of that then make new bushes from polyurethane, should be nice and tight.
The rack itself doesn't wear out, only the seals do, also check the joints at each end of the tie rod..
So I took the original bush, added some width to it and am going to make a mould of that then make new bushes from polyurethane, should be nice and tight.
The rack itself doesn't wear out, only the seals do, also check the joints at each end of the tie rod..
Be a bit careful about making the bushes too tight on sideways fit. They do need a little bit of side flexibility. If you jam pack it with rubber usually no problem as it is inherently flexible but urethane isn't and it may be too rigid and you could experience a bit of straight line wander. It can get tedious after a while. no probs though for short drives and twisty stuff.So I took the original bush, added some width to it and am going to make a mould of that then make new bushes from polyurethane, should be nice and tight.
You can buy after market urethane rack bushes off the shelf, the only difference is they don't have the hole for the breather pipe but it is easy to drill as required. They are pretty cheap as well, about 30 bux from memory. I think it is an oz company that makes them in fact. I have a spare set under the house and can check the details if you want.
So many cars, so little cash
Yeah Superpro makes them but i'll bet they copied the original ones and therefore copied the incorrect width.
I can't mould rubber but I can get soft urethane resin. Stuff i've got at the moment is 85 durometer same rating they usually use on suspension bits so i'll just use that and see how it goes. You need more stiffness than rubber anyway with the silly setup having only one of the bushes supporting the rack laterally, the Gemini has both bushes providing lateral support..
I can't mould rubber but I can get soft urethane resin. Stuff i've got at the moment is 85 durometer same rating they usually use on suspension bits so i'll just use that and see how it goes. You need more stiffness than rubber anyway with the silly setup having only one of the bushes supporting the rack laterally, the Gemini has both bushes providing lateral support..
Hi Guys,
Bartamann is here now...
We just replaced the rack mounting rubbers which was the main problem - especially the oil-soaked RH one.
There is still some slop on the RHS of the rack - probably the ball&socket for the tie-rod arm.
But Bartamann reckons the minor heart attack syndrome has gone. No losing of the steering - just a litle play in the rack.
He also reckons THANKS to all for the info!!!!
Incidentally, no-one seems to stock the Superpro SPF1655K.
Supercheap reckoned 1 week & $47 to get it from Superpro in Qld (it listed for $36.20 Sept 2006).
But Bursons quoted about $27 and a few days.
Cheers.
Bartamann is here now...
We just replaced the rack mounting rubbers which was the main problem - especially the oil-soaked RH one.
There is still some slop on the RHS of the rack - probably the ball&socket for the tie-rod arm.
But Bartamann reckons the minor heart attack syndrome has gone. No losing of the steering - just a litle play in the rack.
He also reckons THANKS to all for the info!!!!
Incidentally, no-one seems to stock the Superpro SPF1655K.
Supercheap reckoned 1 week & $47 to get it from Superpro in Qld (it listed for $36.20 Sept 2006).
But Bursons quoted about $27 and a few days.
Cheers.
IZU069 - ISUZU means a lot to me.
They are avaiilable here from most steering and suspension outfits but they get them in from the NZ distributor who also deal direct to joe public. They are called George Stocks and from memory a set of spk rack bushes are 29.95, they also have rack ends at around 20 bux each, they are Camelot brand, supercheap can get them as well but are painfully slow, they also have the outer tie rod ends again camelot and very cheap
So many cars, so little cash
I sorted out that bush..
No movement anymore!
Got a standard bush and stuck 1mm plywood to each side, and made a plug thingo for the centre. Then built up clay halfway up the thing and poured silicone into the top half.
Then remove clay
Put back in the moulding box to pour the other half included a filling hole and breather holes at the highest point.
Filled
Finished mould
Assembled mould and filled with polyurethane
Finished bush next to an original one
Test mounted on spare rack & crossmember, no gap each side of the bush anymore
You can see how far the rack was moving before with the original bush.
No movement anymore!
Got a standard bush and stuck 1mm plywood to each side, and made a plug thingo for the centre. Then built up clay halfway up the thing and poured silicone into the top half.
Then remove clay
Put back in the moulding box to pour the other half included a filling hole and breather holes at the highest point.
Filled
Finished mould
Assembled mould and filled with polyurethane
Finished bush next to an original one
Test mounted on spare rack & crossmember, no gap each side of the bush anymore
You can see how far the rack was moving before with the original bush.
- GeminiCoupe
- APC Member
- Posts: 627
- Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 2:20 pm
- Location: Victoria - The Boosted State
hehe i'll see if I can buy a sweat shop in China and start pumping out car bits!
Yeah one of the joys of owning a Piazza having to make everything! I can't believe Isuzu didn't correct their bloody mistake and start making their bushes wider..
This polyurethane stuff is pretty good, been making balljoint boots as well. Try buying balljoint boots for adjustable camber balljoints, shops have never heard of replacement boots all they can offer is new balljoints..
Need to make some pedal pads now. Anyone got any spare manual pedal pads so I can make a mould?
Yeah one of the joys of owning a Piazza having to make everything! I can't believe Isuzu didn't correct their bloody mistake and start making their bushes wider..
This polyurethane stuff is pretty good, been making balljoint boots as well. Try buying balljoint boots for adjustable camber balljoints, shops have never heard of replacement boots all they can offer is new balljoints..
Need to make some pedal pads now. Anyone got any spare manual pedal pads so I can make a mould?
OH Yeah I got some pedal pads, don't suppose you have made a mould for the front tie bar bushes?Need to make some pedal pads now. Anyone got any spare manual pedal pads so I can make a mould?
If you do put me down for some, PM your address and I'll flick over a couple of pedal rubbers if no one else fronts up, I got some quite good ones which is what you want for making copies I guess.
So many cars, so little cash
Yep thats the ones, big doughnut jobs, I recall someone actually machining some up but can't find the postBushes for the front part of the lower arm? Strut rod I think they call it in the manual?
From memory they are slightly handed left and right but I can check in the morning. Even got a good auto brake pad spare as well.Yer need a pretty good pad to copy. Are the clutch and brake ones the same?
Mine came with those silly supercheap 'racing' pedal covers so never had an original set
So many cars, so little cash