How to tell if your steering rack is worn out.

[Movin]

Did you center the rack and lock it down before centering the steering wheel?

[frankenfester]

That amount of torque steer, with only 60 hp! I've driven 3 Festys for well over 150,000 miles now (I put 40,000 on this particular car in one year when I was a courier) so I do have a fair idea of how they're supposed to handle on the road. Feels just like a really loose ball joint at the moment. Checked the alignment and tire pressure the other day and all that is good.
There is a forum member in Florida (?) that rebuilds racks (new bushings) and I'm wondering what it is that prompts people to realize their steering rack is worn in the first place. You wouldn't think a bit of slop at either end of the rack would mess up tracking that badly but I'm fishing for ideas at the moment since I do not wish to swap racks just for a lark.

You can also get a new rack (power or manual) off rockauto.com decently priced. That's what I did and is dreamy

Sent from James' Galaxy S4 TAPATALK2

[drddan]

I know someone who makes rack bushings

There is a forum member in Florida (?) that rebuilds racks (new bushings)

Hmmm....1+1=2? hmmmmmm






The post right above ya, Bert!

[frankenfester]

You can also get a new rack (power or manual) off rockauto.com decently priced. That's what I did and is dreamy

Sent from James' Galaxy S4 TAPATALK2

This is a last resort option. I think they even do core for that piece

Sent from James' Galaxy S4 TAPATALK2

[zoom zoom]

Did you center the rack and lock it down before centering the steering wheel?

no, I centered it but didn't lock it down, after every time I adjust the tie rods I reset the wheel and double check tie rods and toe.


bert, double tripple check your lower control arm ball joints. I just found my passenger side had play up/down and it seems a little "wallered" out from the play I've been getting in it I guess. That's what I get for not having the proper bolts torqued to the proper specs. My wheel is still quite a bit out but since I tightened the snot out of that bolt it's not bouncing from straight wheel to cocked sideways and back again as I'm moving....could possibly be that I swapped back to 12" steelies up front though and this is just another goose chase >.<

[XFSE71]

do you see any unusual tire wear? A loose LCA would cause your symptoms but you've checked all that. The rack is not that complex and can't cause your problem of torque steer unless it is all loose and flopping around in it's perch. Tie rod ends will be easily discovered with proper diagnosis. How much free play is in your steering wheel? You want 30mm. How hard is to turn the wheel (vehicle raised) you want 1# to 4# max using your Bass Fisherman's Spring Scale. If it's not loose, the boots are good and it passes these tests it is a good rack. Have a helper move the steering wheel back and forth (engine off) while you look and feel for movement at each front wheel. If you see the rack shaft is moving and the tire is not then you found a bad part because it is loose. Tie rod ends will also show up when the steering wheel is moved and the wheel did not move. Replace them because they are loose. Torque steer ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_steering)

[zoom zoom]

Bert, I did a homebrew re-alignment and most all of my issues are gone. I am going to rebuild a knuckle to swap in place of the passenger one and see what happens then. Probably end up replacing the lca at the same time. For now I think it might be driveable, I was giving it all the newly installed b6 could give it and it's not too awful bad now, but somethings definately still not right unless the little bit of erratic steering is just from torque steer now.

[Bert]

do you see any unusual tire wear? A loose LCA would cause your symptoms but you've checked all that. The rack is not that complex and can't cause your problem of torque steer unless it is all loose and flopping around in it's perch. Tie rod ends will be easily discovered with proper diagnosis. How much free play is in your steering wheel? You want 30mm. How hard is to turn the wheel (vehicle raised) you want 1# to 4# max using your Bass Fisherman's Spring Scale. If it's not loose, the boots are good and it passes these tests it is a good rack. Have a helper move the steering wheel back and forth (engine off) while you look and feel for movement at each front wheel. If you see the rack shaft is moving and the tire is not then you found a bad part because it is loose. Tie rod ends will also show up when the steering wheel is moved and the wheel did not move. Replace them because they are loose. Torque steer ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque_steering)

Thank you. There is no play anywhere when it's (the car) up in the air with someone turning the steering wheel and someone else underneath gripping a wheel. This business has me thoroughly puzzled at the moment. Has anyone ever worn out a knuckle? Reason I say that is my problems began with a stripped pinch bolt that allowed a lower ball joint to pop out. There is a new ball joint in place (ie entire new LCA plus bushing) and I double-nutted the new pinch bolt so as to really be able to haul on it, but maybe the knuckle pocket has worn oversize and is allowing the ball joint to move.
Alignment is bang-on when it's parked. A tiny fraction of an inch toe-in.

