is any one else breaking/wearing out steering racks?

[fastivaB6TG25MR]

this is my 2nd one in 2 years. i can take the boot loose and grab the inner tie rod end joint and wiggle the inner rack itself up and down quite a bit... am i the only one?

[Aspire SVT]

The right side of the rack in the aspire has been doing that for about 4 years. Thought it was the inner so I bought a new one and I took me a few months to decide to install it when I found out it was the gear bushing. What makes me mad about it is it was a brand new, not reman Ford rack and pinion I bought new in 01 from work. Was around 320 dollars cost/ list was over 500! Rack only has about 30k normal miles on it. I've been looking for one to swap in while I take it apart to see if I can fab a new bushing.

[bhazard]

Im sure a lot of ours are like that, we just dont notice or think its normal.

[Aspire SVT]

Mine rattles over bumps like a bad inner tie rod but the inner is fine and it doesn't seem to move forward or backwards from what I remember just up and down

[sharkstiva]

Which side is more loose?

[fastivaB6TG25MR]

my drivers side seems worse than the passenger side

[Aspire SVT]

Does it make any noise while driving

[sharkstiva]

both of mine are "loose" feeling, but nothing in there seems broken.
are you talking about the rack itself? cause i know there's a pin on
either side that's supposed to hold it in place up right. the only
movement you should have in the rack itself is left to right on the teeth.

[fastivaB6TG25MR]

it makes a knocking noise.

[eurotiva]

I HAD that problem. After replacing it once (PITA) I decided to make a fix.

I made a delrin tube that fit around it.

Then i cut it in half and slid it in as halves. Then i drilled and used roll pins to hold it in place.

I think all the high hp cars will suffer from this.

[Damkid]

Hmm i wonder if this is the clunking sound i've been hearing in my festiva, i have not been able to find the noise at all, so i'll have a look on mine to see

[shorestiva]

I haven't noticed anything on mine. Its the original one with probably 300k on it. But my car spends more time in the garage in pieces than most.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk

[Aaronbrook37]

I HAD that problem. After replacing it once (PITA) I decided to make a fix.

I made a delrin tube that fit around it.

Then i cut it in half and slid it in as halves. Then i drilled and used roll pins to hold it in place.

I think all the high hp cars will suffer from this.

Now this I have to see! That sounds like an absolutely genius fix, Greg.

[skeeters_keeper]

my red stocker with 280k mi on it is doing this... annoyed the crap out of me for a while. Apparently you can still get the factory bushings, Jay has done it for a few people.

I'm interested in finding a better fix though. Greg you got any pix of what you did?

[Basement_Modder]

Greg you got any pix of what you did?

+1 for that.

Any upgrades that can be done with a welder and scrap metal are ones I'm interested in! :lol: