Steering Rack issues

Bartamann · Post by **Bartamann** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:48 pm

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.

Rick82 · Post by **Rick82** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:43 pm

mine was reconditioned and i didnt do it myself i paid $250 re-fitted, mine i could turn the wheel quarter turn iether way and it would not change course, so i had a servere gap in my steering

Bugle · Post by **Bugle** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 1:21 am

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..

Post by **wedgenut** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 3:33 pm

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.

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.

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.

Bugle · Post by **Bugle** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 5:02 pm

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..

IZU069 · Post by **IZU069** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 3:10 pm

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.

Post by **wedgenut** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:05 pm

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

Bugle · Post by **Bugle** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 2:41 pm

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.

GeminiCoupe · Post by **GeminiCoupe** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 4:21 pm

You my friend have too much fucking time on your hands lol

Post by **wedgenut** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:16 pm

You my friend have too much fucking time on your hands lol

Yep, but he is quite a clever bugger

Post by **Virtual-R** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 7:56 pm

wedgenut wrote:
You my friend have too much fucking time on your hands lol
Yep, but he is quite a clever bugger

Yep I wish I was smart enough to work out how to do that, you should start a business with all these things you make Bugle, you would end up a wealthy man.

Bugle · Post by **Bugle** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:16 pm

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?

Post by **wedgenut** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:33 pm

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?

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.

Bugle · Post by **Bugle** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:45 pm

Bushes for the front part of the lower arm? Strut rod I think they call it in the manual?

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..

Post by **wedgenut** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 10:15 pm

Bushes for the front part of the lower arm? Strut rod I think they call it in the manual?

Yep thats the ones, big doughnut jobs, I recall someone actually machining some up but can't find the post

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
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.