[jawbraeka]

my car treks straight, but the steering wheel goes sideways! a full 90* right and I'm still going in a straight line! I just rebuilt this rack, and this is the same issue. there's virtually NO play in this thing, well maybe a little but it's not nearly as much as the old one, possibly half a mm up and down on each side, no more. i'm gonna try a ball joint next, thats about the only other part i hvent replaced.

I get that when i'm going too hard around a corner.

Basically, i'll be doing about 40 (usually coming down 50 or so) and when i go to turn the corner, the steering gives out, the wheel keeps following through and then i travel in a straight line also.. have to boot the brakes a bit to slow down, throw it back to 2nd and then accelerate.. BUT with steering.. it bugs me, due to the fact that i don't want to be doing highway speeds and have this happen while gradually changing lanes or whatever.. just makes me feel a little uneasy, you know?

[jawbraeka]

You can also get a new rack (power or manual) off rockauto.com decently priced. That's what I did and is dreamy

Sent from James' Galaxy S4 TAPATALK2

What was the price for a Power steering rack?

[jawbraeka]

just checked the ACDeco catalogue for mazda 121 and according to them, ALL models of 121 will support the following part number :-

Manual racks (non-power steering)
Mazda 121 - All - - 1987-Sep90 - ACS1616
Ford Festiva - WB - WF - 1993-Nov95 - ACS1636

Power Steering Racks
Mazda 121 - All - 1987 - Sep90 - ACS1616
Ford Festiva - WB - WF - 1993 - Nov95 - ACS1636

Not sure if you guys stock the ACDeco brand, but yeah we got them here downunder.

[Bert]

It is all well and good to talk about or suggest a new (it would be a shop/factory rebuild no matter what) steering rack but what I'd like to know are what are the symptoms of having a compromised (bad) rack. Swapping one is not a 5 minute operation, don't you know!

[nitrofarm]

Thank you. There is no play anywhere when it's (the car) up in the air with someone turning the steering wheel and someone else underneath gripping a wheel. This business has me thoroughly puzzled at the moment. Has anyone ever worn out a knuckle? Reason I say that is my problems began with a stripped pinch bolt that allowed a lower ball joint to pop out. There is a new ball joint in place (ie entire new LCA plus bushing) and I double-nutted the new pinch bolt so as to really be able to haul on it, but maybe the knuckle pocket has worn oversize and is allowing the ball joint to move.
Alignment is bang-on when it's parked. A tiny fraction of an inch toe-in.

Bert if you are worried that the knuckle is worn,there is a simple test you can do with a pry bar. Get that side up in the air and put a LARGE angle prybar in betweenf the LCA and the knuckle directly below those "Ears" where the pinch bolt passes through.You shouldn't be able to get any movement,this also can show if the ball joint is loose.

[Bert]

Bert if you are worried that the knuckle is worn,there is a simple test you can do with a pry bar. Get that side up in the air and put a LARGE angle prybar in betweenf the LCA and the knuckle directly below those "Ears" where the pinch bolt passes through.You shouldn't be able to get any movement,this also can show if the ball joint is loose.

Great minds think alike. Will try that this afternoon. This morning I noticed there is a clean 01 Rio at the U-pull and if someone tells me that those knuckles are same or similar enough (ie use same caliper and pads) then at least now I have a source for another knuckle. Early Rios still show up now and again but Aspires disappeared from this area a long time ago.

[zoom zoom]

Yea I got 01 Rio knuckles mounted on kiazord, they were on babyspire for a short period of time when I rebuilt her knuckles. Same as manual tranny aspire rotors.