Steering Rack Movement

[rodavo]

Just wondering if any one elses steering rack moves slightly from side to side when you turn the wheel. I have had 2 piazza's and they both do the same thing. Is this because the rubber mounts are worn or is it just a common problem??

I think this is the cause of the steering wheel moving off centre when you come out of a corner, another problem I have got. Anyone else notice that there steering wheel doesnt always return to the centre position after coming out of a corner??

[Thomas]

Yeah the steering rack mounting bushes are worn.. Mine were the same when I got my Piazza.
I think about $70 from Holden dealer.

[nozman]

Had the same problem, its "normal".

If you have an oil leak then the bushes are probably buggered, fix the seals and then replace the bushes, but a bit of movement is normal.

[Piazza_man]

Resurrected old thread I know, but I bought a set of Holden Piazza specific super pro nolathane rack and pinion mount bushes a couple of weeks ago. Haven't put them on yet, but this should fix the movement/geometry problem shouldn't it?
There's more for sale through Au eBay atm. A bargain at $35.20 & free postage.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 0916552795

[Bugle]

Archangel tried them and they were too narrow on his, just copied off the factory ones which are also too narrow. I think he fixed it by splitting the steel bracket and widening it. I wouldn't recommend doing it that way I would make a whole new bracket.

When I tried new original ones back in the day the rack moved a fair bit still. Steering wheel centre position would change all the time. Can't believe they got such an important part so wrong.

For mine I made a custom poly bush which is 2mm wider. I have the mould for it and could probably make more but I wanted to test this one first if I ever get the car back on the road which might be soon.

[Piazza_man]

That's a shame about the super pro bushes, and are both the bushes too narrow? When you're ready count me in for one of your sets. Definitely keen.

[Bugle]

The left bush is fine, that one doesn't provide any lateral support. I only made a mould for the right side bush.

Another option might be if you can find some 1mm rubber sheet you could glue some to each side of the bush to widen it.

[Piazza_man]

Is there a glue to bind nolathane together? I'm thinking if I bought another one of those kits and chop the ends off and glue them onto the other one. I know it's a more expensive solution to the one you're suggesting but it could look a bit better.

PS scrap that idea. Those sidewalls on the nolathane bushes are much thicker than the 1mm each side that your suggesting. Better off tack-welding two 1mm shims to the inner edges of the metal bracket wouldn't I?

[Bugle]

Superglue works really well on rubber, should probably work on polyurethane too. I can try it on something here.

Not sure how you'd go welding shims to the side of it could be a bit messy. I'd just buy some steel the right width and thickness and bend one from scratch.

[Piazza_man]

I'll have a closer look at the bracket if and when I get my car back so I'm only imagining what the bracket looks like atm. just one more thing to put on the to do list.

[Bugle]

This is what it looks like, just re-installed all this last week. It's just bent steel flat bar.

[Piazza_man]

I see. Flat bar shaped in a U with wings for the bolts. Pity the other end wasn't secured the same way. It would be a more sturdier unit.

[Bugle]

Yeah the Gemini manual rack is secured laterally by both bushes, dunno why they wouldn't do it with this one.

[Piazza_man]

Still haven't been able to find archangel's thread that you talked about earlier.

[archangel62]

This would be it I reckon:
viewtopic.php?t=1602&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Unfortunately the mob that did half of my picture hosting threw in the towel, so now most of my picture links are broken