Play in steering rack???

BURT150

Ive had a bit of play in my steering rack for quite a while now i dosent seem to be getting worse but it gets anoying when i knocks around bumpy corners. Ive had a good look at it and ive checked the rod end and play in the steerin wheel and they seem to be fine so the only thing left (i think) is the iner rod joints in the rack. Ive managed to get through 2 mot's with it the way it is and i know it'l cost me some pennies to put rite. Dose anyone have any suggestions on what i can do about it?

How much is a new/recon rack ?

What sort of a job is it to change the rack?

Can i just change the track rods?

Any help would be greatly apriciated :thumbup:

blue_se2

i believe there is a universal joint on the steering rack at the end of the steering colomn which can be replaced

Daz

Had play in mine for 3 years, replaced the steering uj on the colum,and replaced the track rods and track rod ends also,and the play was still there....i just put up with it until i scrapped the car...however a new rack from gm on trade club is around £300...

MikeS

u sure it aint arb links and bottom ball joints causing the noises

z22se-mark

i too can feel a small click when turning left................is this the rack or a worn nuckle joint at the end of the steering collom

BURT150

MikeS said:
u sure it aint arb links and bottom ball joints causing the noises

No its definatly in the rack i had it up on stands and checked the ball joints and drop links and made sure it wasnt the bearing. There all fine suprisingly! Everythin else seems to be going on it 🙁

Daz said:
Had play in mine for 3 years, replaced the steering uj on the colum,and replaced the track rods and track rod ends also,and the play was still there....i just put up with it until i scrapped the car...however a new rack from gm on trade club is around £300...

I Thought it would be alot. Ill have to investigate a bit more and i bet its a pig to change.

I think if it was the u/j at the bottom of the rack id feel it through the steering wheel so i can rule that out. Also i learned that the bushes tha hold the rack to the subframe can wear out and let the rack move. Im goin to have to have a good look at the weekend and find out whats going wrong. F**kin dark nights 🙁 .

the list so far is

steering rack problem
New brakes all round
rear wheel bearings (noisy)

Im not goin to moan about it too much cus its fun putting thing rite but puts a hole in your pocket and its anoying when you dont know exactly whats rong with it.
The joys of motoring!

MikeS

mine clicks as well burt and that was before the front end smack and is no different now, the rear bearings is very common hence why vauxhall force you to change the whole hub assembly instead of the bearing 🙂, about £50 a side

as daz has said if it is the rack then i would leave it as they cost over £400 new including trade club and are a pig to replace

BURT150

MikeS said:
mine clicks as well burt and that was before the front end smack and is no different now, the rear bearings is very common hence why vauxhall force you to change the whole hub assembly instead of the bearing 🙂, about £50 a side

as daz has said if it is the rack then i would leave it as they cost over £400 new including trade club and are a pig to replace

I might just leave it then and get my trackin and alighnment done. that might help the overall feel of the car. It seems a bit of a comon thing on vec b's then.
£400 well out of the equation. if i had that id be gettin a remap or piper manifold.

I poped into bellingers vauxhall yesterday to get my trade club sorted and get some brakes and the rear hub assemblys and it turnes out ive got to wait 1-2 weeks for the account to be set up with them. They were realy helpfull which makes a change and there gettin it all sorted for me but it just meens ive got to hang on a bit till its done. the guy behind the counter said i could have the parts at trade price if i need them now but its still more than what i would be paying with the trade club so im goin to have to wait a bit 🙁 .