I've got some input on this one. I had the same thing on my TR6 and actually
posted on it sometime back in September or so. I imagine the Spit rack is
similar but don't know. The curbside end of the rack runs in the housing
in a renewable brass(?) sleeve bushing. It's a bit of work to change it
but doable. You've got to get the rack off the car (either separate or
unthread the outer tierod ends), remove at least one inner tie-rod end
(might as well sort them both out), remove the pinion, then drive the
bush out using a socket or something. When I went to put the new one in,
it got hung up before it was all the way in and I had to grind a bit off.
Maybe one should but grease around it to prevent this. Also, the bushing
is very soft so you can knacker it pretty easily if you're not careful.
I bet I spent 20 hrs+ on it. I'm pretty inexperienced though. For me, it
tightened the steering up, although it didn't get rid of the wobble -
I've got bad wheels I think. Bear in mind you'll want to check/reset the toe.
If a recon. rack is that cheap I'd probably do that. Check what you're
paying for though - I'm pretty sure you won't get a new rack gear and
pinion for that for instance.
Good luck, hope it helps...
Pete
On Thu, 21 Mar 1996, Richard Jackson - Network Technician ext. 2570 wrote:
> >Hi all,
>
> >Does anyone out there have any experience of rebuilding steering
> >racks? I have a problem with mine in that there is play in the
> >passenger side wheel, caused by play somewhere in the steering rack.
> >It feels just as if the inner ball joint is loose but when you
> >slide back the rubber boot, you can see that it's fine and the
> >movement is actually occuring between the inner part of the rack and
> >the outer (fixed) housing. The outer ball joints are all fine, the
> >rubber rack mounting bushes are new and there is no other play in the
> >system. Is't just the passenger side and its sufficiently bad to
> >cause a bit of wheel wobble at certain speeds, and to make accurate
> >wheel alignment impossible. Has anyone else come across this
> >phenomenon?
Peter Barrance
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