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notchy steering rack
davidimurray - 31/7/13 at 10:20 PM

Having sent the iva forms off last week, I've been finishing a few odds and sods. Moved the car around the garage and noticed a click from the steering along with a little notch. When I turn the steer in left you can't feel or hear anything when you turn the steering right, there is the initial click/notch then fees fine. If you stop turning right and start again it feels fine. The clic/notch only happens when you turn left and then right. It doesn't matter where the rack is along the travel, the notch is always there.

I disconnected the Uj at the top of the column and I could still feel the notch. Removed the steering shaft and lower uj and checked in the vice and all seems tight. Put a mole grip on the splined shaft on the rack and I can just feel the notch still. So I a guessing the rack is knackered - new from rally design in 2010 and barely used.

Any suggestions on anything else it could be or a way I could check the rack or do I need to buy a new one?

BenTyreman - 31/7/13 at 10:32 PM

It could be the pinion unscrewing itself slightly before the rack starts moving. Or the rack damper might need adjusting.

austin man - 31/7/13 at 10:34 PM

its not the indicator cancelling device catching is it

adithorp - 1/8/13 at 06:48 AM

"...Put a mole grip on the splined shaft on the rack and I can just feel the notch still..."

From that it sounds like a fault in the rack, but...

Have you checked the rack to chassis mounts? Slight play there will cause a click, normally both ways but not always. Could be in the hubs; Dose it do it with the track rod ends disconnected from the hubs? Do that and try turning each hub to see if theres anything there. It might not still click from the rack once the load from the hubs is gone though so the rack not doing it then doesn't rule it out but if it does it's confirmed. I'd contact RallyDesign and see if they'll swap the rack. They're pretty good like that.

r1_pete - 1/8/13 at 07:24 AM

Sounds like end float in the pinion.

Smoking Frog - 1/8/13 at 08:04 AM

quote:

It could be the pinion unscrewing itself slightly before the rack starts moving.


This is what it seems to me. The pinion unscrews, it hits the casing causing the click. Some slack somewhere on the pinion. Ensure you have all components correctly located.

ashg - 1/8/13 at 10:25 AM

ring rally design. if they wont help take it apart and have a look, there isn't much to it.

davidimurray - 1/8/13 at 11:27 AM

Thanks everyone

I spoke to RD earlier and they generally suggested to check everything else. Didn't seem very keen on exchanging the rack as it was bought 4 years ago and they were basically saying how can they be sure I haven't knackered it in that time

Does anyone have an exploded diagram of the rack and how it is assembled? How can I adjust the end float on the pinion? Is it adjustable or do I need to shim?

Cheers

Dave

BenTyreman - 1/8/13 at 06:42 PM

Is it a quick rack? When I changed from a standard Sierra rack to a quick rack, I had to shim the pinion as it was slightly too short.

davidimurray - 1/8/13 at 09:09 PM

Been looking at the car tonight and hopefully sorted.

Checked and I could feel the pinion moving in and out of the housing.tried to remove the pinion cover on the front and then realised it had been staked in place so gave up.Removed the top oval cover and the plastic slider.There were two shims under the cap, a thick one and a thin one 4 thou thick. Removed the thin shim and the the notch and clicking noise dissapeared.

Fingers crossed that's sorted it.